Whenever discussing the big, wide world of Facebook pages with authors, the inevitable question comes up: “How do I get people to like my Facebook page?”
Obviously we offer plenty of suggestions. But the bigger question authors need to be asking is, “How do I make my Facebook page likeable?”
Just like your blog, when it comes to social media likeability, content is king. So, think about your readers and what they might want to see from their favorite authors besides notices of blog posts and your upcoming book signings. Here are nine suggestions to get you started:
- Share items of interest that relate to your book’s subject matter. Visit a site like Alltop.com or check your Google alerts for the latest headlines.
- Trivia: Share a little known fact about something… in your book or about your writing experience or a topic you’re closely aligned with. You can even share book trivia (such as, 1/3 of high school students won’t ever read another book after they graduate, yet 81% of Americans say they have a dream of writing a book!)
- Share a book you’ve read and enjoyed. Readers are voracious, they never stop looking for the next great read.
- You might also want to share a great reader site or review site (even better if you have a presence there, too!).
- Run a contest or promotion. There are loads of FB apps to help you do this or you can do it simply on your page. Offer up a free signed copy of your newest release (or a vintage collector copy of an early work) as a prize.
- Share events of interests to readers, such as book festivals or signings in your area, book club meetings, etc. Consider teaming up with other local authors to cross-promote and offer up more info beneficial to each of your readers. Check out sites like GalleyCat for book news your readers would enjoy.
- Be useful: This is especially important for non-fiction authors, but can apply to fiction folks, too. Sharing tips and insights with readers will keep them coming back for more.
- Ask readers questions they’ll enjoy answering. People love to share what they know and love, too. Questions such as “What’s the best romance you’ve ever read?” or “Share your favorite line from a book” or “Who’s your all-time favorite fictional character?” can get readers talking and an active page is a page more folks will want to like1
- Have FUN! It’s no secret that nearly every post or video that goes viral out there has a humorous component. Share those moments that maybe weren’t so funny at the time (like when your dog ate your first 50 pages) but that you can look back on and laugh today.
Tell us all why we should like your Facebook page (and make sure to give us your Facebook page address while you’re at it!
Heya this is somewhat of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors
or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding skills so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!
At https://www.facebook.com/pages/Outshine-An-Ovarian-Cancer-Memoir/352268571461383, I offer information about ovarian cancer; its symptoms and signs; statistics; and risk factors. This is a subject that is not well known and it has a high mortality rate of 70%. I try to keep it positive and uplifting while being educational at the same time.
Besides my events, I promote my blogs which are spiritual, informative and inspirational about Life, not just ovarian cancer. I recently did a presentation at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN for the “Bright Spots” group and I shared the highlights of this event. Isn’t it a wonderful and positive name?
Shari, your blog has very good information of which I have taken into consideration to improve my Facebook. Thank you.
Karen – well done, you! I’ve lost two close friends to ovarian cancer, and another is a survivor going on over a decade now… Down here in Charleston I’m president of Center for Women who administers Lowcountry Women with Wings, a foundation launched by Terry Scharstein, one of the friends I lost to this silent killer. I’ll hook you up with them, too as you sound like another wonderful resource! Visit them at http://www.lowcountrywomenwithwings.org and let me know what you think!
I hope people like my facebook page because my company, Jillian Bullock Enterprises, LLC, is a fitness, wellness and empowerment company. One of my most popular empowerment programs is Fighting Spirit Warriors, a fitness for self-defense program for girls and women. Next month, I will launch the Fighting Spirit Warriors:Fit 2 Fight To Have A Safe Life Tour with the mission to reach and to teach 1 million females in 1 year why being physically fit is vital to help reduce their chances of becoming a victim of rape, sexual assault or domestic violence.
http://www.facebook.com/FightingSpiritWarriors
Jillian – Now THAT’s what we’re talking about! But lead off always not with what you are/do, but what they get/benefit… We’ll go like your page!
These are excellent, as always. Thank you! I’ll add one more: Post relevant images with a comment. Photos, cartoons, etc., really seem to engage people.
Sandra Beckwith
The FB page for “Show Me How” is BRAND NEW: http://www.facebook.com/ShowMeHowBuildYourChildsSelfEsteem
Sharing quick and easy activities that build self-esteem in kids and encouraging positive parental participation are my goals. Having people “like” my page would help spread the word that having a positive self-image is the single best long-term defense against bullying. Kids who have high self-esteem rarely become bullies or the victims of bullies. Last May, I announced the Show-Me-How Library Project and invited people to comment on my blog, nominating local libraries to receive a free copy of this award-winning resource. In June, 20 libraries across the country got the book. During the month of September, we are again asking for nominations…this time for the Show-Me-How School Initiative. In the beginning of October (Bully Prevention Month), we will award a dozen copies of the book to schools and other child-care facilities.
This is FANTASTIC Vivian and thanks for sharing it with us. I work with Charleston’s Center for Women and through a year of surveying what other programs/issues professional women have, the overwhelming majority are citing confidence/self esteem issues… If we addressed this more with children it wouldn’t fester into adulthood. Our WWW web designer, Kendra Haskins, has also championed a local foundation to mentor young women, helping them get into and succeed in college, etc. This work with our young people is so very critical and I sincerely applaud your efforts and will encourage others to do the same! Shari
Thank you so much, Shari. I really need to pay attention to certain blogs…and Where Writers Win is definitely one of those. Trying to do all levels of writing, publishing, marketing and promoting your own books can be EXHAUSTING. 🙂 And I know there is so much more I could/should be doing…or maybe just doing it more efficiently to spread the word that building self-esteem and helping kids gain confidence in themselves is the answer to MANY issues that create problems in our world…bullying, drugs, school dropout, low literacy, teenage pregnancy. Will helping kids gain confidence in themselves fix ALL of these problems for everyone? Perhaps not…but it sure would help in a BIG way! I’ll be doing a presentation on bullying using Skype (first time for this for me) in October…which is National Bully Prevention Month…so I am trying. 🙂