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How do you get people to find and like your facebook page?
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Laura
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Oct 17, 2014 09:10PM
I have made an author account on Facebook but wanted to get some feedback on how to get people to it and to like it. Any suggestions?
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I wouldn't bother.It would be much more fruitful for people to find your book on Amazon, or wherever you're selling it.
Laura hi, you need to band together, invite your original friends, readers, fellow authors that you are in touch with via goodreads blog etc. - there's also a Tuesday system on facebook being run by 3-bloggers where all members have to like posts (not pages) of fellow authors. Check out these links:
https://www.facebook.com/LikesSwap
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://forums.createspace.com/en/com...
I've been lucky in the sense that I simply post on promotional side/ page and all my page likes have been from authors who genuinely clicked a like - I didn't invite anyone (not even my personal page friends) because I wanted an organic feel to it, something that grows over time. Devote 1/2 an hr to browsing authors/ bloggers pages and like what you genuinely like! I don't understand the fuss over 'likes' - the bottom line is sales not likes and as long as your book gets that, it does not matter who is liking your page! When someone is successful they get likes just for the heck of it!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Theboo...
Best of luck.
Or you can pay Facebook to boost your page. It will target fans of similar authors on whatever territories you choose. Look for Facebook credits on the web. Usually you can find offers like spend$25 get $50 credit. You set the budget so you don't burn through it and overspend. That said, likes don't necessarily translate to sales no matter how you get them.
I have a Facebook author page too and have been trying to promote it. Those #FanPageFriday Facebook ads have helped, and I've been successful and now have 120 likes, but as A. mentioned, likes on your page do not necessarily translate into sales. I do like having the Facebook page, because I don't currently have my own web site and it's at least a place where folks can find me (i.e, I have it printed on my signature cards). It has a link to Amazon and also Goodreads. I'm going to check out the links that Noorilhuda posted above. Good suggestions!
I added my friends and asked then to tell all their friends my authors page has started to grow. If any ony wants a friend for their page let me know
Elle wrote: "I have a Facebook author page too and have been trying to promote it. Those #FanPageFriday Facebook ads have helped, and I've been successful and now have 120 likes, but as A. mentioned, likes on y..."
I just made a free website with wix. I think it turned out ok. You can do the same for free. Take a look. http://brigittamoon.wix.com/brigittamoon
I just made a free website with wix. I think it turned out ok. You can do the same for free. Take a look. http://brigittamoon.wix.com/brigittamoon
I self-published a novel over a year ago, selling it primarily on Amazon as a digital download and on CreateSpace in paperback form. There was a lot of momentum the first six months, but after that, I hit a wall. I tried marketing through Facebook, (on my personal pages, and the various author/publishing pages), Twitter, Goodreads, my blog, and a number of other sites, but I can't seem to break through to the next level of customers. It's not like my book was considered a failure by those who read it ~ in fact, I've received very good reviews and comments from those I've spoken with about it. But word of mouth can only carry you so far.Does anyone have any advice?
Patrick wrote: "I self-published a novel over a year ago, selling it primarily on Amazon as a digital download and on CreateSpace in paperback form. There was a lot of momentum the first six months, but after that..."Patrick, have you tried any of the following: Ereader News Today, Book Gorilla, BookBub, Riffle Select or The Fussy Librarian? These services might help.
K.J.No, I haven't. I actually never even heard of them, but I will check them out.
Thanks, I appreciate it!
Keep in mind that social media is great to bring awareness of your book, but that the majority of buyers use search engines to look for new books to read. And, since they don't know you or your book by name, they're going to search for your type of book by using vague terms. If you have some keyword analysis done pertaining to your targeted audience, you can have those keywords included in the headers and body sections of the pages of your main website. Then, when people are searching for 'hot new romance' or 'great romance reads' the search engines will be more likely to come across your site as a good match. This will put you higher in search results and be more likely to put you in front of your target audience. Just something to keep in mind when gearing up to 'break through' to that next level of fans!!
Ah, I finally found that video about how Facebook might be giving you hits from click farms and fake Likes when you pay for their advertising. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=...
Lots of great advice Carrie and thank you Bobbi for the vid...I'll put my concerns about how many likes I'm getting, to rest forever!
Brigitta wrote: "Elle wrote: "I have a Facebook author page too and have been trying to promote it. Those #FanPageFriday Facebook ads have helped, and I've been successful and now have 120 likes, but as A. mentione..."Thanks, Brigitta. Your website is very nice. I may end up getting my own one of these days. :)
Carrie wrote: "Keep in mind that social media is great to bring awareness of your book, but that the majority of buyers use search engines to look for new books to read. And, since they don't know you or your bo..."Remember the keyword section Amazon had about two years ago? Whatever happened to that? It just disappeared.
I always keep in mind this bit of wisdom I saw on Twitter, from Lori Lesko. (@LeskoLori is her twitter handle)"I had an author friend who paid for FaceBook likes. She got 42,000 likes and sold 0 books."
It's a lot easier to persuade someone to hit the like button on you Facebook page than it is to get them to shell out their hard earned cash for your book. Even if it's only 99 cents.
