Indie Book Collective discussion
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How does an Indie writer use Facebook?
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You have to create a fan page. There are two options with this. One, the fan page can be for the author or for your book series. Mine is currently for my series. I know people that do both, but I don't want to spend time managing them.Here's my site: https://www.facebook.com/thebarcodese...?
When you have a fan page, it's very difficult to get likes unless your novel is pretty popular. Even then, I rarely see more than 500 likes.
Like on Twitter, you want to use your page to reach out to people. It shouldn't be just for advertisement, but needs to build a community. One guy that I know does an excellent job is here:
https://www.facebook.com/GalacticMage
I don't know him personally, but we've talked. He has a huge internet presence so many of his fans are also fans of his book or other websites he writes for. But to get fans, he did the same thing I did, put out FB ads. You have to be really careful with this because it can get expensive. There's a way to get cheap fans, but I haven't mastered it yet. I think Daulton has lowered his cost a bit.
I have a good amount of fans and get likes here and there, but not as often as I'd like. But I use the page to gain more connections with people on Facebook. FB has the largest community to reach out to and their ads offer great ways to do it. But, of the 180 fans I received from my ads, only 5 - 10 have purchased my book.
Here's the website that taught me: http://fanreach.net/ and there's a book--it's $47. I could just break down the pointers in a video if you'd like, but it may take me a bit to get to it.
Thanks very much, Kashif. That gives me a place to start. I've found with Twitter, too, that having a presence there doesn't necessarily help with sales, at least not initially. Perhaps it will down the line.Ruth
You can also create a book page, as I did: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Firesee...
BTW, please feel free to LIKE it if you check it out! It needs some love. On another Facebook note, does anyone know how to get rid of that annoying map that shows up on your personal page, on the new facebook layout--hate it!
R.E. wrote: "Thanks very much, Kashif. That gives me a place to start. I've found with Twitter, too, that having a presence there doesn't necessarily help with sales, at least not initially. Perhaps it will ..."Funny thing, Twitter helped a lot with my sales initially. But once all my close contacts bought the book it was over. I know Michael Hicks is a master at it. I plan to use more of his methods once I release my second novel and a short story.
I've seen people with the new style Facebook page, who have their books listed in the about bar. Does anybody know how to do this?
Rosen wrote: "I've seen people with the new style Facebook page, who have their books listed in the about bar. Does anybody know how to do this?"Hi Rosen,
About an hour ago I started setting up a Facebook Page for my book and the layout came up with the Book info in the About section. There's not much on there yet, but you're welcome to check it out – The Champion Hare.
Maybe it's standard layout now.
Rosen and R.E., here's a cheat sheet for the new Facebook Timeline. It tells you the dimensions you'll need for the new FB Timeline. http://www.dreamgrow.com/facebook-che...The dreamgrow website is also good to search if you have general questions about social media. Another one I like is socialmediaexaminer.com.
Good luck!
Thanks for all the comments guys. Twitter is a closed book to me, but I have been using FB for years. A major key to success is to have a lot of friends on your personal feed whom you can initially call on to like your page. When I first started using FB - in my private capacity - I didn't understand this concept so I was very selective on who I invited into my 'world'. I am busy rectifying that at the moment. Also, content is important of FB... people want to see meaningful stuff. And pictures, pictures and more pictures. They are to FB what tweets are to Twitter!I will go and visit you all and LIKE your pages in in my personal capacity - that way you will be on my feed. And I would be grateful if you would like me to. You cn find me at: www.facebook.com/pages/Gwynneth-White/
Thank you
Gwynneth wrote: "Thanks for all the comments guys. Twitter is a closed book to me, but I have been using FB for years. A major key to success is to have a lot of friends on your personal feed whom you can initially..."Hi Gwynneth,
I just tried your link from this page and it didn't go through. I'll try it from ouside Goodreads and give you a LIKE. I'm just setting up a Facebook page www.facebook.com/TheChampionHare
I'd really appreciate any visitor 'likes' and will happily return the favour!
Tried linking to your site outside of goodreads and still can't ge through. I'll try again tomorrow!
Gwen wrote: "Tried linking to your site outside of goodreads and still can't ge through. I'll try again tomorrow!"Hi Gwen
I LIKED you in my personal capacity - I have a lot more friends who will see it that way! And that gorgeous hare needs to be seen by as many people as is possible. Please try the following link to Like my page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gwynnet...
Thanks
Hi Gwynneth,The link worked this time. In fact I found you via your personal site so you've got a like on that one from me too! Thanks for your support and kind words.
Gwen wrote: "Hi Gwynneth,The link worked this time. In fact I found you via your personal site so you've got a like on that one from me too! Thanks for your support and kind words."
This what makes supporting each other such fun! The part of marketing that I just love.
Two very well presented Facebook pages.I'm still no wiser on the elusive "About" bar.
