Comments on: What do you think of Facebook as a marketing tool for self-published books? http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:59:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: cora seaman http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-24875 cora seaman Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:34:37 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-24875 I, too, am a self-published (4) author. I have used Infinity, which i consider to be one of the best. i am also a teacher in the local colleges on the subjects of Writing, Publishing, and marketing. I have not tried My-Space, etc, but will consider it in the future. I question, with one of the others, if it will really sell books. I don't think the 'book buying' public is into that type of marketing yet - maybe in 4 or 5 years. For the self-published author - nothing being in the public's eye. I sell at every flea market, craft show, book fair, that I can get into. I am also a public speaker, so I speak at every venue that will invite me. AND, I might add, I have done very well. On the other hand my s/p friends who rely on amazon.com are sitting on their books whining about no one buys books anymore. In the words of Dan Poynter: Now go write something. CAS I, too, am a self-published (4) author. I have used Infinity, which i consider to be one of the best. i am also a teacher in the local colleges on the subjects of Writing, Publishing, and marketing. I have not tried My-Space, etc, but will consider it in the future. I question, with one of the others, if it will really sell books. I don’t think the ‘book buying’ public is into that type of marketing yet – maybe in 4 or 5 years.

For the self-published author – nothing being in the public’s eye. I sell at every flea market, craft show, book fair, that I can get into. I am also a public speaker, so I speak at every venue that will invite me. AND, I might add, I have done very well. On the other hand my s/p friends who rely on amazon.com are sitting on their books whining about no one buys books anymore. In the words of Dan Poynter: Now go write something. CAS

]]> By: K.S.R. Kingworth.com http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-24390 K.S.R. Kingworth.com Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:32:48 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-24390 Great article on Facebook, Ron. I just invited you to be one of my friends. I'd like to add that Facebook is somewhat cluttered and not as clean to work with as goodreads.com--but then maybe that says something about me! Easily confused :) To compare, I'd like to invite you to take a look at what a profile page looks like on goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/424383 Time magazine just ranked Goodreads.com #5 out of the top ten websites for 2007. It might be worth taking a look at it! And thanks to the person who mentioned mybloglog. I'm going to take a look at it! Great article on Facebook, Ron. I just invited you to be one of my friends. I’d like to add that Facebook is somewhat cluttered and not as clean to work with as goodreads.com–but then maybe that says something about me! Easily confused :) To compare, I’d like to invite you to take a look at what a profile page looks like on goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/424383

Time magazine just ranked Goodreads.com #5 out of the top ten websites for 2007. It might be worth taking a look at it! And thanks to the person who mentioned mybloglog. I’m going to take a look at it!

]]> By: C. M. Wilson http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-24232 C. M. Wilson Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:45:00 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-24232 What I've heard about Facebook is that they not only track your online activities, especially shopping, but they tell your facebook friends what you've bought and what you paid for it. One man's surprise, a diamond ring for his wife, was spoiled when facebook informed her of the purchase. Such a flap ensued that I believe they have stopped the practice, or at least you have to give your permission for facebook to share this kind of information. The story was on 60 minutes recently. You can watch it here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/10/60minutes/main3697442.shtml What I’ve heard about Facebook is that they not only track your online activities, especially shopping, but they tell your facebook friends what you’ve bought and what you paid for it. One man’s surprise, a diamond ring for his wife, was spoiled when facebook informed her of the purchase.
Such a flap ensued that I believe they have stopped the practice, or at least you have to give your permission for facebook to share this kind of information.
The story was on 60 minutes recently. You can watch it here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/10/60minutes/main3697442.shtml

]]> By: John Meade http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-24207 John Meade Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:46:21 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-24207 Ron I published with Virtual Bookworm. I would be interested in your opinion or your readers' opinion on this book printer. Ron
I published with Virtual Bookworm. I would be interested in your opinion or your readers’ opinion on this book printer.

]]> By: Sean McManus http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-23414 Sean McManus Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:34:31 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-23414 I'm not convinced that Facebook is a good way to reach strangers, although I don't participate in groups much at the moment. If I did, that might change. It is a good way to keep friends, family and other contacts updated on the progress of your book, though. When you post items on Facebook, they show up in your friends' pages when they log on. Two tips: Lulu has a storefront widget for Facebook which will display your book cover and link through for sales. Also, you can import your blog so that your Facebook page becomes self-updating. I've added you as a friend, Ron. I’m not convinced that Facebook is a good way to reach strangers, although I don’t participate in groups much at the moment. If I did, that might change. It is a good way to keep friends, family and other contacts updated on the progress of your book, though. When you post items on Facebook, they show up in your friends’ pages when they log on.

Two tips: Lulu has a storefront widget for Facebook which will display your book cover and link through for sales. Also, you can import your blog so that your Facebook page becomes self-updating.

I’ve added you as a friend, Ron.

]]> By: J Richard Watkins http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-22509 J Richard Watkins Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:48:54 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-22509 RON, MY BOOK IS A MILITARY MEMOIR TITLED VIETNAM NO REGRETS "One Soldier's Tour of Duty" how do I get my book listed on as many Military sites as possible? Any help? J Richard Watkins RON, MY BOOK IS A MILITARY MEMOIR TITLED

VIETNAM NO REGRETS “One Soldier’s Tour of Duty” how do I get my book listed on as many Military sites as possible?
Any help?

