But the second reason I was surprised was that I don't think of myself as an expert on using social media to do anything. I'm still trying to figure out Twitter, and Facebook is something I use mostly to communication with friends and family.
However, I have noticed a few things about self-promotion using blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Primarily, it's a TRICKY business. If you post "Buy my book," you aren't going to draw people in.
In my experience, the best way to promote your work is NOT to promote it all that much. You create a blog, you socialize on Twitter and Facebook, you make friends. You have information about your book in your "about me" and maybe mention if you're having a booksigning or something, but if every Tweet/status update is about that book, people are going to tune out. Click away. Decide all you're about is advertising yourself and find someone else to follow.
Giveaways and contests are a great way to get readers...and I can see it working when used sparingly. But once I know about your book ONCE and make a choice to buy it or not, you shoving it in my face every fifteen seconds isn't going to change that choice. And if all your blog/Twitter is about is your book, you're losing me anyway.
I have a feeling I'm not alone in this...
Once you're published, your blog/Facebook/Twitter becomes an entirely different thing. You have a decision to make. Abandon your current group of social networking pals and try to please your new fan base...or try to please both groups. The truth is, those people who read your blog are likely not going to be the same people who'll buy your book, at least not all of them. You'll need to head out in search of new fans.
I'm going to be honest here, I'm not sure the Tweets every fifteen seconds reminding us your book is for sale are that effective. It's like any other form of marketing -- most of us have learned to tune it out, even be annoyed by it. Don't you unsubscribe when this starts to become annoying? I know I do...unless I'm a fan.
Which is where it starts to change. Still, I love Meg Cabot and subscribe to her feeds, but I love snippets of her life. ONE announcement about her book. Pictures of her at booksignings and takes on her characters. But if her Twitter account were nothing but ads every 20 seconds for her latest book, I'd unsubscribe.
See the difference?
I'm interested in reading other takes on this. As a to-be-published author, this is something I'm watching closely. I'm asking myself what do I, as a reader, want from my Twitter subscriptions. What kind of blogs do I like to read from my favorite authors? And, it stands to reason, what I like is probably what many other social networkers like as well.
30 comments:
I love this post and I love your take on it. I much prefer reading the blogs/Facebook posts/tweets of those who write about "real life" and leave me wanting to, in turn, buy their books over those who remind me every other post that they've ot some work I can read.
When I self-published, I knew a lot of the marketing fell to me, but I tried really hard not to be too pushy. I set up a separate blog for book-related stuff so I could keep it to a minimum on my main blog. And other than a "here's the info so I don't have to answer these questions 50 times" note on Facebook, I tried not to tell people over and over to buy it.
Less is more.
You say:
"The truth is, those people who read your blog are likely not going to be the same people who'll buy your book"
This is a hard truth I've learned with the recent launch of my book. My emphasis was on a social media launch and it's been a steep learning curve. I'm still brooding on the (many) mistakes I made and trying to find the kernels of success in the aftermath.
But one thing is clear: social media hasn't sold my book.
I'm cutting down my social media time to reassess the way forward. I do think that some social media is important for author branding, and I feel that part of my campaign was great. I've met a lot of new people and vice versa. But the boundaries are clear to me: use social media to socialise (hello? SOCIAL media/SOCIALise) but not to sell.
Good luck with your talk.
Judy, South Africa
PS Bekah posted while I was writing - want to endorse what she has said about setting up a separate blog for book related stuff. I finally clicked that that's what I must do and am in the process of moving my book related stuff across there, so that my main blog is freed up from all the book talk (but that those who want to, can go ahead and visit the book's blog for more info)
Judy, South Africa
A high school friend has published a few chick-lit novels through some obscure publishing company that doesn't do any kind of publicity for their novelists. So, of course this friend is pushing herself on Facebook (and probably Twitter, but I don't do Twitter).
It IS annoying. Nine out of 10 status updates are about her book. I'm well aware of the fact it's out there, but it's not the kind of thing I read. I've read her blog and she's not a great writer, on top of that. So, I may one day pick it up, but probably not.
I think once you've let people know it's out there, you can give it a rest. If they're interested in reading it, they'll read it without being hounded.
Great advice. I'm find the best way to gain a following is to build relationships. It's quality not quantity! :)
I've been following your blog for a few years now because it's enjoyable to read. I have also followed a few self promoting writers (about 1 in 4 posts is about something else than where you can buy their books and how great they are) for a few seconds. I see the difference =)
I totally agree about people pushing something they want you to buy on their blog...when it's constant, I "unfollow."
I just stopped by from SITS to say hello. Hope you find time to return the visit.
Yes, I agree. Self-promotion on steroids completely turns me off. And if I do happen to read a heavily plugged book, it had better be brilliant, because I'm going to be hypercritical. Although, I will say that I've never been in these authors' shoes, and I know there must be lots of pressure to market yourself. It can't be easy.
