Presentation for the October 2014 Arizona Author's Association - how fiction and non-fiction can use content marketing and blogging to build their platform.

1. Growing Your Platform
Using Blogging & Content Marketing
Carrie Morgan
CMO, Digital Strategy & Services
Rock The Status Quo
We Make Brands More Visible & Vibrant Online

2. Today
Being an author
demands stronger
Marketing & PR skills….
constantly learning…
… and using time
and resources
more effectively
Ack!

3. The pressure to
learn new skills &
compete in your
genre for visibility
is strong.
garbage from
Those who don’t gold.
CLOSE THE DOOR
to their own book
sales.
But it doesn’t have
to be overwhelming.

4. Empower Yourself.
Teeny publisher budgets or self-publishing = you do it all
BECOME YOUR
OWN ONLINE
MARKETING GENIUS
IF YOU WANT
SALES.
Get found.
Be heard.
You… the learners…
are the ones who
create new best
practices & sell
more books.
KUDOS!

5. Drop media dependency.
You choose what & where to publish, how to
amplify and where conversations happen.

6. Enter content
marketing
& blogging
industry media/blogs Connecting with
book review bloggers
social proof
potential readers

7. What is Content Marketing?
Valuable, NON-PROMOTIONAL information
that helps you attract targeted
customers/readers.

8. What is Content Marketing?
Blogging. Articles & Guest Posts. Video. Podcasts. Images.
Visual + written micro-stories.
Who is better at creating
stories than an author?
1. Bring Fiction to Life
2. Showcase Expertise
3. Help Them Find You

9. Today.
TAKE TIME TO
BRAINSTORM.
Write down your ideas.
(wine helps)

10. Fiction authors.
WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
Facebook page for a character or place?
Free e-book or slideshare content?
Interact with fans on GoodReads?
A “behind the scenes” blog?
Book review campaign?
Share sneak previews?
Pinterest boards?

11. Nonfiction authors.
WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
Guest posts on industry blogs & ezines?
LinkedIn groups & showcase pages?
Blogging on your own website?
Sharing relevant articles?
Free e-book prequel?
Public speaking?
Instagram?

12. It’s enough to make your head explode.

13. KISS.
Keep it simple!
5-STEP PLAN
1. Understand your reader.
2. Pick 2-3 tactics.
3. Write down your plan.
4. Do those 2-3 things well.
Really, REALLY well.
5. Measure and tweak along
the way.
garbage from gold.

14. 1YOUR READER.
Understand
Does age matter?
Where are they online?
What are they passionate about?
HOW CAN YOU TAP INTO THAT?
If you don’t know, ASK THEM.
Give them a chance to know you.
Build a community!

15. Understanding
YOUR READER.
If you are published, give your
fans something to be passionate
about (and share).
If you are unpublished, help them
find YOU.

16. Google
IS YOUR
BFF.

17. 2TO JUST 2-3 TACTICS.
Narrow it down
What is realistic? Achievable?
How much time can you invest?
Don’t bite off more than you can consistently
chew, and realize it is a long-term game,
not a short-term sprint.

18. Be Smart
WITH YOUR TACTICS
S… Specific
M… Measurable
A… Accountable
R… Realistic
T… Time-Sensitive

19. 3YOUR PLAN.
Write down
Where are they online?
What are they passionate about?
How can you tap into that?
If you don’t know, ASK THEM.
Give them a chance to know you.
Build a community!

20. 4
REALLY WELL.
Do The 2-3 Things
Quality and consistency matter.
Blogging? Write 1-2 posts per week.
Social media? Learn best practices.
Book reviews? Identify the right ones.
Help your readers fall in love.

21. 5
One needs the other.
Measure&Tweak
To measure something, you must
first have a goal.

22. Measure
& Tweak.
(Tweak, not twerk.)
1. Define a goal for each of
the 2-3 things you are
focusing on.
2. Define how you can
measure progress against
that goal.
3. If it isn’t working, review
best practices before
changing tactics.

23. IF YOU SLIP
Don’t worry.
Just start again.
If you stay on-plan, do your best and are
consistent, you are ahead of the game.

24. Want free help?
Subscribe to my blog.
Send me your questions.
I’ll help you rock the status quo.
RockTheStatusQuo.com

25. Questions?
morgan@rockthestatusquo.com
rockthestatusquo.com
CC © aurimas adomavicius

26. Fiction authors.
WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
Facebook page for a character or place?
Free e-book or slideshare content?
Interact with fans on GoodReads?
A “behind the scenes” blog?
Book review campaign?
Share sneak previews?
Pinterest boards?

27. Nonfiction authors.
WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
Guest posts on industry blogs & ezines?
LinkedIn groups & showcase pages?
Blogging on your own website?
Sharing relevant articles?
Free e-book prequel?
Public speaking?
Instagram?