Blogger: Rachel Kent
During our Books & Such retreat this week, there was lots of talk about marketing–and of course a major part of marketing involves social media these days. We saw charts showing how Facebook is still the #1 social media giant across all ages, but some of the others aren’t far behind. Pinterest was surprisingly popular for many age groups. I thought it was most popular with teens, but I was wrong.
I am supposedly in the age bracket that is most comfortable with social media, but even I am intimidated by all of the new online networks. I have my Facebook account and an active Twitter. I blog here. I do have a Pinterest that I don’t use much because it’s not my thing. But Instagram? Snapchat? Google+? Vine? Pheed? Reddit? And so many more. I am overwhelmed.
The best advice I heard about these social media sites is to just try them out. Create an account and watch what other people do on them. Follow some of the top accounts–maybe a favorite brand or two–and see what the experts do. Find some other authors and look at how they are using these new tools. Not every social media site will be useful for you, but if you don’t know what is out there you can’t know how you could use them to reach your audience. These networks are tools for you to add to your marketing tool belt. You should know how they work so you can use them when you need them.
I just started an Instagram account. I love all of the beautiful pictures I get to see and I look forward to the day when I feel confident enough with the site to start sharing my own. Instagram seems like an easier version of Pinterest to me. It’s very visual, but you don’t need to create boards and there’s less focus on crafting.
Have you stepped out beyond Facebook and Twitter?
Which social media sites have you tried? Are any of them useful to you as marketing tools?
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I’m liking Instagram the more I use it. I agree with you, though, Rachel. It helps to pick one social media hangout and spend your most focused time there. I’ve felt pretty scattered by posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. I’m working on funneling readers to my blog via the other social media channels and making the blog the place where I give personal responses. http://www.robingunn.com
Robin, thanks for giving the link to your site! I just went there, and the post you have up today is really lovely.
Something everyone needs to read, and consider.
I love your beautiful cyber home, Robin. And you know I love you! 😉
Beautiful website and post. Thank you, Robin. Our kids grow up so fast … savor the moments.
I’m using Facebook, have been learning to make effective use of Twitter, and have two blogs – the second one was started as a “31 Days Of” challenge, and I don’t feel inclined to give it up.
It offers “grace quotes” for marriage, and I find that it helps me be more positive. If anyone might be interested, it’s at http://www.dailygracequote.wordpress.com
Pinterest has been a struggle; not being able to use sub-boards really hampered what I wanted to do (though this was awhile ago, and there was talk of sub-boards becoming available). I was also concerned about copyright problems in things I pinned, so I’ve hung back.
That’s really been enough for me now.
I do need to learn to be more ‘personal’; while I can do this in comments on others’ blogs, and to a limited degree on my own, I come across as distant and austere, unwilling to share either joys or vulnerabilities.
It’s an accurate reflection of who I am in person, but for a writer it’s a handicap, and I’ve got to find a road to accessibility in social media.
I don’t think you come across distant at all. I’m going to have to look up “austere.” 🙂 You are personable, always willing to share your vulnerabilities for the sake of others. You are a teacher and that does shine through. And that’s a good thing.
Shelli, thank you. I do try.
Andrew, I love your beautiful new website look! So bright and vibrant! (Alas… Blogger/WP still don’t cooperate unless I change browsers. I do notice on some Blogger sites I can comment if there is a passcode or something. Strange.)
And I like Daily Grace Quote thoughts. I think you see yourself differently. I’ve always found you to be very personable… and real. I enjoy that.
Cindy, thank you so much! I will try to figure out what Blogger’s issue is; maybe it’s a default setting that needs changing.
And I do try to be the real ‘me’ through these comments. It’s hard to do in person; my nickname of ‘Mongo’ may give an idea of why1 🙂
Andrew, what do you mean by sub-boards on Pinterest?
On another note, I find you far from distant. The thoughts you share with us here are completely authentic. I look forward to hearing from you each time I visit this blog.
By sub-boards, what I mean might be analogous to sub-folders in a computer; I set up boards for my books, but when I wanted to subdivide a blog board into different topics (categorizing different ‘series’ posts), I found that I could not.
In person, I’m pretty restrained and quiet, and some people feel that I’m distant. I’m not uncomfortable with silences in a conversation, but many are, and that does add to the impression.
While I use some personal anecdotes in the blogs I write, they’re not really intended to be about me – I’d like the outreach to enable readers to think about their own lives, without having to look over my shoulder, so to speak.
My ‘natural’ persona is probably best represented in blog comments (like this one).
