Instagram’s new “Broadcast Channels” feature can help you build a niche audience, and get copies of your books flying off the shelves! “Broadcast Channels” are groups that live in the DM section of Instagram, and function as self created fan pages. In a Broadcast Channel, you can blast notes, photos, and links of interest directly to a dedicated group of your followers. Together, you and members of your curated groups share a sense of community and consistency that’s not easily found when interacting in the app at large. With a few easy steps, your new Broadcast Channel can be the key to a new loyal customer base and a phenomenal uptick in your book sales!

Curate your group’s feel. Have a specific idea about the type of content you can share that your followers will enjoy. If your Instagram page is frequented by aspiring novelists, a page that regularly shares creative writing prompts, storyboarding templates, and writing advice would likely pique their interests. If you are a fashion writer and your followers are constantly checking your page for style inspiration, you can promise prospective members exclusive outfit of the day posts and behind the scenes looks into your creative process. Be sure to share an array of content or resources with your followers that are personalized or that they cannot easily find elsewhere. Lastly, choose an appealing name to call your fanclub, utilizing emojis as appropriate.

Add followers to your group. Thankfully, Instagram sends out an automatic invitation to invite your current followers to join your new Broadcast Channel. You can also invite your followers to join this new group manually by using the “Join Channel” sticker in your Instagram Stories, or sharing the link to your broadcast channel on other platforms, such as Youtube, Facebook and Linked In. This is an easy way to ensure your Broadcast Channel debuts with engagement from individuals who are already familiar with what you have to offer on outside platforms.

Post a personalized introduction, detailing the type of content they can expect. It only takes a few sentences to introduce yourself to your Broadcast Channel. Have a few lines detailing what you’re all about, what type of content they can expect, and what type of community you hope to create. Let your followers know why they should join your group, what they would gain from it, and how excited you are to start this journey!

Share curated content. It is time to share short notes, polls, images, tutorials, and other curated content. Broadcast Channels present a unique way to interact directly with your followers, giving you a heightened opportunity to get to know them better. By posting a poll, you can allow your followers to share insights with you. Ask your group to vote on prospective covers for one of your upcoming projects, get their opinion on what types of journaling works best for creative writing, or pose other inquiries that will entertain your followers and keep you informed on their tastes. You can also host a Zoom meeting with your new group by simply posting a meeting invitation with a link. Host Q and A’s, lead writing circles, or just chat with your fans. Think informative, inspiring, and entertaining.

Advertise your product to the group. Now that you’ve curated a community of supportive followers, you are all set to start making posts with links to purchase your work. Posting about your projects is an easy task when your message is being broadcasted specifically to group of your supporters. Be sure to weave these advertisements between other types of posts. Advertisement doesn’t have to be awkward: This is less like a cold call and more like a recommendation from a trusted friend. Your Broadcast Channel can transform into your personal book club, where you can give your followers sneak peaks at excerpts of your book, exclusive notes on your writing process, or tips on getting their own stories published.

Keep your channel running. After you’ve successfully curated a group of interested fans and potential customers, don’t let your hard work go to waste! Engage with your group on a regular basis to keep the community alive. Remember, this does not require you to draw up longform essays every day; Short and sweet thrives in Broadcast Chanels.

Happy Creating 🙂

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Hailing from the historic city of Philadelphia, Jada Elder is a writer and education researcher. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English from Temple University.