Post Until You Pop? No Thanks—Here’s How to Actually Sell Books
Authors, gather round. Let’s have a little heart-to-heart about that never-ending hamster wheel known as social media marketing. You know, the one where you pour hours into posts, reels, and tweets (or is it Xs now? Who even knows anymore?), hoping it somehow translates into book sales.
Spoiler alert: It doesn’t.
Why Do You Post on Social Media?
Before we dive in, ask yourself: Why do you post on social media? Seriously, take a moment. What’s your goal?
Here are some of the most common answers from authors I’ve worked with:
- “To get visibility.”
- “Because I heard I have to.”
- “To connect with my readers.”
- “To sell my book.”
- “Because everyone else is doing it.”
Sound familiar? Now, here’s the kicker—social media was built for big brands, influencers, and companies with massive ad budgets.
As authorpreneurs, especially first-time authors, we don’t have the luxury of spending thousands just to see what works. And yet, many authors pour hours and dollars into social media, thinking it will magically generate book sales.
Why Social Media Feels Productive (But Rarely Sells Books)
We’ve been told that if we just post more, engage more, hashtag more, and maybe sacrifice a coffee to the Algorithm Gods, our books will magically sell themselves. But the truth?
📉 Most authors spend 80% of their time on social media and only 20% actually selling their books.
😩 Many feel exhausted and overwhelmed by the constant content churn, thinking, “If I just post one more thing, maybe THIS will be the one that goes viral.”
💰 And worst of all? It’s expensive. Whether it’s paid ads, tools, or just the sheer amount of time spent crafting the perfect post, it eats away at your profits.
Lessons from the $142,000 Tuition of Hard Knocks
I’ve been an author since 2005. Over the past 25 years, social media has changed a lot—and so has the way authors are told to market their books. I’ve personally spent over $142,000 over the last 10 years learning, earning, and failing at marketing my books and my company’s services.
I hired “experts” who told me exactly what I needed to do. When their strategies didn’t work? I was told I had done something wrong—but that part was never mentioned upfront. Only after I had poured in the money and the effort did I get the full picture of why their system had failed me.
Here’s what I wish I had known earlier: Social media marketing is designed for people with huge ad budgets, not authors looking for sustainable book sales.
I don’t share this to sound bitter—I share it because I want you to avoid the same costly mistakes. I’ve paid my tuition in full, in cash, with no scholarships. And you don’t have to.
So, let’s talk about what actually works.
The Hidden Time Sink of Social Media Marketing
It’s not just the endless posting—paid ads can be an even bigger trap. Three of the 65 authors I interviewed shared how they spent money on Facebook ads, thinking it would boost their book sales. It didn’t.
Why? Because social media advertising isn’t just a “set it and forget it” tool. It requires:
- Expertise to set up properly (which most authors don’t have).
- Hours of testing and adjusting (which takes time away from writing).
- Significant ad spend (some marketing pros admit that results don’t really improve until spending tens of thousands of dollars).
Even experienced marketers use their clients’ money just to figure out the system—and even then, success is hit or miss.
The Social Media Mind Trap: Losing Your Reader in the Collective
Beyond the wasted time and money, social media shifts your focus away from your reader and onto the masses.
Authors often get caught up obsessing over which posts performed best, analyzing numbers, and tweaking future posts—instead of actually writing. Even when they blog, they shape their content around what they think their audience wants, rather than what truly inspires them.
Here’s the real problem: When you market to “your audience” as a collective, you lose sight of your reader as an individual.
📌 You start thinking in terms of “What do they want from me?” instead of “Why did I write this book?”
📌 You worry about trends instead of focusing on the creative spark that made you write in the first place.
📌 You forget that readers want connection—not just content.
Whether your book is meant to help someone escape into a great story, make them laugh, or solve a real problem in their life, the key is to speak directly to that one reader—NOT the algorithm.
Essential Questions Every Author Should Ask
- How do you build an email list from scratch if you don’t have one?
- What’s the easiest way to sell books from your website if you’re not tech-savvy?
- What’s a good first sales goal for an author?
- What’s the fastest way to get sales when you have zero budget?
- How do you know if your marketing is actually working?
- What are the best free (or low-cost) strategies for making sales?
- What’s the real ROI (Return on Investment) of social media marketing?
- How can an author build relationships with readers without social media?
- How does the fear of missing out (FOMO) keep authors stuck in ineffective marketing?
- When should an author focus on marketing, and when should they focus on selling?
Want answers to these questions in real time? You can ask me directly during OPEN Friday Coffee—my free weekly Q&A session where we tackle all things book marketing, sales, and authorpreneurship. [Join me here!](Insert Link)
If you can’t make it to OPEN Friday Coffee, you can still be part of the conversation! Join my beta readers, and I’ll answer your questions as I write my next book. You’ll get an inside look at the process, plus the chance to shape what comes next. [Sign up here!](Insert Link)
Bonus: Free Worksheet for Smart Marketing Moves
Want to apply these strategies right away? I’ve created a simple worksheet to help you shift your marketing mindset and start selling books effectively.
Let’s make book sales simple, smart, and sustainable. 🚀