Indie Writers Club 065 - Building a Direct Empire (with AP Beswick)
Nov 28, 2025
In this engaging conversation, AP Beswick, an independent author who leveraged TikTok to amass a loyal readership, shares his journey of empire-building through direct sales. He dives into the effective use of TikTok Lives for community engagement and boosting sales, discussing innovative tactics like mystery book bags and live packing. AP also explores organic marketing strategies, the benefits of separate accounts for targeted growth, and offers practical advice on scaling operations while maintaining a personal touch in fulfillment.
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Post Often And Use Organic Proof For Ads
- Post frequently and test similar hooky content to find what converts on TikTok and other platforms.
- Use organic hits as ad copy once you prove content converts, then scale with paid ads.
TikTok Is A Constant A/B Testing Machine
- TikTok delivers content to mostly non-followers so repeating variations of the same post reaches new people each time.
- Treat TikTok like high-volume A/B testing for hooks and retention metrics.
Iterate Hooks Based On Data, Not Ego
- Keep testing small variations like props, clothing, or hooks to learn what boosts engagement and retention.
- Lean into elements that prove to convert and repeat them consistently.