by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

As writers we need to stay up to date on changes in the industry, and that includes social media. While change isn’t always comfortable, it isn’t something we need to fear. We just need to know it’s coming and be ready to adjust. That’s why we’re here—to keep current together. So today I’m going to highlight the social media strategies we need to have to stay successful in 2015.

• Diversify: with all that’s going on in the digital universe we can see the wisdom of not putting all our social media eggs in one basket. What many may not know, it that includes finding a base of operations to work from. This means we all need a regular place to blog, whether it’s our own site or a group site.
• Email List: I know in the past I’ve let this one slide. Now that I’ve been reminded that I may not always have access to everyone through social media I’ve become more proactive about building my list.
• Experiment: We need to be more open about trying new things and new ways to connect. That includes seeing if targeted Facebook advertising could be a successful part of our new social media strategy
• Concentrate on Blogging: Now more than ever writers need to build a stable digital foundation. Social media networks no longer qualify as stable. Small changes can hold devastating results if that’s our only audience-building strategy.
• Discover Where Your Audience Hangs Out & Join Them There: So often we make a fundamental mistake when we’re trying to connect with our readers. We expect them to come to us. Instead, we need to find places they hang out and visit them there. What does that mean? It can mean a lot of different things, from Facebook groups, chat rooms, online groups. (And yes, this specific suggestion will be covered in depth in a future blog post.)
• Look for Opportunities to Guest Post: Along the lines of hanging out where your audience is, look for other sites that have a good following and query about sharing a guest post.
• Read and Comment on Other Blogs: This is similar to hanging out with your audience. Don’t just think of blogs as a place to get or give information. Instead look at them as a gathering place. Interact with the audience, look for new people to connect with and join the conversation.
• Build the Basics on Multiple Social Media Networks: This is similar to my diversify advice for all writers. But it’s even more critical when you’re just starting out. Don’t just pour all your energy into a single social media network. Get comfortable with multiple networks and you’ll be able to weather the changes to come.
• Don’t be afraid to branch out. It’s easy to get comfortable with our online routine. Now is the time begin to try something new. For example, if you haven’t used the boost option on Facebook, now’s the time to try it. Don’t wait until it’s the only option.

And the most important strategy for 2015. . .

• Stay Calm: It’s vital that we don’t allow social media changes to throw us into a panic. Some will work out for the best, and others, well, not so much. But as long as we stay flexible, we’ll be fine.

These are my tips for the next year. I’d love to have the opportunity to answer your specific questions, so be sure to leave them in the comments section below.