Unlocking your author platform: Why it’s essential for success

What's an author platform, who needs one, and how do you create one? Here's what you need to know to start building yours.

Frequent references to “platform” in politics, beauty pageants, beds, and shoes can confuse any author struggling to understand how that concept applies to book publishing.

In politics and beauty pageants, your platform is a message or goal. In the beauty pageant comedy “Miss Congeniality,” for Sandra Bullock’s Gracie Hart, it was “… harsher punishment for parole violators …. and, world peace.”

With beds and shoes, it’s about height.

For authors, “platform” is the publishing industry term for your built-in sales network. It’s the people waiting to buy your book as soon as it’s available. It’s your fan base or following.

Who needs an author platform?

Platform is important to authors seeking a traditional publishing deal because publishers calculate how many books they believe they can sell before offering a contract. With platform specifically, they ask, “How many books are we guaranteed to sell because of the author’s platform?”

But that doesn’t mean author platform isn’t important to self-published authors, too.

Think about it. Without an audience already in place when you publish your book, who are you going to sell it to? You’ll be starting from scratch. Marketers call that a “cold start.”

Without an audience already in place when you publish your book, who are you going to sell it to?Click to tweet

Your goal is always to market to a “warm” audience.

Have you ever attended a talk show or game show taping? Before the show starts, a staffer or the host stands in front of the audience telling jokes and asking questions to warm them up before taping begins.

via GIPHY

Your platform is the audience you’ve warmed up to buy your book.

If you haven’t done this advance, you have no audience ready to buy. No audience = no sales.

Is “author platform” a Catch 22?

On the other hand … sometimes the need for a platform feels like a Catch 22.

You’re expected to enjoy a certain level of celebrity status in your niche or genre to get a traditional book contract, and yet, getting that status can be difficult without a book as a credential.

Years ago, before social media, an agent told me she loved my nonfiction book idea, but wouldn’t be able to get a publisher for it until I had done several high-profile national media interviews on the topic.

Could I get on “The Today Show” based on just my topic knowledge and a handful of successful workshop presentations?

Of course not. I needed “author of . . .” after my name to snag that contract-generating exposure. It was a Catch-22.

The social media explosion makes it so much easier to work around that “you need a few big national media hits” obstacle today.

If you’ve got enough newsletter, YouTube channel, or blog subscribers; or Instagram or TikTok followers today, you don’t need to be a media darling.

9 author platform element options

So … how are you going to build your platform so that people are ready to buy your book when it’s published?

Think of your author platform as a stool – the more legs you have under the seat, the safer you feel when sitting on it.

Here are nine legs to consider for your stool’s platform’s support.

1. E-mail list and newsletter subscribers

Email marketing is where it’s at for book sales, and publishers know that better than anyone.

It’s important to keep your name and topic in front of the people who are most likely to buy your book; a regular e-mail newsletter is an excellent way to do that. Make it useful, not promotional, so that people look forward to reading and sharing it.

Your newsletter subscribers are a “warm” audience because they’ve added themselves to your list. That’s a reader’s way of saying, “I’m interested in what you’re doing.” (Never add anyone to your email list.)

To build your list, offer a “lead magnet” – a free gift on your website.

Whether it’s the first chapter of your book, a downloadable audio interview, a cheat sheet, a word search, it needs to be something your audience wants enough to provide their name and e-mail address. 

2. Popular YouTube channel

YouTube is the second most popular social media platform in the world.

That alone tells you that people watch YouTube videos. But if you need numbers to convince you, understand that more than 1 billion people use YouTube.

3. Social media followers/connections

You don’t have to be “everywhere” on social media. And you don’t want to be.

You want to be where your target audience is.

#Authors, you don’t have to be “everywhere” on social media. And you don’t want to be.
You want to be where your target audience is.Click to tweet

Kris Bordessa‘s audience uses Facebook, where she has a half million followers on her Attainable Sustainable Facebook page. Kris also has one book out that was published by National Geographic and another on the way.

Think those publishing contracts are a coincidence?

If your target audience is younger, Instagram is where it’s at for you and your book. Almost two-thirds of its users are under 30.

Did you write a business book? Put your energy into LinkedIn.

If your book relates to women’s lifestyles — cooking, decorating, crafting, and so on — make sure you’re getting images up on Pinterest. At 70% of its users, women dominate the platform.

YA author? Figure out TikTok, since two-thirds of all U.S. 18- and 19-year-olds use the platform.

4. Online group members

When LinkedIn undermined its groups, Facebook groups took off. No matter where it’s hosted, an online group for your book’s topic or genre will help you learn more about your readers and what they want and need.