Andrew,
I checked out your blog. Nice! Clean, contemporary, uses responsive design (ideal for smartphone and tablet users). My own site is being converted to responsive design. Should launch in a week or two. Can’t wait!
May I suggest that you axe the “Uncategorized” category? Since that’s the default category in WordPress, you won’t be able to delete it altogether, but you can change the category title. That would create a more professional first impression for visitors.
Thanks! And thank you for the tip – ‘uncategorized’ will be axed as soon as I figure out how.
I’m just proud of myself for sticking to my guns and keeping my facebook account. Many of my friends are deleting theirs because of rudeness and mean people and general garbage. And I just got a pintrest account. So that feels huge just having 2 social media thingymabobs.
running two social media applications professionally may be all one can really handle, while still writing actively.
Dennis Polen, the designer and builder of possibly the loveliest airplane ever built, the Polen Special (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polen_Special), was a corporate pilot, and he would not try to remain current in more than two types of executive jets; he felt that aiming for broader currency would diminish his performance, especially in case of emergency.
I really like Google+, and I’m not sure why! I don’t interact all that much, but I follow such a diverse group of people, I see beautiful art, photographs, music videos, and fun memes. That might be another reason I like it–I don’t think of it in terms of marketing. 🙂
Jill, I still haven’t figured Google+ out. I need to take more time to discover …
Good morning, Rachel!
I enjoy FB, Twitter, and I blog MWF. I’m on LinkedIn, though it’s more of a professional way to connect. However–I will say LinkedIn seems to be gaining some traction, and if you join various writing groups there, that seems to be a fun way to network. (You do have to watch some of the groups because there are some Downer Debbies from time to time.)
The thing about a blog is it’s completely your own. You have control over your material and how often you post. You can choose to allow advertising or not, and you can purchase your own domain name. On other social media (FB, Twitter, etc.) you’re subject to their rules, their algorithms, etc.
If folks are uncomfortable blogging on a regular basis, they should at least have a basic (free) website page with a bio and some pertinent information. That’s how I started in 2011 before migrating to a full website.
As much as I would love to be active on every social medium, I just can’t or I wouldn’t have time to write. I stick with what works for me, for now.
Great topic today!
Cynthia, I’m tweaking the ‘landing’ page on my blog this afternoon. It will help direct people to the social media outlets I’m most active on.
There’s a steep learning curve. Having this blog community to dialogue with makes it less overwhelming.
I have not stepped out beyond FB, Twitter, and my personal blog. My husband would love to reel me back in on all those. In his line of work, he would rather me not post anything personal on the world wide web and understandably so. And in my line of work, I know I need to. I’m struggling to find a balance. 🙂
I use Facebook and Pinterest regularly. I’m on Twitter, but I can’t really get into it for some reason. I recently started posting regularly to Instagram because I’m getting new followers from a blog I contribute to, and many of them are in my target market (if EVER get my book finished!). So I figure it’s worth investing some time there. All the social media can certainly get overwhelming, though! I don’t want social media to hijack my life.
I’m definitely what you call a “social media” junkie, but I was extremely overwhelmed at first…and completely distracted. I received some really great advice about focusing on one social media outlet that you are good at and build on that first before you branch out to add/try other outlets. That really helped me focus on learning the one that really interested me the most, then adding others and learning how to do those well.
Take baby steps and don’t be afraid to try new avenues to reach out to others.
Jennifer, your website is lovely. I love the umbrella photo! Darling!
Thank you so much, Shelli!
I don’t use Facebook or Twitter. However, I do use LinkedIn and Pinterest. LinkedIn is great for business connections and information. I love Pinterest! It is a great electronic bulletin board I use it mostly to show pictures that I have taken but will add pins that to my boards that I find useful.
I’m a little late to this conversation, but I have questions from my Books & Such brain trust.
How much time do you spend on social media, and how does that break out among Facebook, Twitter, etc? What offers the best return on your investment of time?
What with my day job and my role as a pastor’s wife, I could easily divert all my writing time to social media. Clearly, I can’t do it all. If you had to keep your social media time to less than 40 minutes a day, where would you spend those precious minutes?
Shirlee, I admit that it’s more of a time suck than it should be.
I’m on FB a few times a day because I’m trying to be very intentional about reaching my prospective reader with my posts and I want to respond to comments as promptly as possible. Every two or three days I pop in and contribute on Pinterest and Goodreads. Those are my top three.
Great question. Can’t wait to see what other people share.
that is, FOR my brain trust! (first suggestion: proofread)
I’ve committed to Facebook and my blog, Treasure Chest Moments. I’m very comfortable with these two sites and enjoy the interaction from both. I regularly make connections through LinkedIn but can’t say I’m using it for maximum potential. I plan to spread my wings and try another site before my first novel is published, most likely “Goodreads.”
