Your book or manuscript can be your most valuable source of Social Media content.
Social Media Post from Chris Maxwell’s “Pause with Jesus”
Your book or manuscript represents your message, idea or story in its best, most thought-through, most polished form. And because it was created to be “a book,” your potential audience (those who haven’t yet bought and read your book) have never seen the best of your best.
Your Social Media accounts are doorways to a wider audience. Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media platforms give authors access to an audience wider (much wider) than they can reach via their blog (if they have one) mailing list (if they have one) or live audience.
You should be asking, “How do I optimize Social Media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to reach a wider audience with my message?”
The first and most obvious thing to remember is that Social Media is social; it’s not a digital billboard for authors to bludgeon their audience with continual “BUY MY BOOK” messages.
Social Media is a community. We share news, our ideas, and our stories with others who may be interested in listening. The fact that someone else has chosen to friend, fan or follow you on Social Media is a sign that they’re open to hear what you have to say. Don’t beat them up with advertisements disguised as an image of your book cover and “Buy my book here” link.
You’ve written, or are writing, a book because you have something important to share with the world. That message, that story, is what you should be sharing with those willing to listen via Social Media. Share your message, share your story with others, right now, a bit at a time via Facebook and Twitter.
Pull-out from Stephanie N. Hall’s “Live Your Story”
When we edit a book we look for little gems within the text that reflect the essence of the author’s message.
We call these gems “pull-outs” as we use them in the pages of the book, offset from the main text, as a feature to enhance the reader’s experience.
As an author, your book or manuscript is where your best work lies. Use it, a small gem at a time to engage your Social Media audience. The reason your friends, fans and followers “friend,” “fan,” and “follow” you is that they’re interested in you and your message, give that to them, that’s what they showed up for.
And please, please, please don’t worry that if you give the best bits of your message away they won’t buy the book, that’s not going to happen. In fact, the opposite is true. When authors give the best bits of their message away, they create fans who want more, and book sales go up.
Mine your book or manuscript for the finest gems it holds, and then share them for free via Social Media.
Your audience wants your best and will show their appreciation by buying your book for “the rest of the story.”
P.S. See the example Social Media post above from Chris Maxwell’s Pause with Jesus? Learn how I increased my Facebook views 6,000 percent by using images with my posts (click here).