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Facebook engagement.

edited September 2016 in - Resources
Been reading through that 'Facebook for Dummies' ebook and they were suggesting you have to actively go seeking out your target audience if you want to engage people onto your business page.

Things like finding out about their individual likes and dislikes via the search box. And coming up with an actual marketing strategy to allow you to pinpoint exactly what you are looking for in your audience and how to find them. To even use Facebook advertising as well as all the possible searches you can do to locate potential followers...

Do any of you use these tools and, if so, how successful are they at gathering new followers?? The suggestion that you ought to go ahead and request 'a friend' and 'like' on your Facebook button, to encourage participation on your page? Does anyone do that? Go seek, actively? Certainly sounds like the way to go, to be proactive?

Comments

  • You should create a business page. 'Friend requests' that are from unknown people are treated as spam and rejected. Post interesting and engaging content on the business page and people will either find you or not. Facebook as a business tool can be successful if used correctly. But first you need a product that people might want to buy.
  • Have a business page, already. Just got to do the right things, as you have suggested, to gain some followers.

    Thinking of checking out some writers sites, and attaching some stuff and ideas on there, to see if I can gain some of their supporters...

    After writing that short story for the competition, 'Balance', on here, I've decided to do some more of those and attach them to all my sites, as freebies, to see if that attracts any followers. To give them a hint of my creativity for future reference on my ebook/s.

    That's given them something without them having to do or buy anything, and a bit of 'entertainment' for them too. That might encourage some?
  • Your Facebook page doesn't look any different to a social page - you need to keep it clear of anything that's not associated with your product.
  • Good advice. Not quite sure what information I should be placing on my Facebook page and other sites to make it look more 'writerly' and professional? I guess that's where checking out other's sites would help me. Those with serious intentions...?
  • edited September 2016
    I have two pages - personal and Author Page.

    My personal page is where I have fun with friends, although I will share whatever takes my fancy... and sometimes that might be a quirky quote about writers, for example.

    I don't post anything other than writing/book-related information on my Author Page. I might leave snippets of my books, bits of flash fiction or poetry, links to my websites or details about promotions. I sometimes mention reviews or competition placements, and I ask advice occasionally.

    As it happens, most of my 'friends' have liked this page anyway, but as I also engage in groups for writers, many of them have liked it, too - and they are not my friends.
  • Generally the same as TN, though with no major publication yet I have a writer page, and then I have a page for my writing pseudonym as that is just historical.
  • As I don't have any books out at this moment, what can I put on my Facebook page to encourage interest in that ebook when it is ready for launch?

    Have already typed up the short story I wrote for the competition thread on here, onto my page and am going to try and type up more short stories of about that length, 200 words, as sort of 'freebies' for anyone interested in learning about my writing style and topics of interest to me...

    Is there anything else I can put on there? Other writers books etc? Is it best not to write anything, if it is not related to my ebook idea/s or anything connected to that?

    There is one writer I follow who uses humour and fun images off the internet that has nothing to do with her writing and she seems to get an audience for that. Is that not recommended if you want to be taken seriously?
  • LizLiz
    edited September 2016
    I have a personal Facebook page which has my family, friends, and people who are writers who have become friends. Many poets are my friends and there is quite a mix on there. I don't ever do a hard sell on there but if a new product is out I would of course mention it as poets support poets. None of the posts on there are public except those posts that automatically post from my website and blog.

    I also have an author page on which I post news of my books, my interest in sustainable matters, and which anyone at all can follow, and my website and blog also post here. Everything on this page is public.

    The two are very different.

    If you have both a timeline page and an home page on your facebook, what you have is a private page, not a public one. Anyone could post to your timeline something which you might not want the public to know abut you. If what you have is a private page, it is better to make yourself an author page.
  • You could put anything related to writing on there, links to writers' blogs, for example, or articles about writing, book reviews, writing plans...
  • I think my Facebook page for my ebooks etc, is an author's page as it was set up by that fiverr seller with that in mind, but I can ask her, to confirm that.

    I know she was referring to my personal Facebook account as my profile page. Is that what you mean by a private page? Where anyone can post anything on there? Is that right? Would it be better to call that a personal page, because private would seem to imply that it is not public, and therefore not available for just anyone to write anything down on there...? Bit confused by the language being used here...
  • edited September 2016
    . . . what can I put on my Facebook page to encourage interest in that ebook when it is ready for launch?

    I wouldn't consider humour first-up. It's backfired on me before!

    Lydia, I think the best thing in your position might be to put a sample chapter on the site (we know it won't be the last one because you haven't had time to finish it) but the first one or two will give any visitors to your page an insight into your particular genre and skills. Then, if THEY believe your work to be good, they will point their friends to your page. A very, very long process.

    What you also get out of that is the prospect for 'feedback' from your work, so when you finally get that sought-after agent, you will have a breadth of readers' views to pass on to him/her.

    All the best with it.

  • Okay. I'll do that. Just wondering how people find your page and the writing on there if you don't promote it or chase after followers?
  • I've a question about Facebook, if anyone can answer this for me. It's probably a simple matter, once you know, but I can't figure it out. So am calling for help, please.

