Some years ago, the job of marketing published books rested solely on the shoulders of publishers. Book authors simply wrote books, and the rest of the job such as editing, printing, distribution and marketing was left for the publishers to handle. Now, with the advent of the internet, self-publishing and social media marketing, book writers have unprecedented leeway on how to market their books. It is so easy for you to self-publish and use social media as a cheap and easy way to publicise your books. The internet is indeed a paradise for book authors.
But when it comes to using social media as a marketing tool, it is so easy to get it all wrong. You see, to make your book salable, you must tell people online about your book. And how you say it is critical. There are many writers who erroneously resort to invasive and interruptive marketing ploys on Twitter and Facebook with shout-outs like “Check out my new book!” only to find out that nobody cares to listen.
Social media is about connecting and building relationships. It is about listening and establishing a two-way communication. It’s about building a bond, not just networks. If you take advantage of what social media has to offer for your marketing scheme, do it in the most genuine way possible. Create friends and followers and have fun doing it. Here are some tips for using social media as a cheap and easy way to publicise your books:
Maintain interest and relevance: Most Twitter and Facebook users who stopped following brands say it’s because they become too repetitive and boring. Others say that company social media messaging has stopped being relevant for them. Seek ways to be relevant and interesting to your followers by providing valuable information and offering incentives to customers who buy your book.
Regulate your posts: Too many status updates may turn off your social media followers, prompting them to hit the “unlike” button. Nobody wants clutter from excessive marketing posts and updates. So you have to be careful about providing quality and selective information without being too overwhelming.
Quality vs. Quantity: Your social media followers deserve quality information in the light of the high number of social media enthusiasts who unfollow brands because of excessive and repetitive marketing posts. Seek creative ways to provide quality social media content to your friends and followers, not just a barrage of mindless marketing ploys.
Avoid being too personal: While your social network connections could be mostly friends and family, still avoid posting anything too personal. Post helpful advice, relevant information and professional commentary to gain respect from your followers.
Establish relationships: As you go along with social media as a cheap and easy way to publicise your books, you’ll find that it can take you far regarding your relationship with customers. Establish a two-way communication with fans and followers. Make them feel appreciated and valued by responding to their comments and queries on your Facebook page or Twitter account.
