Last week, we had a look at how valuable Twitter can be for
authors, even for big names like JK Rowling and Ian Rankin. But what about the other
social media giant, Facebook? How useful is having a Facebook page to a writer
or publisher? And how can Facebook be of help to authors through other means?
We at Sunpenny have a Facebook page where we share our blog
posts, promote our books and post other items from our authors. We have a good
reach and our posts are shared on several other pages too. In fact, Facebook is
used by businesses all over the world as the 'human' side of their companies.
It's somewhere customers can get in touch with the company's personnel promptly
and directly. Being a business as well, this is what Sunpenny as a publisher
does too. However, what about authors? Is Facebook different from Twitter in
its purpose and reach?
Perhaps it's worth mentioning that on Twitter, there are no limitations
as to who can follow an author or re-tweet their messages. In principle, one
author's tweet could read thousands of people who have never heard of him or
her before. The potential to reach new audiences is therefore great although
much of it is down to chance.
On Facebook, however,
authors' followers are nearly always people who know and enjoy their
work or at the very least, have heard of the authors and know what they do -
much like the customers of a business. It is a place where readers can keep up
with an author's latest news and express their appreciation. In that sense, it
is much more focused than Twitter and what in theory can happen is that a
reader might discover an author on Twitter, become a fan and then follow them
on Facebook.
Does this mean that Facebook is not a place for authors to
find new readers, though? No, it doesn't. Facebook has many other opportunities for authors in the form
of 'group pages'. There are Facebook groups for readers and writers of several
genres and this can be a valuable way of reaching new audiences. There are
groups for crime fiction, groups for location fiction, groups for Christian
fiction and groups for romantic fiction. There also groups for non-fiction,
especially for memoir writers. Several of our authors belong to such groups and
have found they can become known in this way too. That said, there are also groups
for writers themselves. It's worth mentioning that writers are great readers
and if they like another author's books, they will often be generous in buying,
reading and reviewing.
Nevertheless, the key to all social media is not in the
numbers of followers, likes and friends per se. It is in the personal touch.
Social media is not a replacement for face-to-face contact, but if the author
presents him or herself as approachable, friendly, communicative and
supportive, both Twitter and Facebook can be a very worthwhile means of interacting with readers and
followers when personal contact isn't possible.