Overcoming Marketing Burnout
mindset shifts for authors tired of social media
I’m tired, you’re tired, we’re all tired. In the spirit of being an open book, it’s been a really long week of content creation, and by the time I got to writing this, I ironically had to overcome burnout. That said, let’s dive in.
I continue to see Threads and Substacks by authors and publishing professionals discussing how marketing via social media is the downfall of society—so much work for so little reward. I’d like for you to put your phone down, go outside, take a few deep breaths of fresh air, and then come back.
Authors, it’s time for a new perspective.
There is a difference between marketing and showing up.
Marketing is strictly defined as the activity or business of promoting and selling products or services. Showing up is about building connections, sharing value and fostering community.
If you are spending all of your social media time marketing, it’s no wonder you feel depleted.
If you can’t link every piece of content you’re sharing to the mindset of your dream reader—though it may be authentic to YOU—it will likely fall flat.
If you’re trying to build a following on every single app and posting just to post, I’m not surprised you’re tired of it all.
Let’s go through five straight-forward strategic actions that you can do today to mitigate stress away from marketing, and start showing up:
Name your audience
When you’re creating content and posting for your dream audience, they will feel that connection, follow you, and engage with your content because it’s relatable. Tip: give your dream reader a name. Create each post as if it were directly for her/him.
Remember, the term is ‘social’ media
Social is a two-way street, and you must remember that when you’re asking people to stick around, answer questions, leave comments, etc., you have to be available to respond, connect, congratulate and more. Give them a reason to trust you! Don’t wait for them to come to your account, be active and find them on their pages too. Plus, the more reputation you have for reposting and connecting with your readers, the more people will test that theory and stick around because it’s true.
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes
This is my favorite one! The last thing you want to do is have your followers see your profile pop up and think, “ugh, they’re going to try to sell me this book again.” Get to know them, let them get to know you, be interesting, and they’ll be interested. A big way to make this happen is to create zero-click content. Provide value through consistent storylines without asking your audience to click out. I promise your people will notice and eventually click on their own because the match is right.
Focus on your current audience
Even if you’re starting with 300 followers, think about the fact that you’re talking to 300 human beings. That’s a lot!! Respect that each one is a person and relationship to nurture while simultaneously welcoming new people into the community one by one through conversation and consistency. A smaller, highly engaged community is worth SO much more than a large, unengaged one.
Be consistent and patient!
You may hate to hear it, but virality and social media fame is the exception. It also doesn’t last forever (sorry). Plan ahead, be strategic, play the long game.
Once you’re operating with a community-centered mindset, you're going to feel overwhelmed again, because now you’ve set the expectation to be available to your community. This is the fatigue I tend to feel, but it’s paired with gratitude, because people are interested!
I have a tip for you: remember that social media is a business tool, and your primary business is of course, your writing. Focus on that.
Learn to remove the urgency, let a notification sit and log in on your terms. Businesses are not available 24/7, so therefore you don’t have to be either. Set social media hours, and operate your online business within that timeframe.
My recommendation: show up for your community in two blocks of 30 minutes every day, and set aside 4 hours every other week for content creation. I promise, your relationship with marketing, social media and your readers will change for the better.
Is this post helpful? I’d love to hear your thoughts.