Facebook. Home to billions of people around the world. This has to be a great marketing tool, surely? Yes, it can be. Only if you use it right. So check out these 5 ways you can use Facebook to promote your book and connect with more readers.
1) Join Groups
There are literally thousands of groups you can join to promote your book. So get joining now! (Be careful not to spam though! Use your common sense as to the amount of members and frequency of your promos)
2) Paid advertising
Facebook offers a way to set up an advertisement that will reach a specifically targeted audience of your choosing. This can be cheap or pricey depending on the budget you set for yourself. Some authors have great success with this, while others barely break even. So start out with a small budget to get an idea of if it will work for you.
3) Comment and get involved
Don’t just spam spam spam, talk to people. Be pro-active and comment on discussions, offer advice and help, make new author friends. This will benefit you in endless ways! So don’t just be the annoying author who does nothing but spam. Be the one that people respect.
4) Add and accept friend requests from fellow authors
Although, be careful here. Some authors only friend other authors so they can immediately suggest you like their pages. As an author myself, this is nothing but annoying. Not only do I not like their author page but I unfriend them. It is rude, spammy, and unprofessional. So word to the wise, don’t do this. By all means friend authors who write in your genre or who you have talked with through a group, or if you have several mutual friends. Do not just friend and spam.
5) Boost a post.
Not only does Facebook allow you to create an ad, you can also boost a post. On your author page you can pay anything from $5 to $500 to boost a post. Obviously, the more you invest the larger the audience. But again I must warn you, start off small. This is a risk. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. So start off with a small amount to see if the boosted post actually benefits you at all. However, make you intention clear. Are you selling a book, wanting more subscribers to your newsletter, or more like to your Facebook page? This is also relevant when creating an ad. For a boosted post or ad you need a professional image, great copywriting, and a bold promo.
Wesley Thomas is a bestselling horror author, owner of Wesley’s Author Promo Service, head of marketing for a UK firm, and works as a freelance writer for several websites. He loves reading, painting, fitness, movies, traveling, good food, and spending time with his family & friends. Authors, sign up for his monthly writing and marketing tips here.