Authors Online: Strategies for Digital Self Promotion

This paper explored strategies of digital self-promotion for authors online through the investigation of emerging, independent self-published writers. This research provides best practices through those strategies to assist self-published writers in furthering their public profile in digital marketing. The literature review provides context in the online self-publishing environment, connecting with the audience; encouraging collaboration (produsage); adapting to the shifting publishing marketplace through self-presentation strategies (branding), and; bolstering two-way communication (market sensing). It also provides the basis for coding self-presentation themes in self-presentation. This research suggests that best practices can optimize the time that writers spend on marketing, not only to attract initial attention from publishers but at any stage in their career. This research gathers data and develops case studies of four self-published authors that use Wattpad, a social media platform for writers. It analyzes these authors’ strategies for self-promotion and measures their effectiveness through the level of engagement elicited from their fans. It develops best practices from these strategies. This research finds that digital self-promotional activities are successful if they are creative, unique and develop a community of fan followers. It is especially effective when authors reflect the interests of their target audience. It was also found these strategies helped develop the author’s branding for long-term effectiveness