Gwynneth wrote: "Thanks for all the comments guys. Twitter is a closed book to me, but I have been using FB for years. A major key to success is to have a lot of friends on your personal feed whom you can initially..."I did the reverse. I've been connecting with people on Twitter for about a year now, but Facebook still eludes me. I recently set up a fan page for my books, but I'm not sure what to do with it.
D.L. wrote: "Gwynneth wrote: "Thanks for all the comments guys. Twitter is a closed book to me, but I have been using FB for years. A major key to success is to have a lot of friends on your personal feed whom ..."The first obvious thing is to set up your page, making it as interesting as possible ie. pics, a meaningful profile, and then some posts about who you are and what you do - the content you want people to get excited about. Go into the Resources and set up the security etc of your page. Then tell all your Twitter friends about it, invite them to like you, (that way your posts appear on their newseeds) and if you have a blog or website put up a follow me link. And then use your page. Post regularly, exactly the way you would on Twitter - except you can use more characters. If your Twitter contacts don't FB, then consider starting a personal FB page and invite everyone you know to friend you - they can be the start of your fan base.
Hope that helped. Shout if I can help anymore. And don't be scared to like me at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gwynnet...
How do you set up a fan page? What if you use your personal page as your author page? Sorry, I just don't understand Facebook yet.http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?i...
There's a difference? You are way ahead of me, Peggy. Two days ago I couldn't even figure out how to leave a comment!
LOL! Ginger. I'm scratching my head! I can't even find the author page I created on my main page now!
I'd send you a friend request if I could figure out how to do it! THEN I'd have THREE friends!
Peggy wrote: "How do you set up a fan page? What if you use your personal page as your author page? Sorry, I just don't understand Facebook yet.http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?i..."
Hi Peggy
You can use your personal page, but it isn't advised. The reason: your personal page is just that - personal. It is here that you talk about your horse's health, and what your kids did, and post pictures of your husband's belly button! Personal. If you invite the 'world' - ie: your fans - into your personal page they will see all that stuff. It should make you uncomfortable and it may upset your genuine friends because your feed will be filled with the comments of absolute strangers. Also your friends will get tired of being hit on all the time about your work. Remember, they want to know about your horse's health!
So how to start an author page? Simple. You can either add a PAGE to your personal FB page OR you can create a new login to create the author page.
1. Fan page on your existing profile: Open your Profile or your Home page, scroll right to the bottom to where you see the FB links. There you will find the option to create a page. Click on it, and it will talk you through the process.
The drawback of this option is: having linked to your main profile, you will have to choose to use FB as your author page when you want to access it. You will understand this when you see it. Or if it really makes no sense, shout, and I'll try and explain it better.
I have an author page linked to my profile page, but I am trying to wean off it.
2. Create a separate fan page. The only way I have figured to do this is to create a new login with a new email address (gmail, or whatever you use) When you create the new login, the system will ask you if you want to create an author's page. It has various templates you can use.
The disadvantage of this is: You have to switch logins as you go about the web, depending on whether you want to LIKE something in your author's caacity, or your personal.
I hope this has helped, even though I'm no expert and am learning every day as I go along.
I will be happy to help with anything else if you need me to.
And hey... if this was helpful, then check out my blog, and click my Facebook follow me page. You can even follow my blog, if you like.
http://todayinshenaya.blogspot.com
Gwynneth
Thank you for all that info Gwynneth! I've been playing around with it, and I think (hmmm) I was able to make my author page my main page that I'm logged in with. My personal page has nothing all that personal on it, really. A few pics of my dog. Can my personal page be my professional page? Or can you have friends on your author page as well, or just "fans"? Maybe it would be better if I just made a brand new page....with a new email.
Peggy wrote: "Thank you for all that info Gwynneth! I've been playing around with it, and I think (hmmm) I was able to make my author page my main page that I'm logged in with. My personal page has nothing all t..."I went into your page - hence my knowledge of your love of horses! At the end of the day, what are you using FB for? To communicate with friends? To communicate with readers and fans? If you are only using it to build up a fan base, then why not brand you existing page and work with it? If your friends don't mind, of course. But then you really should keep your personal stuff out of it.
And, don't forget to go to the settings and make your page available to search engines and the world. Obviously you wouldn't do this with a personal page.
Still, if it was me, I would separate the two. The advantages are:
1. You can befriend everyone you know on your personal page - school, varsity, old jobs, work, family etc - if you are doing it in your personal capacity. And the bigger you friend list, the better for authors page. Why? You can judiciously post stuff from your author's page onto your personal. Some of your friends could decide to share that info one... then you are really getting the power of FB! Also, you can invite your friends to come and LIKE your author's page. The ones that do will be interested in your work - that way you won;t tick everyone else off.
Peggy wrote: "Is this sort of what an author page should look like? http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yellows..."
Yes. That's a great page. Whose book is it by the way, I'd love to read it!
Hi Gwynneth,thanks! still tweaking it as I go. That is my book series.
I should be working on Book 4, but this facebook thing has me all wrapped up at the moment!
