Why Every Author Needs a Newsletter

I’m an Instagram girlie through and through, and I can attribute much of my first book’s success to that platform. Having a strong social media presence can make a huge impact on authors’ sales, and I will die on that hill. But you know what’s more important than getting likes and comments?

Your author newsletter.

Unlike social media, with an email list, you truly own your audience.

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook should be seen as rented spaces. You don’t own your followers there. Imagine the devastation if your account were compromised and you lost your audience. Even with a large following across multiple platforms, the overlap between audiences is often minimal.

Your email list is something you own. Because even if you’re email service provided ceased to exist tomorrow, you’d still own your subscriber list. And that list of names and emails just might be your most valuable marketing tool.

That audience will stay with you wherever you go.

Newsletters have better reach than social media.

We all know that our social media posts only reach a tiny percentage of our audience, which can be really frustrating. Maybe even rage-inducing. (Or is that just me?) With an email list, our messages land right in everyone’s inbox. Will everyone open it? No—the average open rate is below 30%. However, that’s still better than what we can expect with our social media posts, and with newsletters, we’re targeting a very specific audience. Our newsletters reach people who love our books and want more from us—not a bunch of random people an algorithm chooses for us.

Newsletters help you build strong relationships with your readers.

A newsletter is a great way to build a closer, more personal connection with your readers. Unlike social media, where interactions are often brief, newsletters let you share more in-depth content and updates. You can offer exclusive behind-the-scenes looks, sneak peeks of upcoming books, or personal stories that resonate with your audience. Your newsletter fosters your reader base and keeps ‘em around. This means they’re more likely to buy your next book or support other future projects.

Bottom line: you’re missing out on an opportunity to connect with your most loyal readers AND you’re leaving money on the table without an author newsletter.

Not sure where to get started? I’ll dive into different email service providers in my next post. Stay tuned for more!