Taking Care of Your Social Media Sites

Your social media sites, including your website and blog, require regular attention. The “social” part is important. Your sites shouldn’t be used solely to post “buy my book” promotions or when you have a new book to advertise. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

• Readers/followers want to interact with you. Respond to comments in a timely manner. Don’t just post and run.

• Post questions and continue the conversation when you get responses.

• Make sure that you’re on your sites regularly sharing, commenting, and liking others’ content.

• You need to have fresh content on your website, blog, and social sites. Figure out what works for you (e.g. once a day, once a week, etc.) and try to post consistently. People don’t come back to visit sites where the last post was April 2017.

• I schedule some of my social media posts, so I have a variety of content, even when I’m not on social media. I found that I get a lot of traffic on Twitter after midnight from folks in other countries. I schedule posts during these timeslots (even though I’m sleeping), and I respond to them when I start my day at 5 AM.

• Followers are looking for interesting information and entertainment. Make sure your posts gather attention. Photos/graphics and video are good ways to draw people to your post.

• Do a quick audit of your sites. Look at your recent posts. Are they eye-catching? Do they spur the reader to comment? Is the content interesting? Check out my post on Social Media Content Ideas if you’re looking for things to post.

• All the social media sites have algorithms for determining what does/doesn’t show on newsfeeds. Organic interest in a post (e.g. likes, comments, shares) does have an effect your reach. Comments and shares are better than likes.

• Make sure that you like and follow others. On Twitter, I’m often tagged in #WW (Writer Wednesday) or #FF (Follow Friday) posts. Take a minute to follow new folks. It will help your audience grow, and you’ll meet all kinds of interesting people.

• It’s usually not a good idea to respond in attack mode to negative posts. But these sites are yours, and they represent your brand. From time to time, you may need to delete comments or block the trolls.

• You don’t have to follow everyone who follows you. There are a lot of bots and trolls out there. Be careful of scams. If something sounds fishy or too good to be true, it probably is.

Mining Story and Promotional Ideas - Tips for Authors

I have been a list maker forever and working in IT for years has just exacerbated that with hundreds of Post-its, work break down structures, and notes written on any nearby scrap of paper.

Last year for my writing projects, I consolidated the hundreds of notes into two spreadsheets that I can sort in a variety of ways.

Ideas - The first is my idea spreadsheet. I come across names, title ideas, weird or funny stories, and tons of true crime and news articles all the time. Having one place to keep this information is helpful when I’m plotting or looking for something to add to a story. If I use an idea, I delete it from my spreadsheet. (Now there are no longer lists of ways to kill people on my desk or white board, but I have found crumpled notes in the bottom of my purse of interesting poisons or other ways to off people.)

Book Marketing Ideas - Book promotion ideas are everywhere. I go to lots of workshops and presentations, and other authors are so gracious about sharing their ideas. I constantly take notes. You never know when something is going to be useful. My big, giant, promotional spreadsheet has a tab for each topic (e.g. promotional services, book bloggers, book stores, libraries, reviewers, bookstagrammers, etc.) I enter the information and a note of where I found it or who recommended it. Then as I plan for my next book, I have a place to start. I update it as I go if things change.

There is also a “my contacts” tab for organizations, alumni groups, homeowners associations, book clubs, etc. that I’m a member of. Many have newsletters or social media sites for news and announcements.

Recently, I added a “hook” tab. I brainstorm things that are in each book and what non-mystery sites would be helpful or possible options for book marketing. For the Jules Keene Glamping series, I have a list of things like Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia, Glamping, Vintage Trailers, Tiny Houses, and Jack Russell Terriers. I list groups and contacts that could be possible book promo opportunities.

Places to Look

• Write down what other authors recommend (e.g. services, publicists, program ideas).

• Keep a list of all contacts you made such as librarians, bookstore owners, bloggers, etc.

• Subscribe to other authors’ newsletters and see how they present and promote their work. What events or promotional things are they doing?

• When you attend conferences, workshops, panels, or social media parties, make a list of the services and who provides them. If it’s a reoccurring event, you may want to participate in the future. If it’s a service that does promotion or social media parties, you may want to use them later.

• Create a list of bloggers and podcasters who interview authors. When you’re contacting these folks, you may want to do it 3-4 months ahead of your launch because their calendars fill up quickly.

• Make a list of tools that authors and publicists are using for graphics, book trailers, photo editing, etc.

• When you have casual chats with other book people, jot down ideas. People are great about sharing new products or services.

• Use your reading, tv-watching, or social media time wisely. This is where you’ll encounter lots of ideas. Write them down, so you don’t forget.

You may not need a nugget of information at the moment, but it’s a good idea to record it for when you do.

