Author Topic: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?  (Read 766 times)

The Bass Bagwhan

Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« on: December 01, 2024, 09:16:32 AM »
Isn't tiktok primarily a video platform? How do you market books on it?
 

TimothyEllis

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Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2024, 11:40:57 AM »
There are a few authors who do that, as I see them on Facebook as Reels.

I'm not sure it works unless what you're doing is quirky. Even then, I'm not sure it sells books.
Genres: Space Opera/Fantasy/Cyberpunk, with elements of LitRPG and GameLit, with a touch of the Supernatural. Also Spiritual and Games.



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alhawke

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2024, 01:56:32 PM »
You can create vid shorts/trailers. Others don't use pen names and have no problem holding up their book and talking to fans. I haven't used it because the only vids I've made are trailers. I put all my trailers on my YouTube channel--they're really too long for TikTok.
 

Bill Hiatt

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Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2024, 11:28:24 PM »
I have no experience with TikTok, in part because I'm suspicious of their privacy practices. But I have read that so far, it seems to work better for attracting YA readers. Also, some of the successes on TikTok have come from someone else marketing the author's books. I gather that some TikTok channels are devoted to sharing books. But I've not seen any insight in how to attract the attention of a TikTok reviewer.


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alhawke

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2024, 02:51:17 AM »
I think I'm going to take a dive into staring a TikTok channel this week. I have two videos I can add--one is a trailer and the other chronicles an upcoming book cover. I can't add content regularly, but I can make a presence. I'm gonna take a look today...
 

PJ Post

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2024, 04:46:38 AM »
I'm beginning to think no one is reading my posts. I've kind of gone over this a lot - like a whole lot - in lots of different threads - for the last few years.

I posted this in August of 2021:

Quote
An emerging best practice for creatives is to engage with their audience as much as possible, including through as many platforms/services as possible.

In the Sustaining a Career thread I even gave specific examples of how and what to post on a weekly basis, including best practices.

___

TikTok, like all social media, is about branding. And YOU are the brand, not your books. This is super important to grok otherwise you're wasting your time.

I said before to pick a lane, this is even more critical with social media. If you ignore this fact you will almost certainly be wasting your time - sure, you might get lucky, but algorithms don't really get nuance.

Also, you have to post frequently-ish and on a pretty rigid schedule. You need to commit to your fans and then keep that promise - otherwise you're wasting your time.

It takes time to build an audience - to find your tribe. If you're expecting quick results - you're wasting your time.

If you use social media as a buy my crap sales channel like Freebooksy et al - you're also wasting your time.

___

And it should be noted that Congress is in the middle of banning TikTok - Biden signed the Legislation into law earlier this year. The Courts are suppose to rule by January 6, 2025.

 

alhawke

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2024, 05:07:34 AM »
I've read that ban might be overturned ?? In a turn of events, Trump is now siding with TikTok (I recall him wanting to ban it before. :shrug )

I got on the TikTok bandwagon this morning. Seems there's quite a lot of uncertainty on these social media sites with Bluesky vs Twitter vs TikTok vs Instagram/Facebook. I just added this one to my social media sites. I continue to stay away from Facebook and Instagram due to their creepy personal info draw--they ask a lot of private information to "better their searchability" and I got creeped out. Not to mention I write under a pen name. TikTok and Twitter/X was super easy to join.

But your plan of just joining as many platforms/services as possible doesn't sound like a bad approach, PJ.

My new TikTok profile this morning (feel free to look and let me know if I did anything stupid on my newbie profile site):
https://www.tiktok.com/@alhawkeauthor
 

alhawke

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2024, 08:10:04 AM »
Well, live and learn. My vid has zero views. I think it's because it's the same video already published on another Tik Tok account. I got permission to post, and posted it on YouTube shorts, but I wanted to put some content into my new Tik Tok channel today. Oh well, hopefully I won't get banned with my first go at this. I really wanted to sign up on their platform to add a different short video in another week or two.
 

PJ Post

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2024, 08:19:46 AM »
TikTok takes months and tons of videos to get a foothold.

It's all about finding the right formula for your posts - the right framing device for your messaging.

Just like self-publishing, social media is a marathon, not a sprint.
 

The Bass Bagwhan

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2024, 10:03:00 AM »
Actually, even though I was asking about TikTok and videos, my train of thought at the moment is where and how to reach a younger demographic of readers who might like my thriller or horror novels.
 

PJ Post

Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2024, 10:50:47 PM »
Actually, even though I was asking about TikTok and videos, my train of thought at the moment is where and how to reach a younger demographic of readers who might like my thriller or horror novels.

Social media.
 

TimothyEllis

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Re: Is anyone marketing on tiktok? How do you create the content?
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2024, 10:59:34 PM »
Actually, even though I was asking about TikTok and videos, my train of thought at the moment is where and how to reach a younger demographic of readers who might like my thriller or horror novels.

Social media.

Too vague.

Where on social media?
Genres: Space Opera/Fantasy/Cyberpunk, with elements of LitRPG and GameLit, with a touch of the Supernatural. Also Spiritual and Games.



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