As a modern-day writer is no longer enough to write a book and hope you’ll make it big. Writers have to be savvy in ways to self promote, spread the word and brand themselves. It’s a daunting task, I understand, but the good news is that you’re not alone in this journey.
  One of the best ways to let fans know about what’s going on in your world – is to create a website. Unfortunately, having a basic digital static presence is out of the question and in my humble opinion – it can hurt you in the long run. If you’re a powerhouse writer and you have a team behind you, good for you. But if you’re on a tap water budget, rest assured that you can still have a slick online profile that represent YOU. I’m going to assume that you have a website already built and now you want to grow your audience. How do you do it? Is it some kind of sorcery? No. Begin by blogging often. Blog about topics you care about, but keep in mind that the topics should be compelling to others too. Do some research and see what the competition is writing about.   Don’t be afraid to get active on social media, but don’t go overboard. I have chosen two to three social media platforms that I update regularly and try to foster a community. If you’re spending most of your time updating, scrolling endlessly through feeds, you won’t have time to do what you love most – writing. Respond to comments, engage in conversations, and encourage others to leave feedback is probably one of the best ways you can build your name as a brand. To be successful on social media and make your website more appealing, spend some time looking for eye-catching images. I know it’s cliche to say ‘an image is worth a thousand words’ – but in this case is true. You can always use personal snaps or check out free stock image websites. If you have writer friends invite them to guest-blog on your website. It’s beneficial for both of you. The guest blogger gets another venue to express ideas and you get more content on your website. Make sure that the blog posts that go live on the site are aimed at your audience. Don’t forget to create and publish an e-mail newsletter. It’s an easy and effective way to promote yourself, your book, website and blogs. Please don’t spam people! If I open my email and get more than three emails in a week from you, I will unsubscribe, so would others. Everything is best in moderations.   And here is my last tip to help you grow your website traffic –  avoid websites that promise you the world for only a few bucks. Yes, you’ll get 10,000 users in a day, but that’s not organic traffic and it does not help you in any way. It’s a false sense that you’ve accomplished something, when in reality, the traffic you purchase is a mix bag of spammers. Focus on working hard at it to get genuine clicks from people that care about your book and you. Share your thoughts and ideas with me on Twitter, using #growmywebsite. I’d love to hear from you!