Social Media Content Ideas for Authors

Sometimes, it can be overwhelming for authors to maintain all of their social media sites regularly. It’s not enough to post once in a while. Authors need to be engaged, and it can be hard to come up with content ideas other than news about your books. Here are some ideas.

Hobbies - Post pictures of your hobbies, crafts, cooking, or interesting projects you’re involved in.

Pets - Your furry, finned, or feathered sidekicks are always a hit and get a lot of attention.

Your Thing - Find something that interests you, and post about it regularly. I have several friends who take a walk each day with their dogs. They post each morning about their adventures. A lot of my author friends post what they are reading and ask for readers to chime in. I have one friend who starts a daily chat about exercise. I have another friend who goes antiquing a lot, and she posts pictures of her latest finds.

Your Adventures - Take pictures when you go places and do things. Share interesting exhibits, classes, and places. I know this is harder as the pandemic continues, but take pictures of Zoom calls. You can use your Print Screen button on your keyboard to capture a screen shot.

Shout outs - Recognize and celebrate with others. (Make sure to tag the person or organization.) If you attend events, workshops, or meetings, take pictures and share.

Look for Your Hook - Make a list of all the things that appear in your book. For my Delanie series, its Southern Sleuth, Female Private Eye, 80s Rock Singer, Richmond, VA, Computer Hacker, Sleazy Strip Club Owner, English Bulldog, Sears Catalogue Houses, etc.) Then look for posts to share. Look for groups with similar interests. I was asked to do a blog post and some interviews about the Sears Catalogue house in my stories with some folks I met on Facebook. Also post pictures or links to interesting research that you do.

There’s A Day for Everything - Google “Funny Holidays” or “Daily Holidays.” There are tons of lists and calendars out there. Make a list of things that interest you or relate to your books. At the beginning of the month, I schedule posts for my holidays. For the Mutt Mysteries series, I made a list of dog and pet days. This also gave the group some ideas for themes for Facebook parties.

Pinterest Boards - I make a Pinterest board for each book and topic that I’m researching. This helps me see what the characters and setting look like. A publisher asked me one time what the main characters looked like, so I pointed him and his cover designer to my Pinterest board.

Funny Memes - Funny memes garner attention, and these can be used to generate questions or discussion on social media.

What else would you add to my list?

Things Authors Can Do Between Books - Marketing Ideas

Marketing tends to be the all-encompassing focus right before and after a book launches, but there are lots of things you can do to build or maintain your platform or audience ahead of your next book. Here are some ideas.

• Look for ways to add readers to your email list. Make sure you take signup sheets to events, have a place on your blog for readers to join, and post about your newsletters on your social media. People sign up when they think they’re missing out on something.

• Set up a regular blogging schedule and try to stick to it. This will provide fresh content and drive traffic to your site.

• Build a backlog of blog posts. It’s always helpful to have a library of content to pull from when you get busy.

• Look for opportunities with other authors to be included in events, giveaways, and social media parties. This is a great way for readers to find you.

• Find ways to celebrate other authors by featuring them on your blog or social media posts.

• Build a list for your next launch. I have a really big spreadsheet that lists bloggers, reviewers, events, bookstores, podcasts, and anything else I can think of that will help me. I add to this every time, I come across something new or someone offers a recommendation.

• Don’t forget the “social” part in social media. You shouldn’t just be active on your sites when you have a book to promote. You build an audience and relationships by sharing, commenting, and posting regularly. This also helps to build your following. Figure out what you want to share and create interesting posts about your pets, recipes, crafts, etc.

• Set up a newsletter schedule. It’s a good idea to publish regularly and not just when you have a book for sale.

• Find projects to participate in that give you opportunities to work with other authors (e.g. guest blogging on your site or theirs, anthologies, etc.). This is a good way to pick up new readers/followers. I’m involved with several anthology projects that give me opportunities to participate in events and interviews where I can talk about my novels.

• Find a writers’ group. Many, like Sisters in Crime, have educational opportunities and ways to share information with other authors.

• Create a plan to add to your social media following. I focus on one or two a month and look for ways to build my followers on Facebook, Instagram. Pinterest, Twitter, Goodreads, and BookBub.

What would you add to my list?

More Book Marketing Tips - What I Learned from Sandra Beckwith

I had the pleasure of attending an online presentation from the Buckeye Crime Writers with Sandra Beckwith. Check out her Build Book Buzz website. It is a wealth of information for authors.

Here were my key take-aways from her presentation.

1. The bulk of book promotion is up to the author.

2. If you are an indie (self-published) author, you need to follow the traditional publishing standards (e.g. covers, editing, writing standards). Readers have expectations for the books they choose.

