Gavin Bennett's Blog: Join Another Social Media Site: Day 29 of the 2015 October Platform Challenge

Okay, I know I’m not going to make any new friends with today’s task, but I have to do it. More importantly, you have to do it. That is, you need to push out of that comfort zone (for at least the month of October, which is now nearly over).

Join Another Social Media Site

For today’s platform-building task, join another social media site. You should be a pro at this now. After all, this will be the fifth social media site of the challenge.

What social media sites are left?

It’s a fair question, but really, we’ve only touched the very tip of social media iceberg. Here’s a list of a few popular sites to try (that we haven’t yet for this challenge):

There are more, but these are all social networks in which I know writers have found success for their writing platforms and careers.

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Writers will learn:

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Writers, remember!

Not all sites are going to appeal to all writers. So it’s imperative that you get out and try different social networks to find the one (or ones) that work best for you. Also, the splintering of social networks underscores the importance of having that one centralized online hub: your author website.

Here are a few tips for any social network you join:

Complete your profile. A completed profile is a signal that you’re present and a human (not a robot).
Be public. Set your profile to public. I know this is a hurdle for many, but if you want to be find success, people need to be able to find you. And they can’t find you if you’re hiding in the shadows.
Share consistently. Use your profile on a consistent basis. This signals to others that you’re not only present and a human, but you’re actively using the site. That is, that you haven’t abandoned the site.
Focus on your goals. Don’t get sidetracked by memes and games (unless they align with your platform). Rather, share and comment and follow what is relevant to your goals and the needs of your target audience. Yes, have a personality and have fun–but try to keep it tied to your platform (even if it’s a bit of a stretch).
Be open to possibilities. I try not to expect much when I try something new, but still be open to whatever unexpected greatness might be around the corner. Maybe that’s cautious optimism, but it’s how I handle social media. Stay open to the possibilities without stressing out if things don’t seem to click immediately.

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Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer’s Digest Writing Community, which includes editing Writer’s Market and Poet’s Market. He regularly blogs at the Poetic Asides blog and writes a poetry column for Writer’s Digest magazine. He also leads online education, speaks on writing and publishing at events around the country, and does other fun writing-related stuff.