J Richard Watkins

]]> By: J Richard Watkins http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-22508 J Richard Watkins Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:48:40 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-22508 RON, MY BOOK IS A MILITARY MEMOIR TITLED VIETNAM NO REGRETS "One Soldier's Tour of Duty" how do I get my book listed on as many Military sites as possible? Any help? J Richard Watkins RON, MY BOOK IS A MILITARY MEMOIR TITLED

VIETNAM NO REGRETS “One Soldier’s Tour of Duty” how do I get my book listed on as many Military sites as possible?
Any help?

J Richard Watkins

]]> By: Adrienne Zurub http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-22491 Adrienne Zurub Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:44:52 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-22491 Facebook, got it. Myspace, have it. But, I think the best social network for exposure, and networking (of course along with the aforementioned) is MyBlogLog.com! That site has networkers, business types, BOOK READERS, and a more \'seasoned\' demographic. The resources once you join and the people you network with are incredible! Plus, the informative links are exceptional for me. I have learned more about marketing, promoting and improving my blogging skills through the expertise of the members there. Adrienne Zurub Author, \'Notes From the Mothership The Naked Invisibles\'   Facebook, got it. Myspace, have it. But, I think the best social network for exposure, and networking (of course along with the aforementioned) is MyBlogLog.com!

That site has networkers, business types, BOOK READERS, and a more \’seasoned\’ demographic.
The resources once you join and the people you network with are incredible!
Plus, the informative links are exceptional for me. I have learned more about marketing, promoting and improving my blogging skills through the expertise of the members there.

Adrienne Zurub
Author,
\’Notes From the Mothership The Naked Invisibles\’
 

]]> By: Niki Raapana http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-22475 Niki Raapana Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:11:36 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-22475 Ron, You're so right about this. Besides FaceBook and MySpace, there are also new online social networks forming for specific interest groups. I've recently joined a new site called leftrightunite.com started by Patrick Wood and his son Josh. I'm a very serious researcher and my online experience has never included any of the social aspects, but as soon as I was invited to lru I was intrigued by it. After one month I can see it's not only a way to meet others like myself but it has other possibilities, since other members have begun advertising my book on their blogs lately! (My daughter calls it a "MySpace for old people.") Nordica and I formed a self-publishing book company in 2005. Our political research website (the ACL) has had close to a million visitors since 2003. Many visitors emailed us and asked for a condensed hardcopy version of the massive amount of free information at our site. I was amazed that people wanted to buy a hardcopy rather than wade through our site for free. "2020" has a small but growing audience and we've decided to start taking it a lot more seriously. We've been using a "local" Anchorage printer who's given us nothing but grief, and I found your company website while searching other priniting options. We're buying our ISBNs this week and will be submitting 2020 to your printers asap. We like the layout of your business site, we appreciate your committment to teaching newcomers about the industry, but most of all we like your attitude toward internet business and networking. As Alaskans who live 200 miles from the nearest city, we already do most of our business online. Looking forward to doing business with you! Niki Raapana Anti-Communitarian League Ron,

You’re so right about this. Besides FaceBook and MySpace, there are also new online social networks forming for specific interest groups. I’ve recently joined a new site called leftrightunite.com started by Patrick Wood and his son Josh. I’m a very serious researcher and my online experience has never included any of the social aspects, but as soon as I was invited to lru I was intrigued by it. After one month I can see it’s not only a way to meet others like myself but it has other possibilities, since other members have begun advertising my book on their blogs lately! (My daughter calls it a “MySpace for old people.”)

Nordica and I formed a self-publishing book company in 2005. Our political research website (the ACL) has had close to a million visitors since 2003. Many visitors emailed us and asked for a condensed hardcopy version of the massive amount of free information at our site. I was amazed that people wanted to buy a hardcopy rather than wade through our site for free.

“2020″ has a small but growing audience and we’ve decided to start taking it a lot more seriously. We’ve been using a “local” Anchorage printer who’s given us nothing but grief, and I found your company website while searching other priniting options. We’re buying our ISBNs this week and will be submitting 2020 to your printers asap. We like the layout of your business site, we appreciate your committment to teaching newcomers about the industry, but most of all we like your attitude toward internet business and networking. As Alaskans who live 200 miles from the nearest city, we already do most of our business online.

Looking forward to doing business with you!
Niki Raapana
Anti-Communitarian League

]]> By: JONI CAMPO http://www.publishingbasics.com/2007/12/05/what-do-you-think-of-facebook-as-a-marketing-tool-for-self-published-books/comment-page-1/#comment-22453 JONI CAMPO Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:05:00 +0000 http://blog.selfpublishing.com/?p=230#comment-22453 RON, THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT IDEA AND IF WE DON'T SOW, HOW CAN WE EXPECT TO REAP? THANKS FOR THE INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION. JONI CAMPO, AUTHOR, "PULPIT IN MY KITCHEN" A BOOK FOR WIVES, MOTHERS, AND GRANDMOTHERS. WWW.PULPITINMYKITCHEN.COM RON,
THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT IDEA AND IF WE DON’T SOW, HOW CAN WE EXPECT TO REAP? THANKS FOR THE INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.

JONI CAMPO, AUTHOR, “PULPIT IN MY KITCHEN” A BOOK FOR WIVES, MOTHERS, AND GRANDMOTHERS.
http://WWW.PULPITINMYKITCHEN.COM

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