5 Things Authors Need To Know About Facebook

Social Malaise
Cracking The Code To Social Media

Hello all you social media lovers and haters. I've found that until I understand a  network, I hate it. That's why I'm so glad that Socia is out doing the footwork and skimming through all the fluff to sift out real kernels of marketing wisdom. The reality is as writers and authors we now have to add to our bag of tricks, branding and marketing. So I'm very excited to see what Socia, has for us today.

G'day everyone. (Yes, Socia is decidedly Australian) I've been slogging about the internet trying to find the best ways to use social media. I've been a bit shirty at times but once I sort out the info and digest it a bit, I'm ripper. So hang on a tick and she'll be right in no time. (Well, that was fun, but way too much work.) You can continue with the accent, if you like. Today we are talking Facebook or is it The Facebook!

1. Timeline Gives Me The Shakes
     Like anything new, this new timeline thing has some pining for the old days. Not gonna happen. So buck up and figure out how to use it to your benefit. Let me put it this way. Things are a changin'. No, they're always changin'. You either get on, move forward or you're gonna be left behind.
        The timeline is really great for business and marketing because it gives you a an opportunity to tell your story. What do you want people to think of when they hear your name, see your books name or company logo? If you haven't figured that one out, you might as well stop reading. There are lots of great sources out there for building your brand. I particularly found The Right-Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee because it's written for random, creative thinkers like me.

2. Now Here This: Don't Put Your Eggs In One Basket
     Your website should be your hub. The one place where your content is created, shared and then pushed out to the social networks. Why? Because when Facebook, Twitter or anyone makes those changes, and they inevitably will, your main avenue for content will remain steady. So as I share some resources and tips on Facebook, don't feel pressured to throw yourself into Facebook at the expense of your website.

3. Do I Need A Fan Page,Too?
    Now that Facebook is public it's easier to get friends. If you already have a large readership and several books than having a book page, author page, etc. might make sense. When you're just starting out either independently publishing or debuting your first book, you are trying to build and it might be more productive to stick to one page, for a while at least. People don't want to be getting duplicate posts when you post the same content from each sight. If you choose to have a fan page be sure that you have specific content for that page. They are easy to set up so we won't cover that here.

4. The Cover Photo
  Think of this as your store front. It's the first impression that someone is going to have when they land on your sight. Just like the front display window it should change periodically. Take a peek at some of these great covers.

61 Beautiful And Inspirational Timeline Cover on Facebook

Twitter: It's Not About The Numbers

Cracking The Code To Social Media

One Click At A Time

Socia Malaise is here again to share what she's found while lurking around social media for the last couple months. Today I'm getting some answers about Twitter.

Me: Thanks for stopping by. The other day we talked about finding the social media that works best for you. What do you mean?

Socia: There are numerous mediums that artists can use to express their creativity. Authors need to do the same thing when it comes to social media. People can make suggestions but in the end each person has to find what works best for them.

Me: That's overwhelming. I don't have time to learn and try all of them. What do you suggest? 

Socia: That's where a plan, a business plan can play a huge role in making the best choices. One of the most important parts of a business/marketing plan is to learn where your audience hangs out and what they are talking about. Once you know that you can narrow things down quite a bit.

Me: Okay, but that's a whole other ball of wax.(I'm kind of a artsy-fartsy type so I used The Right Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee and loved it.) Lets assume that my readers have a business plan and know who their audience is. Let's start with Twitter. What is it and how does it work?

Socia: The most common explanation as to what Twitter says that it is a micro-blogging site where people can answer the question: What are you doing now? I think that definition doesn't necessarily describe what Twitter has evolved into. Twitter has become one of the quickest ways to get news and information out to large amounts of people.

Me: So many of the tweets I see are about what someone had for breakfast or where to buy a product. Sometimes there's a funny joke or a quote I like. I just don't see the value. 

Smashing Magazine

Socia: That's why it's really important to manage your Twitter involvement effectively. Again, you have to have a plan and it can't just be about getting followers. 


Me: Does the number of followers you have matter? 


Socia: Only if you see that translating into increased hits on your blog or website and ultimately your sales. What really matters is who's following you. Having thousands of followers that have no interest in what you do looks good, but what does it mean? Are they actively seeking out your tweets? Think more about cultivating followers than growing them.


Me: Tell us some things to help us the difference.


Socia: I found a great list on Twitip ,one of the most useful sites about Twitter that I've found. Lots of resources and ideas. Here is a list of what you have to gain by participating on Twitter. 

• 1. Build a network of contacts within your industry that you never had access to or knew about before, not just locally, but globally. 
• 2. Share your knowledge and expertise on a global basis.
• 3. Discover new opinions and thoughts from like minded people in your industry, locally and globally.
• 4. Great way to engage with future clients, the Twitter community are a very approachable bunch.
• 5. Great way to engage with current clients.
• 6. Build your company reputation through constant engagement and quality content.
• 7. Build your personal reputation as a thought leader and industry specialist.
• 8. When it’s organized, great way to meet your network through Tweet-ups and like minded events, building your personal contacts and forging friendships.
• 9. Your Network will bend over backwards to help you with things that you never would have expected. Trust me, it’s true.
• 10. Listen, watch and learn. You don’t have to contribute 24/7, there is great learning to be had just by watching your feed sometimes.
• 11. It’s FUN!

Me: These are great. Were out of time but could you come back next week and give us some more details.


Socia: Of course, I'd love to! For now, just think of Twitter as micro-blogging in 140 words. 


Join us next Tuesday for Socia's Steps To Twitter Success!