Social Media Just for Writers: How to Build Your Online Platform and Find and Engage with Your Readers

by Frances Caballo

You wrote your book and sold copies to family members, friends, and colleagues in the writing world. But you have goals that extend beyond a few dozen copies sold. Right? You want your book to soar and reach thousands, if not millions, of readers.

But how do you achieve your dream of selling books around the world?

With social media, you can build your platform and reach readers in locales you never imaged possible before. In this book, you’ll learn how

•Create a Facebook fan page and actively engage with your readers.
•Optimize your LinkedIn profile.
•Tackle Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat.
•Build and optimize Pinterest pinboards for SEO to maximize exposure of your books and blog.
•Improve your blogging.
•Excel on Twitter.
•Create images for your blog and social media posts.

“Social Media Just for Writers provides a gold mine of marketing nuggets specifically for writers considering using social media to promote their books – and every writer SHOULD use social media to promote their books. I found several tips and tricks that I didn’t know about that I’ll be using myself. Frances knows her stuff.” – Scott Brown, author, Social Gaining Competitive and Business Advantage Using Social Media Tools

“If you take this book, and go through it step by step, you will be a social media marketing pro in no time! That is exactly what I am doing! Don’t be overwhelmed by this crucial aspect of your marketing plan. Social media is here to stay, and Frances Caballo’s Social Media Just for Writers should be your companion at the computer.” – Arlene Miller, author, Best Little Grammar Book Ever! and The Best Grammar Workbook Ever!

Genres: Business, Writing, Nonfiction, Social Media

231 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 19, 2017

About the author

Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers.

She’s written several social media books including The Author’s Guide to Goodreads, Social Media Just for Writers, and Social Media in 30 Minutes a Day. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, finding new readers, and selling more books. Her clients include authors of every genre and writers’ conferences.

Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course at http://www.SocialMediaJustforWriters.com

Reviews

[Lynda Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this informative guide, the author provides a comprehensive overview of the social media platforms every new and established writer should join: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Goodreads. She also covers the topic of blogging.

The key takeaways: balance information with entertainment; know the audience of each social media platform; market yourself appropriately on each platform; think about branding; engage with other users.

Things I learned: how to access Twitter analytics; Pablo by Buffer; how to access Pinterest analytics; use ALT text when adding images to your blog or website; Goodreads tools; adding your local library link to Goodreads to find books; Goodreads deals (US only); the Advanced Marketing Institute’s test for analyzing blog headlines; end your blog posts with a question to elicit feedback. You're bound to learn something you didn't know, too!

At the beginning of the book, the author states: "This book will explore and explain strategies for maximizing your online sales efforts. As a bonus, in the last chapter you will find tips for offline promotion too." While the first part is certainly true, unfortunately, I couldn't find the tips for offline promotion.

There is a handy Resources section at the end of the book, including information on how to create passwords, image dimensions for the different platforms, social media post ideas, and Twitter etiquette.

Keep up to date with these ever-changing social media platforms by visiting the author's website. While you're there, you can even sign up for the author's free email social media course and receive a bonus ebook.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post (23 May): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...

[Philip Athans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, concise, actionable advice on a subject that can be tricky and even intimidating for authors. Highly recommended for anyone new to social media as a means to do more than keep in touch with friends and family.

[Christine Grabowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved love loved this book! Probably partially because I read it at the perfect time in my writing journey. (Time to get my social media up to speed before my debut novel is released.) I was only about 3 chapters in and I already learned so much about Facebook of which I have been a user for 8-10 years. I think I highlighted 1/4 of the sentences in the book and now it will take me months to go through and implement everything I learned. Covered most every outlet useful for writers and then some. Who knew Pintrest could be a great place for fiction writers? But also, the book was written in an easy to follow format with lots of screen shots and simple instructions. The mantra of the book wasn't how to get the most followers, but how to use each social media outlet to connect with other people because that is what social media is meant to be.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Social Media Just for Writers is an informative read that will help both experienced writers and those new to book marketing. This book covers everything from the basics of setting up an account on different social media platforms to more detailed opportunities and recommendations. For me, a lot of the information was already familiar, but I did pick I a few useful tips that I will attempt to incorporate into my social media strategy. This book is certainly worth a look for writers looking for new ways to reach potential readers via social media.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley.

