When (or Why) Social Media Fails to Sell Books

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There are countless articles/posts out there, by professionals as well as established
authors, that claim social media has had no (or marginal) impact on their sales or
success.



Such posts then get trumpeted by writers everywhere who feel like online marketing
and promotion responsibilities have been shoved down their throats (and look for every
affirmation that such efforts are a waste of time).



When I do muster the energy to start an online argument on this issue, eventually
I'm asked to provide hard evidence that social media activities lead to significant
book sales—and I DO have such evidence, but it always fails to convince. People have
already made up their minds.



But here's the bigger problem with asking for evidence:


Social media isn't something you employ only and just when you're ready to sell. If
that's your plan, then YES, you will fail magnificently. You will be ineffective when
people can smell you shilling a mile away—when you show up only when it benefits you,
when you have no interest in the channel/medium other than personal, short-term gain.



Social media is about developing relationships and a readership over the long term
that helps bolster your entire career (and sales too).



When people claim that social media hasn't worked for them, I can usually guess why—because
I see it used wrong EVERY day, very directly (because it lands in my inbox or social
media stream).



Here are scenarios when social media DOESN'T work to sell books.



You send Facebook messages or updates that plead: "Like my page!" or yell some version
of "Pay attention to me!" WHY should I pay attention? Why do I care? What's in it
for me? (Go
see this post for more on this important question.)



You tweet only to push your book, and that's clearly the only reason you're on Twitter. As
I mentioned in this interview, authors who get on Twitter because they've been
told they should are automatically bound to fail. Stay off it, please, unless you're
there for the relationships, or to inform others (not to sell them).



You send out mass e-mails or social media press releases asking me to do something
that benefits you and your book. Again, why do I care? What value are you providing
to me? How is this important right now? How about offering me an
informative guest post on my blog instead? Or a
free manifesto with helpful tips? Or a
piece of entertainment?




Your blog or site just focuses on selling books, and not providing anything of value
beyond informing people how to buy your book.



Maybe you're not committing flagrant online self-promotion sins. The next question
to ask is how patient you are. I talk to writers who get discouraged if they don't
see results in a week, a month, half a year.




It takes longer than that. Don't expect to have an immediate impact.



There are many personal anecdotes I can share about the difference social media has
made in my life—many that I can't air in a public forum like this, but I would share
with you over a bourbon. (Catch me
at a conference.)



But here's at least one anecdote.



I opened my Twitter account in May 2008.

I started meaningfully using the Twitter account in fall 2008. (It took me that long
to wake up to its potential. This is often the case with any new tool.)



Publishers
Weekly mentioned me as someone influential on Twitter in May 2010, two years later.



Someone of importance read that article, Googled me, found
my website, and 3 months later, offered me a wonderful opportunity (an opportunity
I'll disclose later, in spring 2011).

I didn't start my Twitter account intending for #4 to happen. And #4 might not have
happened if I didn't have a solid and discoverable website that expanded
on who I am.



All of these online pieces work together and reinforce one another—which is another
important thing people forget when arguing social media doesn't work.



So. Your social media involvement and platform building won't work as a one-time effort
(though, of course, you might have a specific campaign for a specific book that's
very strategic, which is excellent).




You have to be consistent and focused over the course of your career.




Most importantly, it has to be about more than selling books—or whatever your goal
might be. It has to be about what you stand for, and who you are. (Go
read Justine Musk's great post on this.)



Otherwise you will fail.



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