Imagine a club where everyone is waiting for your arrival and as soon as you announce something, the whole crowd gathers around you.
Now imagine you standing with a microphone and announcing regularly but nobody is noticing you or your announcements.
So, where do you want to lend with your books and blog posts, a party where people are looking forward to your posts or a place where nobody knows you.
Writers need marketing channels. A writer’s job doesn’t end in writing and publishing a good piece of writing, she needs to market that piece too.
Facebook is a place where you can expect the first kind of reaction for your content. What we see on our Facebook timelines solely depends on how we interact with the posts and pages. And it is very much possible that you find your ideal audience who cheers at you and love the content you create.
But as they say, the road to heaven is paved through hell. Getting people to like your content, in fact getting people to find you on Facebook is not easy.
But it is not impossible.
Here is what you need to do establish your presence with your Facebook page as a writer.
- Use the real estate on your Facebook page wisely.
Look at the image below. The places marked with numbers are the key areas you can use to create your personal brand on Facebook. Use the display picture to show the real you instead of your logo or book. Likewise, use the cover image to deliver the key message you want to convey. These two steps help you to establish a connection with your audience.
- Show your human side.
Not every post on your Facebook should be about your book or writing. You can share anything on the page as long as it’s sensible.
(Pro tip: share a meme about writers’ problem as soon as you finish reading this post. Trust me, the number of people who relate to it)
- Be consistent
Most writers abandon their pages when they do not get the desired engagement. But it is a wrong step. New pages need time to create momentum. The key here is to post regularly so that Facebook pushes the page in front of more and more people.
- Use images
People relate more to visual content. Instead of writing a post, create a graphic on Canva using the gist of the same post. You will be shocked by the difference in the response.
- Invite people to like the page
Although Facebook will prompt you to boost your page, it is not necessary. Instead, invite the people on your friend list first. You can also share the page on your timeline and ask people to like it. Another way to invite people to like your page is to include in your blog posts and email signatures.
- Keep an eye to the analytics
One thing I love about Facebook pages is that it lets you study the audience you have. Once your page is few months old (or at least 30 days old), check your analytics to know who your followers are.
- Always respond to direct messages
Most of the writers consider the page inbox as a nuisance but this feature also helps to build trust among your readers. Also, Facebook favours when you do not take much time to reply to messages.
- Share your journey
One thing people on Facebook love are to know a person’s journey. Along with posts about your book or blog, share the struggles and joys of being a writer.
- Respond to questions/comments
One essential rule you must follow as a brand new Facebook page owner is to respond to comments. It helps you to build a connection with your readers. Even a like on the comment helps to build organic engagement. Organic engagement helps to grow a Facebook page in a steady manner.
- Go live
I know, I know, you hate being in front of the camera. But think how your readers would love to ask questions directly to you and get answers live about your books or blog. Facebook also favours pages that go live regularly.
Now open that new page and apply these tips. Let the world see you and your work.
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