Wattpad is essentially a social network that exists predominantly for authors and readers of all kinds. If you’re passionate about literature, you’d be a fool not to get in on the many conversations taking place on Wattpad. If you’re a new author (or even still in the aspiring stages), Wattpad can provide you with the tools you need to promote your prized works. Since Wattpad works a little differently from other social networks, you’ll need to tailor your approach to the way that Wattpad works.
1. Use the Right Options
On Wattpad, you have to treat your book the same way you would treat a blog post or a YouTube video. The categories you select and the keywords you use will make all the difference in the world. If you’ve optimized the way you’ve listed your title, you’re increasing the chances of more users stumbling upon it organically.
Leads will come your way through organic search, and almost every internet user relies on organic search to find what they’re looking for. If you have what someone is looking for, all you need to do is make it easy for them to find. You’ll only need to do it once, and the benefits will continue to come.
2. Get Personal
Like most social networks, Wattpad isn’t so great if you aren’t using it to talk to people. You should network with other authors and readers who are interested in the same things you’re interested in. You can provide each other with feedback that will help both of you grow. Many people use Wattpad as a starting point. You can use this system to get readers, apply feedback to a new draft of the book, and walk away with an even stronger copy of your original material that you can shop to a bigger publisher.
3. Shoot for the Featured Stars
Wattpad features popular stories, and it’s not as hard as you may think to get that kind of exposure. The featured stories feed showcases works by authors who have a significant number of followers and a sizeable amount of reads, which are easy to accumulate when you’re an active user. If you want to take a shot at getting your story featured on the front page, all you have to do is email them and ask. They consider all requests as long as the author who submits the request has become popular among members of the community.
4. Get Them Started
We’ve all been roped in by free trials and free samples. We get a taste of something and know that it’s so good that we simply need to have more. The same goes with promoting a book. If you release the first few chapters on Wattpad, the people who are committed to the story and are dying to know what’s going to happen next will become eager readers. You’ve never going to catch a fish without a hook, and sometimes, a few carefully selected excerpts of your book are the sharpest hooks in your tackle box.
5. Join the Club
Wattpad exists for all genres, but it has a few standout communities that have become very strong. If you’ve written science fiction or romance, you’re going to find a niche very quickly. The fan fiction scene is also very strong on this network, which is a sense of community that a lot of speciality authors are looking for. The people involved in these communities are very passionate about what they do, and they’re always looking for something to read. Introduce yourself to the people in these circles and check in with them on a regular basis. If they like you and share similar opinions with you, they’ll be willing to give your book a shot.
6. Ask for Help
Some authors on Wattpad have already “made it.” They’ve seen substantial success after developing a loyal readership and marketing their own works. Many of them still use the social network to keep in touch with the friends and associates they’ve made through the website. It never hurts to ask these people for help, particularly if you’re rising to prominence on the network.
Wattpad is one of the strongest starting points that a new author can us. As long as you stay active on a regular basis and make sure to respond to the people who are interacting with you, it’s hard to goof things up. This network is full of like-minded people willing to interact and contribute, so get involved!
Bio: Anne Grobler is an aspiring writer and a blogger, currently supporting OpenAgent, real estate experts. Anne enjoys all kinds of literature and might often be found with a book in her hand a cup of hot tea in the other.
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