Although Patrick says word of mouth can carry you only so far, I would submit that word of mouth is the only thing that really works. My twitter feed is clogged with pleas from authors clamoring for me to buy their books and I ignore them. I dutifully like Facebook pages when asked then never bother to look at the updates. Or block them. If I'm doing that, I'm sure everyone else is too.
But if my sister says "Hey, this is a really good book, you should read it," I will.
I'm inclined to go old school. Face to face contact at libraries and book stores.
Really like your comments, Judy...old school, word of mouth, yes.
I'm a newbe to the game of authorship. I'm on Amazon and Create space and haven't sold one book. Also Create Space didn't do a great job of editing my book. Now they tell me that a book needs at least 3 edits to get all the kinks out. I don't feel like paying them any more to correct mistakes they should have caught on round one. I had had a my cousin correct the book and she found about 100 errors in spelling and grammar. Any comments?Tx, Linda
Seems to me you have two separate things going on: marketing and editing. Marketing, getting the news about your book out in a way that entices people to buy is all up to you. Frustrating and challenging to say the least and remember that fiction is the hardest sell on Amazon.Create Space as I understand it has nothing to do with marketing or pushing your book. Many articles and books on the web, in the library detail ways to market your book, and sites that will help you increase visibility. Still, it's a long shot!
I'm new to SP also. I had no idea Create Space charges for editing!! I have a small publishing team currently completing what's needed to put my book The Stain up on Amazon and Create Space and I paid them a fee, just as I paid them to publish some hard copies for me. They insisted I double check everything.
One thing I know after many years of writing is that editing, no matter how thoroughly done, is almost never perfect. Best of luck!
I have to agree with Judy's comments. Likes and number of Twitter followers have no impact on sales. It's become like a playground game - you follow me and I'll follow you. I'm much more likely to buy a book based on personal recommendation. Another way is to make genuine connections with people on these sites, although that's an incredibly time-consuming way of getting sales and reviews. I also agree that editing is rarely perfect. I ask several friends to proofread my books before I submit them - a fresh pair of eyes will often pick up something I've missed.
I read somewhere that in writing the average book, the author performs a million keystrokes. That's a million chances for mistakes. Scary, isn't it?It's maddening, because no matter how hard you try, there will always be something that slips by. Even with the most eagle eyed of proof readers.
I believe most readers will forgive a typo or two. We've all seen them, even in books by the big New York publishers. But if they keep cropping up, page after page, or if there's a mistake in the very first sentence, that's when I say "Whoa, buddy, you're not ready for this at all."
Thanks for the feedback. Create Space is sending back my manuscript for me to edit it without charge. They will also do my kindle version for me. No complaints about them now. After the corrections are made I will devote my time to trying to market. Another new frontier.
Linda wrote: "Also Create Space didn't do a great job of editing my book."I had no idea CreateSpace edited books. I thought they just made the file available at sales outlets? I always understood it was the writers responsibility to ensure they had a polished, fully edited product before uploading.
Not true. Create Space does edit and you have many choices of the kind of edit you would like. I really liked my editor and she came up with good suggestions. It was the spelling mistakes that surprised me. I can't spell and I'm dyslexic, so I read the book just fine. It's when friends started reading it that they noticed the mistakes. Create Space suggested three edits. I just had my friend (who knows syntax and grammar)edit for me. I'm now going over and correcting the manuscript. It's a long process but worth the effort. I hope to have a book signing when I'm done.
I've had two people recently tell me they tried to post a message to me on FB and it went into the "other" folder. I don't know what that means. I find FB maddeningly cumbersome. Can anyone tell me what is going on with this "other" folder?
Your private messages are divided into two buckets: friends and others. I can see it better on my laptop, but if you go into messages, there should be tabs at the top. You just need to select Other.
Rebecca wrote: "Your private messages are divided into two buckets: friends and others. I can see it better on my laptop, but if you go into messages, there should be tabs at the top. You just need to select Other."Thank you! Good gravy, I found a message in there from August. How embarrassing.
Lee wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "Your private messages are divided into two buckets: friends and others. I can see it better on my laptop, but if you go into messages, there should be tabs at the top. You just need..."That's funny. I only found out about it in the last year. Same thing -- had some old messages that I never answered. Once you answer one in the Other section, it should move over to your primary messages.
Rebecca, thank you for the info re Facebook's "Other" news. You'd think I would see the stupid "Other" written right there, but I never have! I just found a load of messages I never responded to! OMG, I feel like the ultimate Facebook Luddite...
Ditto on the thanks and the ignorance: I had no idea until I read your posts about this "Other" feature under messages on Facebook. I too found a slew of book-related messages. And also one from a woman who received a package I had sent to my daughter that got delivered to this other person at the wrong address. She was kind enough to message me on Facebook and now these many months later, I first find out. Amazing. Thanks again.
I know it's off the topic, but should I avoid using CreateSpace editing services? I saw some posts that don't sound good.
Use word-of-mouth recommendations instead.i would also recommend phone interviews for short list choices.
I think I started the ball rolling about Create Space editing. They did not do a great job for me. I'm now going back over everything and having to have more books printed afterwards. I was hoping to do a signing around Christmas. Good luck with your edit.