Patricia. Good point. Goodreads Author Pages can be a boon for authors if you use them regularly and take advantage of the cool features they offer for authors.
I manage Pinterest accounts for several of my clients (mainly authors and other owners of small businesses). Most of them get excellent “traction” on Pinterest — much better than Facebook pages or Twitter.
I speculate that the reason is because there’s no pressure to become “friends” or to “like” pins. Users have total freedom to explore and discover.
When you upload your own pictures or link to them, if you do it correctly and ethically, you can get a lot of referral traffic from Pinterest to your blog/website.
Who on earth classified Reddit as social media? It’s not, by any means. It’s the front page of the Internet, domain of the super nerd, and a great place to go if you want to get trolled. It is NOT a place where just anyone should be hanging out trying to get new followers and find new readers.
Someone trying to market a book on Reddit would get trolled so hard and deep the person would never want to touch the Internet again.
Things on Reddit also move insanely fast. What’s hot five minutes ago is likely not coming back, unless it turns into a major controversy. Like GamerGate or John Scalzi putting on a Regency dress. I think Scalzi in a dress lasted 10 minutes on Reddit.
To add to what I said earlier, Michael Hyatt (Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World) tweeted about Instagram’s feed now being filled with video adds —> mhyatt.us/1zR45uK
This speaks to my point earlier about the importance of a cyber home/landing page. We’re at the mercy of social media when it’s controlled by them. That’s why a blog or basic website is a nice addition to whatever mediums we choose to be active on.
Michael Hyatt’s recommendation is to have a blog and build our email subscriber list. He does know a little something about this. 😉 Also, I know our lovely agents have recently addressed this here.
I’ll try the coordinating link again for anyone who’s interested in the article: http://mashable.com/2014/10/30/instagram-launches-its-much-anticipated-video-ads/?utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_reader=feedly&utm_content=bufferf6ae1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
I’m going to go out on a limb, here. Y’all feel free to chop it off behind me.
I’ve gone from using social media to hype my writing, to trying to bring hope, for marriages, and in the face of adversity.
It’s a calling, I guess. And social media’s the vehicle by which it can be made to work.
The recent news about Brittany Maynard, the young woman who’s been planning to kill herself on Nov. 1 in the face of terminal cancer (and who may postpone that step, hooray!) has been on my mind, for reasons that those who know me will understand.
I was moved to write her an open letter, in the hope that through the magic and reach of social media, it might reach her…or someone facing the same dread choice.
With some trepidation, I’m going to take the liberty of posting the link below. If social media can work wonders, I hope it might do so now.
And I hope you’ll pardon my being forward in doing this.
http://dailygracequote.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/a-letter-to-brittany-maynard/
Andrew . . . I see Jesus in you.
Donnie, that means so much. Thank you.
I’ve been privileged to have been carried by the crew at B&S, and by the combined hearts of everyone in this community. Times I just did not think I could see the day through…
…and this place gave me hope.
I wish the same, and more, for Ms. Maynard.
I tried Furry-Facebook. My dog Rascal likes it.
In addition to Facebook and Twitter, I use LinkedIn, and I staked a claim on Google+, which I’m still trying to figure out. Those four, along with blogging, keep me busy enough. I can’t image tackling any more.
…oh, and I forgot to mention Pinterest, largely because I’ve forgot I have it!
I feel like a klutz at social media. I have a hard time thinking of anything remotely personal that I want to share permanently with the public.
I am evolving toward a more satisfying use of Facebook by posting questions and thoughts related to writing projects–when something garners comments and likes I sense that I’m on to something. The frustration with my Facebook page is FB’s stingy way of not sharing my blog posts to most who have liked my page.
I am currently revamping my approach to Twitter. No more following in hope of being followed. My feed got so clogged with self promotion and tedious opinions I actively avoided reading it. So I am unfollowing many. Unsurprisingly many of these unfollow me back–though I am very sure that when they have 10k or 100k followers they were never reading my tweets in the first place! I want to see if by following only people I know or want to hear about, and tweeting more bits from my writing and reading, I can grow a more genuine following. I have to hope that agents and editors seeing bloated Twitter numbers know that this medium is often a sham.
I am investing more in Goodreads. This has to be the one with genuine potential for book marketing. The members are all readers looking for books!
For fun I wrangled an invite to Ello. It is pretty groovy, and seems an oasis from marketing. (Anyone from here on Ello? Hope you’ll make contact there.)