BTA Fridays Breaking the Algorithm™ What Worked (and What Didn’t) in My 2025 Indie Author Marketing

Let’s talk about what actually worked this year… and what absolutely did not. 👀

In this episode of BTA Fridays – Breaking the Algorithm™, I’m breaking down my real 2025 marketing results as an indie author — no fluff, no fake screenshots, just what happened when I tried it.

💥 Things that did not work for me this year:

Facebook ads, Amazon ads – money out, nothing back

TikTok Shop (set it up, but no real traction)

Chasing trends, trending audio, “post at this time and go viral” tactics

Pinterest and X – low traction, low energy, not my rooms

Kobo refusing to list You Sound White because of the title

Pushing myself past my limit and forcing productivity

Trying to sit in rooms that weren’t my audience

Focusing on Amazon sales as the main driver

✨ Things that did work for me:

Showing up consistently with BTA Fridays™ and The Author’s Mic™

Pitching myself to podcasts and learning how to pitch better, not just more

Collaboration and partnerships that opened doors now and later

Goodreads – readers actually found me there

Substack – small list, but real humans who read what I send

Facebook groups – not for selling, but for networking, support, and visibility

Seeing myself as a brand, not “just” an author

Getting my Bright Headed Publishing license plates and stepping deeper into CEO energy

Investing in my own website and selling books directly from https://brightheadedpublishing.com

The BRAE Book event – huge for visibility and connection

Learning that not every space is my space (and walking away from the wrong rooms)

Moving in silence and protecting my ideas while they’re growing

Affirmations that kept me grounded and focused

Prioritizing self-care and play — gardening, yoga, walking the dog, concerts, rest, all of it

Did I sell a million books? No.
Did I get rich off book sales? Also no.

But did I build trust, credibility, visibility, and some powerful connections?
Yes. Which means this year was a win.

Now I want you to ask yourself:
👉 What was a win for you in 2025?
👉 What are you building toward in 2026?

Next week, I’m doing a full BTA Year-in-Review episode — but this one is the honest audit I wish more people would share.

🧩 Want to plug into what I’m building?

🌐 Website & guest form (The Author’s Mic™):
https://brightheadedpublishing.com

Click “Be a Guest on Author’s Mic™” if you’re a creative who wants to share your story.

📥 Free 44-page guide – So You Wanna Write a Book
Grab it at https://brightheadedpublishing.com
and get real info to help you move from “I have an idea” to “my book is out there.”

📚 My books
– You Sound White
– Weight For It (also an audiobook)
Order signed copies at https://brightheadedpublishing.com
— I’ll ship them with some goodies, or you can find them wherever good books are sold.

📖 Indie Reader Society (IRS) – my indie-focused book club
– Join as a reader (it’s free)
– Pitch as an author (we only read indie authors)
All the info is on https://brightheadedpublishing.com
.

🔗 All links in one place:
https://linktr.ee/BrightHeadedPublishing

Let’s build real, learn from what actually worked, and keep breaking the algorithm together. 💥

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