I wholeheartedly agree and I've been thinking about this alot as I try to combine my "business and personal" blog. For starters, I don't want it to be a "business" blog. I think the more invested a person is in you as a person, the more likely they will be to buy your product/service.
Good morning. As a consumer, I have to agree that self-promotion via Twitter and Facebook can be annoying if overdone.
I'd love to know that bloggers I follow are published because it is a wonderful accomplishment. But once the announcement is made on Twitter I do believe that other marketing strategies should be implemented.
I'm personally more likely to buy from a local bookstore, Amazon or authors participating in local events. I think a little person-to-person networking goes so much farther.
I'm visiting from SITS. Hope you have a great day!
as someone who is not a writer or promoter of anything, i definitely agree that w/o interesting content, i lose interest in the promoter. i actually was thinking about this recently when I found a blog created by this woman who recycles old furniture and makes amazing new pieces. if all she did was write, "buy this new piece i just did" i'd be bored in an instant. but she writes about all sorts of furniture/decorating topics and i'm hooked!
Yes! Very true!! I have had to unsubscribe to an author years ago because he filled my twitter page with nothing but "BUY MY BOOK" every day! And I still haven't bought it! More damage than good can come from things like that. Most people enjoy the real person, and their life more than constantly being told how awesome their book is.
I prefer the infomercial to the "buy my book" thing. That way at least you get some yelling and a "kaboom" here and there.
I totally agree. I frequent the kindle fan page on Facebook and there are some authors that do just that. I have since blocked them, but there are others who join in conversations, give a book away, things like that.
I can only respond as a reader, but I do not care for giveaways, self-promotion, etc. I'm a total dinosaur and not into twitter or facebook.
One published writer who I really like keeps her personal blog and her business web site separate. She mentions on her blog when her book comes out, book signing/reading dates, and things like that, but she leaves the marketing stuff on the business site.
I don't mind the promotional posts when their book is about to be released or the contests. I love them. But after that unless there is some really new good news then I like snippets of an author's life or random weird stuff they think.lol
I'm SO laid back about promoting our little business. On Twitter I hardly ever mention it, and on our Facebook fan page I'll post pictures and announce any giveaways I'm doing. I always feel like I should be doing more, but I know from experience how annoying it is to have stuff crammed down your throat.
I guess it's hard to find a happy medium.
New follower - I discovered you because you discvered me. Thanks for commenting :)
I think this post is bang-on. I'd also add that helping others with similar interests to yourself is ideal. I.e. make your blog / facebook / twitter something that ultimately is about THEM, rather than ME.
I can't wait to watch your journey unfold. And yes, we are both in the 'Agented but not Pubbed' box.
Cheers to the one who breaks out first, ha!
Ah, the big question: how to make the shift (if you make one at all) once you get the book deal.
I have literally obsessed over this, lol. And I totally agree--constant promotion and contests are flat out annoying and are completely ineffective.
My solution has been to keep my writing blog going (where I gained my big following) and then I blog a few days a week as well on my author blog with non-writing, more romance-y topics to appeal to potential readers of my book. It's not the ideal solution, but it's the best I've come up with so far.
Do you read Kristen Lamb's blog? She's the social media expert for writers (literally wrote a books about it) and her advice is AWESOME. She answers a lot of these questions: http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com
(And congrats on getting asked to speak! I got invited to speak at a workshop for the first time a few weeks ago and I felt the same as you. OMG I'm like, a real author!) :)
I agree! If I connect with an author's writing, half the fun is getting an inside glimpse of their life.
Did you already speak for the group? How did it go? So exciting!
So true! Blogs/Twitter/FB should be a window into your life and a venue for sharing information. It shouldn't feel like QVC. :-)
I can't really add to anything that's been said regarding the tweets and so on, I agree that the "overkill" line is very easy to overstep.
What I did want to comment on was the "to be published" line. Maybe you dont promote your work enough, Steph, 'coz I had a look around and could not find even a little hint about what was to be published or when. Come on, girl, out with it. Has your agent found a home for your book?
I totally agree. I've unfollowed a few blogs because all they talked about were their books.
Jo-Ann, "To be published" is a term that unpublished authors have been using since I started back in RWA in the 90s. We all decided it was a much more positive way to say it than "unpublished."
(Although I have been extensively published in magazines...that just doesn't seem to count in this world.)
I agree. I mean, those who have a book coming out or recently-released have a hard-earned right to say something about it on their social sites. And if they want to use their book to make points on their blog about something greater - like plot or character development, etc. - then I think that's fine -- as long as the posts aren't always about the book. The authors I've seen do a good job of taking it easy on the self-promotion, so I continue to read their blogs and follow them on FB.
And thanks so much for commenting on my blog! It's good to see you again!
Sometimes less is more - this is one of those times
just my .02
I have the same aversion to TV advertising! :-) Dave
I agree with you. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements as it is. Self-promotion is tough.
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