Writing Off Social: The Podcast | Build Your Platform and Grow Your Email List Without Social Media

This week, we are speaking with author and cofounder of The Author Conservatory, Kara Swanson. Listen as Kara shares her insights on building and managing a Street Team as an effective book-selling strategy, emphasizing the importance of training, clear communication, and establishing relationships with team members. Kara also discusses strategies for engaging readers, setting expectations, and nurturing a supportive community. It&...

As Christian creatives, navigating the space between ministry and business can be confusing. We want to honor God with our work—but is it okay to charge for it, too? In today’s episode, we’re exploring the intersection of calling, creativity, and income—and how we can faithfully pursue the work we feel led to do, without guilt or hesitation. This week, we've invited our friends and fellow writers, Angie Baughman, Teresa Whitin...

Do you want an effective marketing strategy that not only targets readers actively looking for books but also provides you with immediate visibility and results? This week, we are speaking with Alana Terry, an award-winning Christian suspense novelist and USA Today bestseller. She is also the co-founder of the Successful Writer Marketplace and a well-known ads coach for authors. Listen as Alana shares her experience with paid adver...

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Debbie Gonzales, an award-winning children's author, career educator, and the founder of Pin Lit Marketing, where she specializes in boosting book visibility and engagement through Pinterest. Debbie's slow and steady system highlights the significance of evergreen content, strategic keyword usage, and a structured approach to building an audience and selling books. This intervie...

Today, we chat with award-winning author and podcast host CJ Milacci about all things Kickstarter. She explains how Kickstarter builds community and connects authors with readers, and she also shares how it can not only fund your launch but also help pay for things like special editions and purchasing books for in-person events. CJ's insights and experience are incredibly valuable, especially for authors seeking alternative wa...

Today, we are talking with SEO expert Jana Carlson to explore the importance of search engine optimization for Christian writers. Jana explains how SEO can be a powerful tool for audience growth without the self-promotional aspects often accompanying traditional marketing strategies. Jana makes SEO sound accessible and, dare we say, FUN? Jana also answers the looming question we've been asking in the age of AI: Is SEO dead?  L...

Do you ever wonder how other creators manage it all? How they balance work, family, and everything in between? Today, we're giving you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our own systems and strategies. Listen in as we dive deep into our personal productivity philosophies and share the exact tools that have helped us reclaim our time and create a more balanced and sustainable work life.  

For show notes, including how to sha...

Today we are thrilled to speak with USA Today best-selling author Camy Tang, about her journey as a writer and her innovative marketing strategies. Listen as Camy shares her experiences with blogging, Patreon, and Kickstarter, emphasizing the importance of understanding your audience and leveraging your strengths to connect with your readers. Grab your pen and paper and take notes on this one, you guys, because she is a treasure tr...

Today, we welcome Erin Loechner, an author and former social media influencer who left behind over a million followers to embrace a low-tech lifestyle. We discuss the challenges and benefits of stepping away from social media, especially for writers and parents. Erin shares her journey, insights on publishing without social media, and strategies for building connections and marketing books in a digital world. Listen as Erin emphasi...

Welcome to Season 5! After two years of working with writers, the number one question we get at Writing Off Social is, "What even is social media?" So, today, we will define social media and then offer you two questions to ask yourself when assessing whether or not a platform is social media and two questions to ask yourself to determine if you should be using it at all. We will also be revealing our theme for Season 5 of...

This season, we’ve lavished you with options for growing and nurturing your email list. But if you’re anything like us, you want to try them ALL. If you’re having shiny object syndrome, today’s episode will help you gain some clarity.  Listen in as we review the email growth strategies we discussed this season and offer nine clarifying questions to ask yourself to determine which strategies will work best for you. And just for fun,...

So often, the strategies we share through Writing Off Social are pathways that foster slow growth. Cultivating an email list in a life-giving, effective way often takes a lot of time, and that’s okay! But some strategies can play to your strengths and provide exponential growth in just a few days. Today we’re speaking to author, podcaster, speaker, and one of our dearest friends, Teresa Whiting about how she more than tripled her e...

Building your audience can feel like an exercise in futility. Churning out post after post, hoping that one new person will subscribe. But Bryan Harris invites you to step off the "content hamster wheel of death" and try a different approach–the most overlooked and underrated marketing strategy he inadvertently discovered 10 years ago. As the Founder and CEO of Growth Tools, Bryan Harris has used his growth framework to h...

This season we are focusing exclusively on strategies to grow your email list. But how do you decide what email growth strategies to pursue? And how do you know if the growth you’re seeking is healthy growth or simply another version of the numbers game that you thought you escaped when you left social media?

Today we have a candid conversation about all things growth. We tell you why we chose this theme (or rather how this theme ch...

We often joke that social media is where all the people are– and it is. But do you know where else all the people are?? The YouVersion Bible App. With 750 Million subscribers world-wide, the Youversion Bible App is one of the largest sharing platforms available to Christian creatives. So how do you get YOUR content on YouVersion and use it to grow your email list? Cara Ray, writer, entrepreneur, and Founder of The Writer's Blo...

Do you want to create a lead magnet with a 40% conversion rate? No matter what you write, a quiz is one of the best, most effective, and most FUN ways to engage your ideal reader and grow your email list. Today we welcome Jackie Aguglia, the Growth Manager at the popular quiz-making software, Interact, to discuss all things quiz-building! This is a power-packed episode full of tactical information that will make you excited to try ...

You spend hours crafting an email– pouring out your heart and soul– you finally hit send aaannnd crickets. It’s hard, but don’t lose hope! Today, we welcome back to the show Will Parker Anderson. He's the founder of The Writer's Circle, a writing coach, and a Senior Editor at WaterBrook and Multnomah. Listen in as Will shares several proven strategies to build the kind of engagement that goes well beyond the metrics and i...

It’s no secret that podcasts are an amazing way to connect with your audience. But have you ever considered starting a secret podcast?  Today we’re learning all about private podcasts with business strategy coach, podcaster, and founder of the Crush the Rush brand, Holly Marie Haynes. Listen in as she shares the benefits, the tech, and some tips for using this out-of-the-box strategy to grow your email list. For show notes go to ht...