Advice for engaging with publishers without a booktok/bookstagram?

Seeking advice about applying for publisher influencer programs!

A little background: I don't normally have much luck on Netgalley for ARCs because I don't have a booktok or bookstagram, which I know doesn't make me a super attractive candidate to publishers as a reviewer. I mainly post my book reviews to the usual sites and make longer posts on Reddit, which get a pretty good amount of engagement (I have a separate Reddit profile specifically for book things). I generally apply for ARCs directly from authors when they post their own applications on Instagram, and I have a pretty high success rate with those—usually the author applications give you space to explain your audience, where you post, and why you want the book rather than just focusing on things like follower counts. (Side note: I know it's possible to get good ARCs from Netgalley without having an audience on IG/TT, but so many publishers now are only interested in people on those platforms!)

The sitch: I recently saw a post from a new romance imprint (Scarlett Press US) looking for influencers. The books they're publishing this spring are right up my alley and things I've either read before or have on my TBR. I've been working hard to curate more of a presence in bookish spaces online (like on Reddit) so I can level up my ARC game, and I really would like to apply for this influencer program. The only problem is they specifically say they are looking for people active on IG/TT.

The question: How do you convince publishers of the value of non-booktok/bookstagram reviewers? Those of you who are fellow ARC reviewers not on IG/TT, how do you pitch yourself and quantify your audience? Post impressions? Do you name books you've ARC read (especially if they weren't on Netgalley, and therefore aren't automatically visible to other publishers)? Right now I think my strategy for this influencer application consists of trying to sell them on the value of having platform diversity—you want to reach readers who exist in online spaces other than IG/TT.

Any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated!! I just know my former social media marketing professors would be doing whatever the alive version of rolling in your grave is if they could see me now, LOL. And if you read to the end of this post, I'm giving you a forehead kiss!

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