Why 2025’s Social Media Shift is a Game-Changer for Authors (Without) Big Followings

The Death of the “Social Graph”

Old social platforms worked on what’s called the “social graph”, they fed you content from the people and pages you followed. The result was that new creators had to grind for years to build an audience before they could get noticed.

Now, most platforms run on an “interest graph”. This means the algorithm looks at what topics make users stop scrolling and interact, and serves more of that, no matter who posted it. TikTok started the trend, but Instagram, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn have followed.

What This Means for Authors

This has levelled the playing field. A first-time author with no big following can now compete with well-established names, because it’s not your audience size that gets you reach, it’s how well your content resonates.

If your videos, posts, or stories capture attention, the platforms reward you with more visibility. In other words, you can post something today that reaches thousands tomorrow, even if your mailing list currently consists of your mate Gary and two cousins (Hi Gary!).

But Here’s the Catch

This doesn’t mean you can just throw up “buy my book” posts and wait for magic to happen. Algorithms are smart, and audiences are even smarter. People scroll past blatant sales pitches faster than you can say “link in bio”. I'm shocked how many authors post endlessly about thier books without any other insights into their writing process or their lives as an author.

To stand out, you need to create content that:

Hooks people immediately : the first few seconds (or first line) matters most.

Seeks emotional connection : This is true inside the pages of your novel and absolutely no different outside if it. Why does your main character have the back story they do? Why did you choose that? As a writer you are an architect of the human heart (I'm a writer too you know). In this post-truth world we find ourselves in, people are seeking authenticity more and more. This creates both an opportunity and a responsibility for writers. Readers have become more discerning, they can detect when emotions are manufactured or when characters feel like marketing demographics rather than actual people. But when they encounter authentic voice, flawed characters who feel genuinely human, or stories that acknowledge complexity rather than offering easy answers, they respond powerfully.

Provides value : Genre insights, writing tips, stories, insights, entertain. Write about your epic fails as a author. Your doubts, your imposter syndrome, your sense of impending doom. Writing should be therapuetic. Authenticity in writing means being willing to show the messy, contradictory parts of human experience rather than the sanitised version. Not heroes and villains, but people who are both kind and selfish, brave and afraid, often in the same moment.

Invites interaction: ask questions, share behind-the-scenes moments, spark conversation.

Practical Ideas for Authors

Instead of spamming your book cover everywhere, think about:

• Sharing a short video of you reading a powerful or intriguing excerpt.
• Posting a personal story about why you wrote the book.
• Giving away a quick tip or fact connected to your book’s theme.
• Showing your research process or your messy writing desk.
• Starting a conversation with a thought-provoking question.

When you focus on creating curiosity and connection, people will want to know more about your work, and then you can guide them to your book. Show the depths of your creative soul and then reader's will want to know what that soul can offer them.

Turning Attention into Readers

Viral reach is exciting, but likes and comments don’t automatically translate into sales. You need to channel that attention into a more reliable space you control:

• Invite people to join your mailing list.
• Offer a free chapter in exchange for an email address.
• Encourage them to join a community or book club you run.
• Share the link to your book, but always after giving them something of value.

Think of social media as the top of your funnel — the place where new readers discover you. Then, move them to spaces where you can nurture that relationship over time.

The playing field for authors in 2025 is now more level than ever. You no longer need a huge following to be seen, but you do need to be authentic, interesting, consistent, and generous with your content. The paradox is that fiction - something literally "made up" - often feels more truthful than much of what passes for factual discourse these days. A well-written character wrestling with moral ambiguity can feel more honest than a politician's statement, because the writer isn't trying to sell you anything except the story itself.

Stop worrying about follower counts, start focusing on creating work that connects, and let the algorithms do the heavy lifting.