I know the feeling! Marketing can he all-consuming. I am ordering my Kindle this week, and I think I'll make your book my first purchase. Sounds great.
Wow, thanks, Gwynneth! And thank you for talking me through this! It's starting to make a bit more sense. I really appreciate all your help.
Pleasure. Don't forget to check out my blog and FB page!Gwynneth
Gwynneth wrote: "Pleasure. Don't forget to check out my blog and FB page!Gwynneth"
already done :)
You can buy mine too if you want! (just kidding!) Actually, Historical-Fiction.com is running a giveaway of mine through the 14th. It's a love story that takes place in 16th century Portugal and Castile. If you're interested, here is the link:http://historical-fiction.com/?p=4397
(Sorry for the shameless plug everyone. Couldn't resist the opportunity!)
Peggy wrote: "Gwynneth wrote: "Pleasure. Don't forget to check out my blog and FB page!Gwynneth"
already done :)"Following your blog, and liked your facebook page (I even posted your Einstein picture and quote on my page!)
here's my blog:http://peggylhenderson.blogspot.com
Already saw your page and have been onto your blog. I will spend some more time on it this week. You will be hearing more from me!Gwynn
Ginger wrote: "You can buy mine too if you want! (just kidding!) Actually, Historical-Fiction.com is running a giveaway of mine through the 14th. It's a love story that takes place in 16th century Portugal and Ca..."I entered, GInger!
Ginger wrote: "You can buy mine too if you want! (just kidding!) Actually, Historical-Fiction.com is running a giveaway of mine through the 14th. It's a love story that takes place in 16th century Portugal and Ca..."LOL. I'll go and check you out! I can resist Peggy's though because it's very similar to mine - I think - Shameless plug coming up.... My book, Cursed, is also a time travel paranormal romance. Except mine is set in the desert in Botswana - southern Africa. End of infomercial!
Hey! We all love our shameless plugs! I think we're allowed to do that here.(I hope you meant to say can't resist Peggy's, instead of can...LOL)
Maybe we should move this mutual admiration session to another locale. (Part of my book takes place in northern Africa--Morocco. I would love to learn more about the rest of it!)
Peggy wrote: "Hey! We all love our shameless plugs! I think we're allowed to do that here.(I hope you meant to say can't resist Peggy's, instead of can...LOL)"
HA! HA! HA!
Should we open our own self-adoration thread? Last inside comment... Ginger, I'm about to read about you on Peggy's blog.
That's not me. If I looked like that, why would I have a picture of my dog on my profile? Oh, that's the book cover! Now do you understand why I need help on Facebook? (There! Back on topic!)
Different Ginger on my blog! (And no offense to you, Ginger, but I love your dog picture. Don't change it. Actually, I really like the pic of you and your puppy that you have on the historical fiction blog)
So where do I learn more about you Ginger... how about a FB link - just to get this back on track!
Thanks. My dog's in my book too! My facebook page is pretty bleak. You'd be better off looking up my profile here on Goodreads (just click on my adorable dog's picture!) and on the guest blog here:
http://historical-fiction.com/?p=4397
Okay, ladies, I'm going to do yoga now. I'll leave you to deal with the other now-angry participants trying to get some real info on this thread. Bye! (And thanks for the info, Gwynneth. Later when I'm not being silly, I'm going to really go through it and apply it!)
Gwyneth, I'll ask you since you seem to actually understand FB. . . I think when I set up mine I made it a business page, not fan or author (I don't recall seeing those options). Is there any way to change the type of page? I can't even find anything to confirm what type of page it is. Is navigating FB as hard as it seems to me? I can't even go back to my page when I've been wandering through other peoples' pages! And I liked a couple of the ages ages listed above but they don't show on my page's "likes" so I don't know if it worked. . . aren't you glad you revealed yourself as an expert?
Rebecca wrote: "Gwyneth, I'll ask you since you seem to actually understand FB. . . I think when I set up mine I made it a business page, not fan or author (I don't recall seeing those options). Is there any wa..."Hi Rebecca
You talk about FB the way I talk, think and feel about Twitter! But I'm sure if we both persevere we will crack the intricacies of both. After all, we're smart too, aren't we!
Yes, making a business page is a problem if you want to like other pages. I find it very limiting. I have a business page too which I find frustrating, Sadly, at this time there doesn't see to be a way of merging a personal and business page. So . . . I suggest you go back to the very beginning - as if you had never logged onto FB - and set yourself up again as a private individual. Once that is up, use the option on your private page, to set up an author's page. It will be permanently linked to you. The only challenge you may face is with your email address which is now inked to the business. I doubt that it will be a problem, but if it is then merely circumvent that by opening up a gmail account.
I will be happy to help you as much as I can. If you go to my author's page - and Like it - you will find my email address. Contact me and I will try and talk you through things.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gwynne...
Indie Book Collective
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Can anybody point me in the direction of a blog or website that can give me some pointers on how to use Facebook to help promote my mystery novels?
Thanks!
Ruth