Are You Making These 10 Mistakes on Facebook?

Some authors try sites like Facebook for a while and then conclude that social networking doesn't work as a promotional tool. The keys to successful book promotion on Facebook are to learn how to use the site effectively and to stay with it over the long term.

Here are some common mistakes that you may be making on Facebook, along with tips on how to avoid them.

1. Failing to showcase (or even mention) your books on the Facebook profile.

I am amazed at how many authors don't even mention their books on their Facebook profile. Be sure to include a description of your books in the "About You" section, which is on the Info screen of your profile.

Another good strategy is to call yourself an author in the current job title that you list in the Employers section of the profile, then list your business name or book name as your current employer. Both your job title and employer name show up at the very top of your profile, which gives you great visibility.

2. Forgetting to add website and social network links to the profile.

Be sure to link to your website, Amazon sales page, Facebook Fan Page, and other social network accounts in the About You area and also in the Contact Information area.

3. Being too promotional or pushy.

If you're too passive, you probably won't get much benefit from social networks like Facebook. If you are too aggressive, you may turn people off. No one wants to read a constant stream of "buy my book" messages, and it's not a good idea to post blatant promotional messages on other people's profiles and pages. Find a balance where you can actively network and share news and information about your book and your business, without being annoying.

4. Sending blank friend requests with no introduction.

It's good manners to introduce yourself when sending friend requests to people you don't know, and to greet people that you already know. Click the "add a personal message" link on the friend request screen, say hello, and mention why you want to connect.

5. Failing to set up a Fan Page to promote your books or business.

Many Facebook users still rely on adding friends and networking through their personal profile. But the Fan Page is more suited to business use and Facebook users are getting more used to "liking" and interacting with Fan Pages.

6. Forgetting to be social and let your personality come through.

It's fun to meet new people from around the world and learn a little about each other, and you'll get much more benefit from the site if you interact with people and develop relationships.

7. Trying to befriend everyone you see on Facebook.

It's tempting to collect lots of friends and fans, but it's more important to concentrate on meeting people that you share common interests with—other experts and authors in your field or genre, people who have an interest in your book's subject or topic, and existing contacts and customers.

8. Posting too many status updates and messages.

Facebook users tend to post less often than Twitter users. I recommend posting one to three status updates a day. Also be cautious about using direct messages for promotional purposes—some people annoy their friends by abusing the message feature.

9. Violating Facebook's terms of service.

Breaking the rules can get your Facebook account suspended or permanently deleted. Some of the most common errors include creating multiple Facebook profiles, setting up profiles in a business name rather than your personal name, and being overly promotional. You can read the current terms of service here. http://www.facebook.com/terms.php

10. Giving up too soon.

It takes time to build a network on Facebook (or anywhere else) and reap benefits from it. Begin your online networking as early as possible, learn how to use the site effectively, and keep with it for the long term. And have fun with Facebook—but not so much fun that it sucks up too much of your time!

Is Facebook worth the effort? In my own case, I have made lots of valuable professional contacts and connected with customers and potential customers through social networks like Facebook. I even landed a 7-page cover story in a magazine as a result of meeting a magazine publisher on Facebook. I know that a good percentage of my website traffic is referred from Facebook and Twitter, so it definitely works for me.

To learn more about using Facebook successfully to promote your book, rely on the Facebook Guide for Authors. In this step-by-step guide, you'll learn how to create an effective Facebook Profile and Fan Page, and promote yourself and your books on the site. Detailed instructions and screen shots make it easy for you to quickly master this powerful networking tool.

And if you enjoyed this post, please leave a note in the Facebook comment area below. In an upcoming post, I'll explain how to use this cool Facebook social plug-in.

Comments

[Delia Latham]

GREAT post, Dana! Very informative. And I couldn't agree more about posting promo "stuff" so often that it becomes annoying. I'm sure most readers react the same way I do...which is to either remove those people from my friends' list, or simply skip ALL of their messages, because I know it's more of the same.

[Cheryl Williams]

Very informative.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks Cheryl and Delia - I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Yes, it's very easy for people to "un-friend" you, so it's important to avoid being overly promotional on Facebook.

[Lisa Tortorello]

Thanks for the information. I've gone in and updated my profile to give my book (and me) more visibility.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks great, Lisa! Good luck with your book :)

[BookCoverCafe]

Great post with content that can't be said enough Dana. Engaging with those who have connected with you is something writers and authors need to improve. It happens all too often where people are constantly looking for the next 'new fan', all the while neglecting the fan base and those already following them.

Asking to 'friend' someone without an introductory message is a habit that needs to be broken now. A sentence or two about who you are and why you appreciate the opportunity to connect goes a long way and only takes 2 mins.

I know that a considered message gets my attention, how about you Dana?

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks for your note, Book Cover Cafe. You make a great point about people neglecting their existing friends in their quest to add more friends. Yes, I do appreciate introductions with friend requests. In fact, I have started ignoring some of the generic friend requests if there is no indication on the profile that the person is a writer or has anything else in common with me.

[Nancy Fairbrother]

Thanks for this article, Dana. Your generosity and expertise are inspiration to me.

I've been on Facebook for a while, but still consider myself a beginner with it. Am in the process of updating my profiles on FB, blog, etc., and am getting ready to create a fan page. Just dumped all my baggage about promoting and selling. It feels good!

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Thanks so much Nancy! Good luck with your books.

[Suzanne Semsch]

This was helpful, Dana, and encouraging. I have recently joined Facebook for the purpose of promoting sales for my novel, and soon to be two novels. I am finding it daunting! I'm still trying to figure out a way for my account to open with the author page. I am also working on getting a website going so that I can link all these sites. Your post has inspired me to work harder at it. Thank you.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Glad you enjoyed the article Suzanne. You can find info on author websites at http://bit.ly/BloggingResources and everything you need to know about Facebook in my book at http://bit.ly/19klwq Good luck with your new book!
Dana

[Njanja]

This is a great post Dana -especially about Fan pages, I need to set one up. I have a Facebook profile and have been thinking of ways to use it to promote my upcoming book. I definitely need to get better at being social & making connections.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Njanja, I'm glad you found the article helpful. If you need help setting up the Fan page, Shelley Hitz has a good program on how to do that: http://bit.ly/q7niAE

[Leanne]

Great post! The authors whose work I like but whose FB pages I've unliked are the ones who are too promotional/spammy.

I like authors who have fan pages rather than "friend" pages. As we learn more about FB's privacy issues, I'd prefer to "like" an author than to "friend" them, exposing my family/friends' info unwittingly.Better to maintain that professional line, IMO.

I'd add getting too political to the list of author don'ts. I've not only unliked two authors whose work I've enjoyed in the past, but I've been hesitant to buy new releases since they've promoted their extreme ideologies on their fan sites. Keep that stuff for your inner circle. Insulting me because of my religious/political beliefs and then expecting me to buy your books is kind of stupid.

Also, authors who are overly negative and snarky are a huge turn off. One author who really got to me was a new author who publicly sneered at everyone on Amazon or Goodreads who gave her rather mediocre book a bad review.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Leanne, those are some great points - thanks for sharing. It's important for authors to remember that their attitudes and the content of their posts do affect how potential book buyers perceive them. People are much more likely to buy products and services from people that they like and trust.