Template
How to market a book on social media
Market a book on social media by posting four helpful posts for every one that asks for the sale, on one or two platforms where your readers already are.
Published by Book Profits ClubLast updated: November 3, 2026
That ratio is the 80/20 rule ManuscriptReport recommends: 80% valuable, non-promotional content and 20% direct calls to action. Book Profits Club turns it into a five-post weekly template below. Each call to action points to something you own, like your email list, so followers become subscribers and then clients.
What should authors post on social media?
Authors should post content that helps their ideal reader even if they never buy the book: tips, answers, stories, and saveable checklists. Then, roughly one post in five, invite them to the next step.
Weekly 80/20 social media template for authors
| Slot | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Post 1 | Helpful | One tip from a chapter, written as a standalone post |
| Post 2 | Helpful | Answer a question a reader asked you |
| Post 3 | Helpful | A short story behind why you wrote the book |
| Post 4 | Helpful | A checklist or quote graphic readers can save |
| Post 5 | Call to action | Invite readers to your lead magnet, book page, or offer |
Making social posts count
Rule
The 80/20 content rule
ManuscriptReport calls 80% valuable, non-promotional content and 20% direct calls to action a good rule of thumb (ManuscriptReport). Helpful posts earn attention; occasional asks convert it.
Numbers
Do not rely on social alone
HubSpot reports 32.9% of internet users aged 16+ discover new brands, products, and services via search engines (HubSpot). Repurpose your best posts into articles that answer reader questions so they keep working.
Connect social to your funnel
A follower you cannot email is a follower you can lose. Send calls to action to a lead magnet, then follow the steps in the book sales funnel template. For more channels and timing, go back to the book marketing strategies guide.
Common questions
See all questions on the FAQ page- How do I market a book on social media?
- Market a book on social media by posting mostly helpful content and only sometimes asking for the sale. ManuscriptReport suggests an 80/20 rule: 80% valuable, non-promotional content and 20% direct calls to action. Pick one or two platforms, post consistently, and point every call to action at your email list or book page.
- What makes a good lead magnet for authors?
- A good lead magnet solves one specific problem fast. Authors Unite lists formats such as a checklist or template that solves a specific problem in 15 minutes, or a free mini-course delivered over 5 to 7 days. Build it from a chapter of your book so it naturally leads readers back to your work.
- I do not have time to market my book. What helps?
- Batch your marketing into small, fixed blocks and use templates so you are not starting from scratch. Book Profits Club offers a Daily Success Schedule training to master your routine and keep consistent momentum, and Premium includes advanced templates. A weekly 80/20 content template also cuts planning time.
- Do authors need an email newsletter?
- Most authors benefit from one. In a mid-2026 Written Word Media survey of 582 self-selected authors, cited by The WriteLight Group, newsletter use rose from 39% among authors earning up to $500 per month to 73% among those earning $2,500 to $10,000. A newsletter is an audience you control.
- What is the 3-3-3 rule for marketing?
- There is no single agreed definition of the 3-3-3 rule in marketing; different coaches use the label for different frameworks. This site does not build its recommendations on it. For book marketing, the published rules of thumb we cite are starting 10 to 12 weeks early and the 80/20 content mix.
Get feedback on your content
Share drafts and plans with other authors in Book Profits Club.