If there were a game show called, “Name that Author Marketing Tune” it would likely be “There’s Not a One Size Fits All for Authors.”
Although true, far too many authors are quick to discount a marketing strategy as ineffective without even attempting to try it. Or they point fingers at authors who are making a great living from their writing and claim their marketing strategies are not “real” strategies.
Take social media marketing. In several author groups I belong to there is enough discussion, posts and threads to talk about how social media marketing is not a proven commodity and just doesn’t work.
Although fairly new on the book marketing terrain there are plenty of authors who KNOW the value of social media marketing. Sure, it may not be in direct ROI or sales, but when an author builds a platform, name recognition, fans and a following selling their books becomes much easier.
Yet far too many authors either give social media marketing a lukewarm attempt at best or no attempt at its worst.
So where does an author new to social media marketing begin? The first place is with a blog. The blog should be the hub of all your marketing efforts.
From there you need to determine where your readers tend to congregate. Are there specific forums they gravitate to? If so, this is where you should invest time building name recognition and relationships.
For example, if you have a book on Boomer Women Car Repairs it would make sense to find boomer women forums.
If your book is about the care and training of Boxer dogs, there are plenty of forums for avid Boxer owners. I know this for fact; I belong to some.
What about a book on elderly care? I can assure you there are forums on elderly care. 
Regardless of what the interest there are forums and social networks specific to virtually anything. Your job is to identify your reader, find out where they “hang out” and spend some time building name recognition in these locations by providing high value to potential buyers of your book(s). You do this by participating in discussions, posting articles when allowed, offering tips when asked and simply being seen.
A targeted and consistent approach to social media marketing will pay off. But you have to be willing to invest time in this. It’s not a “show up once and you are a star” proposition. It’s all about viewing your book marketing in the long term.
