. . . Facebook goes and changes everything. I’ve heard that a new “Timeline” will be rolled out soon, meaning that once again, just as I start to get comfortable with a computer app, it changes. I don’t know much about Timeline yet, other than it puts a bunch of your stats and a humongous photo on your wall. But isn’t it this way with the Internet in general?
Writing Tip for Today: The class I teach in the Spring term about building platform has to be fluid and change with the times. That’s because what’s standard today is passe tomorrow. So many writers are flocking to social networking and writing blogs. Others say blogs, tweeting and so forth is so yesterday. Will these new bloggers and posters and tweeters be disappointed in their results? Here’s why you should do this stuff even if the world is running toward the next big thing:
- They Must Know About Your Book to Buy It. Writers use social media and blogs as a way to reach readers they might never otherwise reach. It’s all about the numbers. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, blogs and so on are not constrained by physical boundaries. As long as you work on gaining followers, you’re reaching more potential readers. They can’t buy a book they don’t know about.
- It’s (Still) Free. Aside from your time (which I know is valuable), this stuff is still largely free. Sure you can pay for ads or other strategies, but social media is a great bargain for your marketing dollar.
- Know Thy Niche. Utilizing social media forces a writer to define their brand, their product and most importantly, their readers. The better you pinpoint this audience the better decisions you can make in promoting your work. This is one of the hardest things for some writers. It requires you to know yourself, what you love, what you write and what your readers love. It’s a worthy pursuit.
Yes, I’m doing the whole social media thing (except not yet Twitter), but I’m also trying to plan for “Standing in Front of my Target Audience.” I hope to reach kids through schools and community centers–a lot of work, but that’s my audience!
Cheryl, you’re doing it right! We all must be very teachable, sp we can change as the readers change. ~Linda Clare