The term "author platform" can be intimidating, especially if authors think they need to become a social influencer. Elizabeth Breeden, Senior Marketing Director at Simon Element and Simon Acumen, wants to assure authors that platform isn't about being famous, it's about being "findable." She believes platform is about visibility and credibility, and not about building an audience of thousands. To start building an author platform, Breeden recommends authors first Google themselves to see how discoverable they are. At a minimum, you want to have a professional-looking website and social media presence that are up-to-date and consistent. Second, she encourages authors to not just build an audience, but own their audience. They can do this by creating a newsletter or starting a podcast to stay in contact. Finally, she advises authors to share their expertise consistently. One way to come up with content ideas is to make a list of twenty questions people ask about your topic or area of expertise. The responses to these questions can become twenty pieces of content you share in your email newsletter or in social media posts. It's not frequency that keeps readers and followers coming back, it's consistency.