AUTHOR PLATFORM CHECKLIST
Steph Moon Co — Free Resource
Author Platform Audit Checklist
A diagnostic tool for authors building their platform — before, during, and after publication. Check off everything that is already true right now. Be honest. The gaps are where your energy needs to go.
This is a diagnostic, not a to-do list. Check off everything that is already true about your platform right now — not what you're planning to do. The goal is clarity, not perfection. Your score at the top updates as you go.
Section 1 — Your Home Base
Foundation
✓
I have a website that clearly explains who I am, who I help, and what I do
A visitor should understand your value proposition in under 10 seconds.
✓
My website has a clear way for someone to contact me or work with me
If it takes more than 2 clicks to find you, you're losing people.
✓
My book (or book project) is easy to find and link to from my website
The 7-click problem is real. Make buying your book effortless.
✓
My bio clearly communicates my expertise and my point of view — not just my credentials
Credentials tell people what you've done. Point of view makes them want to follow you.
✓
I have a professional photo that feels like me — not stiff, not outdated
People buy from people. Your photo is your first impression on every platform.
Section 2 — Your Owned Audience
Foundation
✓
I have an email list or Substack that I publish to consistently
Social media is borrowed. Email is owned. This is non-negotiable.
✓
I have a clear reason for someone to subscribe — a lead magnet, a promise, or a specific value
"Sign up for my newsletter" is not a reason. "Get the checklist agents actually look for" is.
✓
I send to my list at least twice a month — consistently, not just when I have a book to promote
Consistency builds trust. Disappearing and reappearing kills it.
✓
I know my approximate open rate and it is above 30%
Industry average is 20–25%. Above 30% means your audience trusts you. Below 20% means something needs to change.
✓
People reply to my emails or comment on my posts — there is actual engagement, not just subscribers
A list of 500 people who reply is worth more than 5,000 who never open.
Section 3 — Your Social Presence
Visibility
✓
I am active on at least one social platform where my readers actually spend time
Not where you think you should be. Where your specific reader actually is.
✓
My social presence clearly reflects my niche — a stranger could tell what I'm about in under 30 seconds
Confused visitors don't follow. Clarity converts.
✓
I post consistently — at least weekly — on my primary platform
Consistency matters more than frequency. Showing up once a week reliably beats posting every day for two weeks and disappearing.
✓
I respond to comments and DMs — I am in actual conversation with my audience, not just broadcasting
If you can't like a comment, how are you going to sell a book?
✓
My social profiles link directly to my email signup, website, or book page
Every platform should have one clear next step. Don't make people hunt for you.
Section 4 — Your Relationships
Trust
✓
I have genuine relationships with at least 5 other authors or creators in my space
Peers are your support system, your referral network, and your fastest path to new audiences.
✓
I have at least one media contact — a journalist, podcast host, or editor — who knows my name
Media relationships don't happen at launch. They're built long before you need them.
✓
I have been featured in at least one external outlet — podcast, article, blog, or event — in the last 12 months
Third-party validation builds trust faster than anything you can say about yourself.
✓
I have at least one partnership or collaboration in progress or planned
Borrowing someone else's audience through a collab is one of the fastest ways to grow your own.
✓
I actively support other authors and creators — I share their work, comment, and show up for them
Generosity compounds. The authors who give the most attention tend to get the most back.
Section 5 — Your Content Strategy
Visibility
✓
I can describe my content niche in one sentence — specific enough to attract a specific reader
"I write about food" is not a niche. "I help home cooks make restaurant-quality weeknight dinners" is.
✓
I have a consistent point of view — my audience knows what I stand for and what I stand against
A point of view attracts the right readers and repels the wrong ones. Both are good.
✓
I repurpose my content across channels — I don't start from scratch every time I post
One piece of content should do multiple jobs. Write it once, distribute it everywhere.
✓
I know which content performs best with my audience and I make more of it
Your audience is always telling you what they want. Are you listening?
✓
I talk about my book (or book project) regularly — not just at launch
People need to hear about your book many times before they connect the dots. Start early and don't stop.
Section 6 — Your Conversion Path
Conversion
✓
Someone who discovers me online can find and buy my book in 2 clicks or fewer
Count the clicks right now. If it's more than 2, fix it today.
✓
I mention my book or service with a direct link in every piece of content I publish
Do not assume people will look it up. You will lose them. Always include the link.
✓
I have a clear ask at the end of my emails, posts, and articles — people know what to do next
One clear CTA per piece of content. Not three options. One.
✓
I have asked my existing audience to share my work or book with someone who might love it
50% of purchases are influenced by a personal referral. Are you making it easy for people to refer you?
✓
I track something — open rates, link clicks, follower growth — so I know if my efforts are working
You don't need to track everything. But you need to track something.
Section 7 — Your Growth Plan
Growth
✓
I have a plan — even a rough one — for how I will grow my platform over the next 6 months
It doesn't have to be complicated. But it has to be intentional.
✓
I know where my ideal reader spends time online and I am showing up there
Building in the wrong place is wasted effort. Know your reader before you pick your channel.
✓
I have a realistic content rhythm that I can sustain without burning out
The best content strategy is the one you can actually stick to. Consistency beats perfection every time.
✓
I am investing in at least one new platform or channel this year — not just maintaining what I have
Your book comes out 18–24 months after acquisition. Editors want to see that you're still growing.
✓
I know what success looks like for my platform right now — and it isn't just a follower count
Engagement, relationships, email growth, media mentions — these matter more than numbers.
Ready for what's next?
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