3. Hire a professional with experience in your genre to do your cover.

4. Make sure your book is edited and proofread.

5. Know who your reader is. Look at the demographics of your social media followers.

6. Put your effort in the social media sites where your readers are.

7. Be an active contributor on social media.

8. Make sure you have an email/newsletter list.

9. Before you launch your book, make sure you have a marketing plan. It should start before your book launch.

10. Have realistic expectations about sales and success.

11. Be gentle with yourself.

12. Don’t give up. It takes time to achieve success.

13. Continue to market your book as long as it is available for sale.

Stuff I've Learned so Far in 2021 - Book Marketing and Publicity

Happy New Year! 2021 is going to be a big year. My new cozy mystery series, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, launches in October, and I’m getting reading to start my planning for its launch.

One of my ideas for 2021 was to strive to learn new things. This week, I attended two marketing workshops, and here are a few of the nuggets I learned to help me with my website and publicity.

Author Brand

• Authors need a tagline to describe their books and writing style.

• Strive for visual unity (the look and feel) on all your social media, blog, website, and printed materials. Readers need to recognize you.

Time Management

• Write your next book. Publicity and marketing are important, but you need to make sure you guard your writing time.

• You can’t do everything. Decide what’s right for you.

Your Books

• Make sure your book cover matches your genre. Covers do sell books.

• Ensure that your book title matches your genre. Don’t make it look like a steamy romance if it’s a cozy mystery.

Website

• To look professional, you need a website.

• This is the center of all of your publicity efforts.

• Industry professionals (e.g. agents, publishers, editors, reporters, reviewers) will look for your website.

Newsletter/Email List

• You own your email list. If something happens to your social media sites, you don’t have a way to contact your followers.

• Don’t just send a newsletter when you have a new book. Your readers want to hear from you. Find the right balance. Weekly may be too much, and every two years is not enough.

What I Learned from Lori Rader-Day about Book Marketing

I am loving all the workshops and classes that are available on Zoom. I had the pleasure of attending Capitol Crimes’ presentation on book marketing for introverts with SinC past-president, Lori Rader-Day. She is such a talented writer with a the best sense of humor. I had the pleasure of being on a panel with her a few years back at Malice Domestic, and we had more fun that should have been allowed on an early Sunday morning. Here are some nuggets that I learned from her Zoom presentation about book marketing.

• Work on your craft (the writing part) first.

• Build a supportive network of other writers to share information and experiences.

• Make a plan for your launch. Don’t think of your launch as a single event. Gather your resources as you plan.

• Decide what you’re good at and do those things. You can hire people to do some of the other tasks.

• Find role models and examples. Buy/read their books, look at their newsletter and website, and attend their events.

• Know where your readers are and who else they read. Where do you have a built-in audience?

• Schedule events (in-person or virtual) and guest blog posts ahead of your book launch.

• Don’t contact booksellers during the holidays. Plan ahead.

• Don’t overload your schedule. You don’t have to do everything.

• Leave space in your schedule in case anything amazing pops up.

• Good self-promotion is not including “buy my book” in every conversation.

• Carry business cards and bookmarks with you.

• Make real, authentic connections. Just be yourself.

• Protect your personal and writing time.

• For those who are shy, try doing an event. The more you practice, the better you’ll get.

• Talk about the interesting things in your story/research, your hobbies, or your pets.

• Give first before you ask for favors.

• Read the books in your genre.

• Write another book.

Book Marketing Ideas in the Middle of a Pandemic

The pandemic turned book marketing and events upside down. Thankfully, a lot of conferences and workshops have moved to virtual formats. Authors, book sellers, and event planners have had to muster their creativity and find new or other ways to do things.

Here are some ideas to add to your toolbox.

1. Blog Tours (Paid and Free) - Look for blog tour services that will help you set up interviews, reviews, and guest posts.

2. Facebook/Twitter Parties - Look for companies that provide hosted social media parties (usually for a fee). They organize the event on an event page or a site where an author can “take over” for the event. You can also create your own party. It’s a good idea to have some writer friends join you and to do a variety of give aways. Make sure you review the social media platform’s terms and conditions. They do change from time to time.

3. Make a list of all your author/book friends who have blogs. Ask for an interview or guest blog spot to promote your new book. I offer interview spots for authors on my blog. You can send me a message on the “Contact” page if you’re interested.

4. Talk to your indie bookstore owners. Many are doing free and ticketed virtual events.

5. Reach out to your librarians. Many are doing virtual programs, and you can pitch a panel or workshop that you can lead.

6. Look for book clubs who host in-person or virtual speakers. Ask friends and watch Facebook groups. There are lots of book clubs that have moved to the virtual space.

7. There are also services out there that help authors expand BookBub, email lists, and other social media followings.

If you’re going to use a service, read the fine print, and ask other author friends about their experiences. Make sure the service caters to your genre and type of book.

What else would you add to my list?