by Dana Lynn Smith
Social networking sites like Facebook are a terrific way to promote your book, but many authors don’t optimize their Facebook profile or venture beyond their profile. Here are six ways to effectively promote your book on Facebook:
1. Take full advantage of the promotional opportunities on your Facebook Profile
Just below your photo is a small box where you can enter a concise description of what you do, including the title of your book. The About Me box (under Personal Information) is a good place to describe your book and your business. In the Contact Information section you can enter multiple website addresses. Post your book cover in your photo album or another application and display it in the left column of your profile.
Remember, your Facebook profile must be registered in your real name. If you create a profile for your book or business, you risk having your account cancelled.
2. Facebook Fan Pages are similar to personal profiles, but they are created for business use
You can create a page to promote your book or your business, or even create a page for one of the characters in your novel. People join a page by becoming a fan.
You may want to offer an incentive to join (or at least visit) your fan page, such as a free download, a coupon for one of your products, or a contest. Another way to attract fans is to set your page up as an information hub, offering links and resources.
3. Facebook Groups are a great place to meet people who share your interests and find new friends
Search for groups by entering keywords in the Search box at the top of the page and then clicking on the Groups tab. You can gain visibility on a group page by introducing yourself on the wall, participating in discussions, and posting your book cover, photos or videos.
Forming your own group is another good way to subtly promote your book. Be sure to encourage discussions and offer valuable information such as free downloads and links to resources. You can send direct messages the entire group.
4. Joining relevant Facebook Events is a good way to get visibility by writing on the event wall and posting photos
In addition, you can subtly promote your book and yourself by promoting your own live or virtual events through a Facebook event.
5. Facebook displays pay-per-click ads on most pages on the site
Ads can be targeted by age, gender, location, education level, relationship status, or keywords in people’s profiles.
6. The Facebook Marketplace is a free classified advertising area where you can post a listing to sell your book
It’s worth an experiment if you have a book on a topic that someone might search for on a classified advertising site.
Dana Lynn Smith is a book marketing coach and author of The Savvy Book Marketer Guides. For in-depth information on how to promote your book through Facebook, see the Facebook Guide for Authors at www.SavvyBookMarketer.com. Visit the Book Marketing Maven blog at www.BookMarketingMaven.com for more book marketing tips.Courtesy: EzineArticle