    Went on a writer's facebook page, and tried to 'share' a video she had on there, to my Facebook page, but it only allowed for it to be sent to my profile page.

    There was another part which said you could send it as a message, so I put my pen name on there, LH Thorn, but it didn't accept that name. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong here...?
  • Okay. I'll do that. Just wondering how people find your page and the writing on there if you don't promote it or chase after followers?
    You share information relevant to your writing or work. My page is for sharing information about writing. I don't post anything that's personal. It's business. You won't be found overnight, gradually you build a following.

    What you can share from AN Other's page will depend on their settings; do they allow their content to be shared?




  • I've had an author page for a long time, and a published book, Lydia, and STILL i don't get loads of hits to my author page. There are literally millions of author pages on Facebook. Millions. People aren't that interested, really, they like services, or art. the people who look at author pages tend to be other authors looking to see what and how you are selling or if they are a friend or if you have interesting writer-related news and information. I put animal info on mine and get a few hits a day.

    You can share the vide to your page and then share it via your page to your author page i suspect Try that and if it doesn't work see if it's a YouTube video and go to Youtube and share it from there.
  • I guess that's what I have to do. Put a few of my scenes or chapters up onto my Facebook page, and add some short stories too, as samples, as well, to see if that ensnares any followers to my page...

    There is one writer, whose writing isn't that 'sparkling', but who uses almost humour all the time and things totally irrelevant to writing, and also updates her fans on what she is doing day to day. All that seems to please her followers. So what makes the difference for her as she has had a reasonable amount of success coming her way, her book having just crossed over into mainstream territory, but not the way to go, you advise?

    And yes, thanks for that, Liz, I 'shared' the video by using my profile page. Didn't think of that! No logic at times!
  • It depends if you can do that kind of stuff naturally, Lydia. Some pages work best as updates about books, snippets from WIP, competitions, Q&A sessions...stuff like that. And others work best when the author is a happy, go lucky, scamp, chattering away about nothing and everything. The latter approach means people will stick around even if you don't post snippets, or run out of competition prizes, and means they are more likely to interact with you on a regular basis - because they see you as a little more human - and therefore you stick in their minds more.
  • So adding a bit of that kind of stuff might encourage more people to stick around if they visit my page and appreciate a bit of humour and levity or just me sharing my thoughts on certain aspects in life etc. To let them know I am a human being with a certain set of values etc that might resonate with those I would welcome as followers....??? Is it best not to get too serious or deep on subjects, just to show my interest in things. Keep it light, mostly? Even though my ebooks will be dealing with quite some serious matters...
  • People want to feel connected to a writer, they don't want a faceless page that could be a publisher or a marketing guru running it. Don't stress about selling on your page - engage with people and the sales will follow.
  • I've had some interest in my page. I think I just need to interact more and add the things that will please people and entertain them, which is what I want to do, as well as sell books etc...

    So continue as I am going, but add some stories and be more regular with my topics etc, seems to be what is being said... Keep experimenting to find out what works, and what doesn't...
  • Keep experimenting to find out what works, and what doesn't...
    That's the spirit - and that's how most figure it out :) Good luck, Lydia!
  • Thanks for the encouragement!
  • Personally I think that Instagram is the way forward in this matter. I have an artist page where I post my art or art I like everyday, and I've amassed a following of almost 11,000. You can follow people from writing pages or art pages and they will generally follow you back.

    Instagram also has a 75% better engagement rate than twitter and a 25% better engagement rate than Facebook. People like visual things, and once you have a particular niche on what you post, then followers from particular pages will start flowing in.

    I've read that in order to have an impact on your business then you need to have at least 15,000 followers (on Facebook) so theoretically on Instagram that would be 11,250.

    Once my book comes out - hopefully before Christmas - then I plan to add the word 'author' in to my user name, and have my details and links in the information section.

    The key to acquiring a following is consistent, daily posts, and again, focusing on a certain area. I know that most of my followers are art based, but I'm hoping that at least a few of them enjoy a good read! Like Liz said, people generally are drawn towards art, food, wildlife. Not often are people going to follow someone to see constant updates on a book.

    So my advice is find a niche, build on it, create a persona that people know, and then once published throw the book in the mix! Not sure how it's going to effect sales, but I'll be sure to update who ever wants info when the time comes.
  • That's what I was thinking. There's only so much you can actually say about a book/s. Then what? You have to react and interact with warmth.

    I follow some singing stars from yesteryear and there Facebook etc are much more engaging than some of the writers. I believe I read that Lionel Shriver doesn't even do social media. Such a profound writer, but probably a bit 'sang froid' to interact with 'real people...'. Love her persona, though. Such a show of strength... Something I lack, and admire in others. Self control..

    Instagram, you reckon? I'll look into that, but not being an artist all I can think of is to post images that inspire me to see if that can captured any gazers eyes? Thanks for the tip and good luck with your book when it comes out..
  • Excellent chunk of information Mr or Mrs Waylander. Most pertinent to my own cause also.
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