As with everything else, the more members you have in your group, the more that group will add to your platform. (By the way, please join the Build Book Buzz Facebook group to talk all things book marketing!)

5. A blog plus subscribers and traffic

Just ask any food blogger with a cookbook about the role their blog played in landing a publishing contract.

I purchased one of food blogger Tieghan Gerard’s (several) cookbooks after discovering her Half-Baked Harvest site on Instagram. SimilarWeb notes that the site had 4.3 million visitors last month.

That traffic, plus her 5.5 million Instagram followers, ensure she gets book deals. She’s got an audience waiting to buy.

Providing the content your audience wants on a blog can also help you build an email list (see #1) and generate content to share on social media (see #3).

And, by enabling comments as I have here, it’s a wonderful way to learn from your audience. That helps ensure you’re in touch with their needs and interests rather than simply putting forth your own agenda.

6. Speaking engagements

Professional speakers have this platform element covered, of course. But what about the rest of us?

A while back, an editor reviewing my book proposal asked for a list of speaking engagements for the previous and coming years along with the audience size for each.

This level of detail helps publishers estimate how many books they can sell – and whether they think they can sell enough. (And, ahem, I wasn’t reaching the numbers required with my public speaking, so I didn’t get an offer.)

7. Media interviews and media outlets that publish what you write 

Media connections now will help you get book publicity later.

Work now to get interviewed by the press and make sure you save the resulting articles or TV, radio, or podcast interviews. You’ll want the clips, audio links, etc., for your book proposal.

Create a database with the contact information for the journalists who interviewed you; use the database to create a book publicity media mailing list.

Offline and online media outlets that regularly run your articles, videos, and so on will be more open to collaborating on book promotion, too.

A regular column that reaches your book’s target audience is a big plus, as well.

8. Influential contacts

A favorable testimonial (called a “blurb”) from a recognized expert or thought leader, especially one who is willing to recommend your book to her networks, is almost priceless. Several of these? Golden!

Ask them to commit early and include their commitments in your book proposal.

9. Industry leadership

This not only reinforces your expert status, it also means that industry organizations will be more likely to share information about your book. They might even sell it.

How many platform building blocks do you need?

How many of these building blocks do you need to support your platform?

That depends on your book’s topic, the size of the market for it, and how that particular audience seeks/gets information.

A porch or deck has at least four supports — one in each corner — and sometimes more. The more of the right elements you have in your platform, the better positioned you will be to sell more books to the people who will love them.

And not everything in this list makes sense for you and your target readers. Focus on the pieces that are right for your book and its readers, not anyone else’s.

Have these got you thinking about what’s possible for your book? Discover 13 author platform elements in the free “Platform Building for Authors Cheat Sheet.“ Download your copy here.

FAQs about building your author platform

1. What exactly is an author platform, and why do I need one?

An author platform is your built-in sales network—the group of people who are already interested in your work and are likely to buy your book as soon as it’s available. It’s crucial for both traditionally published and self-published authors because it ensures you have a “warm” audience ready to purchase your book, which directly impacts your sales.

2. How does an author platform differ between traditional and self-published authors?

For traditionally published authors, a strong platform can be a key factor in securing a publishing deal, as publishers assess how many books can be sold based on the author’s existing following. Self-published authors need a platform to avoid a “cold start”—without an audience, selling books can be challenging.

3. What are some key elements that make up a strong author platform?

A robust author platform can include several elements, such as a large email list, active social media presence, a popular blog, YouTube channel, regular speaking engagements, media interviews, and influential contacts who can endorse your work.

4. Can I build an author platform without social media?

Yes! While social media is a powerful tool, it’s not the only way to build your platform. You can focus on other elements like growing an email list, writing a blog, speaking engagements, media interviews, and building relationships with industry leaders and influencers.

5. How many elements should I focus on for my author platform?

The number of elements depends on your book’s topic and audience. Generally, the more “legs” or elements your platform has, the stronger it will be. However, it’s essential to focus on the elements that resonate most with your target audience rather than trying to cover everything.

6. What’s the best way to start building my author platform if I’m a new author?

Start by identifying where your target audience spends time and what type of content they consume. Building an email list with a valuable lead magnet, engaging on the right social media platforms, and starting a blog or YouTube channel focused on your book’s topic are great first steps.

7. Is it ever too late to start building an author platform?

It’s never too late to start. While it’s ideal to have a platform before publishing, you can continue to build and strengthen it even after your book is released. The sooner you begin, the more time you’ll have to grow and engage with your audience.

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What’s holding up your author platform? What elements do you have in place?