5 Easy tips to increase your social media visibility as a poet or writer

CoraLynn
7 minutes ago
6 min read

5 easy tips to increase your social media visibility as a poet/writer.

Are you tired of writing into the void? You are posting consistently, yet you seem almost invisible on social media. Trust me, I know the feeling all too well. Know that not being visible on social media in any way is a reflection of your writing skills. An Algorithm is not trained in criticizing art and poetry. It only processes the underlying data. Now, there are ways to increase your social media visibility as a poet or writer, and these 5 easy tips might help you achieve that.

When I first started my poetry account on Instagram, I never dared to dream of what it would become. I remember telling myself, if only one person reads and finds something of themselves in my words, it would be all I could hope for. Was I dreaming small? Perhaps! But this was completely uncharted terrain for me. I had no social media accounts, and yes, imposter syndrome was a big hill for me to climb before I even started sharing my work.

But to my surprise, one reader became one hundred, and five hundred became one thousand, and every month I just kept growing and growing. This was beyond what I imagined, and I still feel blessed for everyone who reads my words and finds strength or hope in them.

Now, a few years later, and combining my platforms, I have reached over 8000 followers. And I have learned how to make myself visible on these social media platforms. These tips are focused on Instagram and Substack, as these are the platforms I use most.

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Here we go!

1) Optimize your bio with keywords

This sounds more complicated than it is.

From the start, it should be clear who you are and what you do. Are you a poet or a writer? Then you should mention that in your bio.
Can you add keywords like “Poetry” or “Poems” to your username? That’s even better, because those names will probably pop up in search results.
Now, I’m not saying you should use a name like “poetrypoemsbypoet” merely to gain visibility, because readers will still have no idea who you are. Always add something intimate, like a name or a word that describes you, like “poemsbycoralynn.”
Add a keyword where it says “name” on your profile. When we only share a name, it explains nothing about what you do. When we only share a keyword, it says nothing about who you are. So, include a word like poet, writer, or “yourname”writes. For example, “Coralynnwrites” or
“CoraLynn | Poetry. “
Using keywords works even better if you can be more specific about what you write. Add a genre or theme of poetry you write in. This helps the platform better identify you and your writing.
Most importantly, your bio should still reflect who you are. So keep it personal by adding a fun fact or some of your favorite emojis.

2) Join communities

There are many supportive poetry and writing communities online for you to turn to. They often host “writers’ lifts” or “writing prompts” for you to participate in. When I started, you could find me in every lift or writing for 4 prompts on one day (and I absolutely loved it)

To be seen, you need to step out of your house and surround yourself with others who share that same passion you have.

Write outside of your own space. If you keep all your writing on your profile, people will not come across your writing anywhere else.
Join a “writer’s lift” or write for a prompt. Offer them a glance at your writing.
Engage in online events like “live poetry readings” or “writing sprints”.
Make meaningful connections and build a tribe of kindred souls that support you. This is not only good for your visibility, but it also does wonders for the creative soul.

A phone with Instagram on — Photo source: Unsplash

3) Build a community

Why not try to build your own community once readers have started to notice you? Community exists by gathering, giving, and growing. These should be the 3 pillars when you want to build a community around you.

Gathering: Do you have an anniversary or birthday coming up? Why not celebrate together with your readers and host a creative writer’s lift?
Giving: By hosting prompts, you are giving back to the readers/writers by providing writing inspiration, feedback, motivation, and so much more. Why not highlight or restack some of the poems written for your prompts?
Growing: Engage with your readers. Read their work, leave supportive and meaningful comments, and support them just the same as they support you. We only grow together, never alone.

4) Engage with others

Yes! Go out there and meet new people. Build connections, leave impressions with meaningful comments, and spread your kindness and love for the written word.

Read poetry by poets that don’t follow you (yet) and leave a meaningful comment. This helps you broaden your visibility, learn from other writers, and form new connections. (Plus, reading more poetry is always a good use of time)
Reply inside your own comments and start a conversation. This helps to strengthen your community.
Reply to DM’s. Even if it is just a thank you for commenting or sharing your work. Kindness and authenticity are always strengths when it comes to growing.
Tag fellow poets/writers to join in events in which you are participating as well. Let them know you see them and admire their work.

5) Keep it simple and readable

This might be the most important one. Let your writing be visible.

We all love beautiful pictures and videos to add to our writing. (I did the same in the beginning) But when the words get lost inside the pictures, no one will be able to read them. When they see your unreadable poem in their feed, they might just scroll past it.

When posting your poem, check these 5 steps

Is the picture distracting me from the poem?
Choose soft colors, or make the picture smaller and add it beside your poem instead of using it as a background.
Am I able to read the words of my poem?
Choose a clear font that is easy to read. Adjust the letter size to make the words more readable. Adjust the textcolor to contrast with the background. Making them stand out and more readable.
Did I give them enough time to read my poem?
This one is mostly for reels. Long form poems are hard to read as a reel and should be a post. Reels are great for short forms. Create a pleasant and calm reading experience, or else the video content will take away from the poem itself. Give readers time to read every word because when the words flash by too fast, they will not bother to read your poem.
Is my name visible?
You should always add your name to your post. Here, also the same, use a clear font and contrasting color. People won’t find you if your name is nowhere to be found.
Does my caption add something to the poem?
Yes! Captions also matter in becoming more visible. Social platforms also pick up what your post is about by the captions you add to your post. Keywords here are again important. Share what your poem is about. What was the inspiration? Or add a personal story.

Extra Instagram tip:

More is not better. Posting multiple poems a day will not attract more people. Instead, it will do the opposite and might think you are spamming and start limiting your reach. Let your poems breathe. Give them space and time to be read before the next poem comes.

Extra Substack tip:

Use those notes to share thoughts, moments, quotes, and stories. Make readers find you through experiences and not only by your writing.

One last reminder, growth does not come instantly. It needs time, space, and care before you see the seed become a bloom. Authenticity is what will stand out the most these days, so dare to be yourself and keep your eyes on you. Everyone’s journey is different because we are all unique. Speak your voice (even just a whisper can be enough) and let yourself be seen.