[Joy Kidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even as a senior citizen, I'm on several social media sites already. But this book gave me so many tips for better enjoying the ones I'm on, and makes me brave enough to try a couple more. The author cautions against using social media just to hype/sell your own things. She advocates using an 80/20 rule--80 percent of the time promoting others, 20 percent to your own, and to use it to enjoy connections with like-minded people. I'll get the hang of Twitter yet!

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main reasons many intellectuals and writing people I know refuse to use social media, despite understanding the advantages for their brand and books is its assumed 'time-wasting' features. Once you are in - on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram - they say, your time dedicated to research and writing is dramatically diminished and it is extremely unclear at what extent this activity will convert to book sales.
Social Media Just for Writers is a crush course in the main social media channels, from Facebook to LinkedIn and blogging or visual marketing. Besides the introduction to those channels, it offers useful advices about how to create an online brand as a writer, by being available, sharing your interests - not exclusively your book-related information - and answering the requests of your potential and current readers. A recommendation good not only for writers, anyway.
I particularly liked the way in which the advantages of different platforms are outlined, as for instance the case of Twitter, which is for years a good medium for writers and readers. Personally, I made a lot of friendships with writers via this microblogging tool, many of them I've met in real life too. Useful too is the list of hashtags to be used for those conversations aimed at bookish audiences.
On the other hand, it was completely new to me the appeal of LinkedIn for writers, particularly non-fiction authors. Especially if you are also doing consulting and editing work, you might have the opportunity of visibility among your peers and potential clients.
Another positive aspect of the book is the focus on the culture of images, promoted particularly via Pinterest, which doesn't have to be considered detrimental to the quality of the writing, but a smarter and interesting way to promote the writing word culture. I personally prize the good looking intelligent covers therefore Pinterest is worthy more than a mention. Frances Caballo has detailed suggestions in this regard for both fiction and non-fiction writers. The same goes for Instagram and Snapchat, although once Instagram introduced the live stories features, this medium is losing its relevance among many non-millenials users. The mention of Tumblr, also with a high visual dimension is equally relevant, as I see it as a perfect tool to reach YA readers, among others. I personally used to have also a Tumblr blog, but didn't update it for years, so maybe once in a while I should reconsider my decision.
The book is a very good read for the writer interested to reach new audiences and readers, and has the advantage of offering systematic information about different tools, targeted at a special niche and readership.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Ally Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read book for all writers and bloggers!

This book is such an excellent book to have in your writing toolbox!

I don’t write books, but I am a blogger and pretty much have just learned how to blog on the fly. I’ve always loved writing and I’m a millennial so I have the odd desire to constantly share and post EVERYTHING LOL!! I have really enjoyed blogging over the past couple years!! It started as a hobby and has turned into so much more!! I know there was still a lot that I was missing with my blogging and this book has helped fill in some of those holes. There is so much I learned from this book that I am so excited to start practicing and incorporating into my blogging. There is always room for learning and whether you are a writer or a blogger and have been for years, this book can still help you!

One thing I loved about this book is that it’s not just for novices – there is so much in this book that there’s something even for the more experienced writers and well, everyone in-between!

This book has a stronger focus on the Twitter and Facebook worlds. However, in addition, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tumblr, and Goodreads are addressed.

There is so much detail and step by step guides that make it so easy to follow. Which brings me to the second thing I loved about this book. There are photos in this book that show step by step instructions and examples of what you are working on building towards.

This book also teaches you how to measure and monitor your social media stats so you can interpret the data and work towards increasing your following.

This book will help you understand and utilize social media to your advantage!

Pretty much EVERYONE is on social media these days – so if you want to get your book noticed THIS book will help you get it out there!

I would absolutely recommend this book and this author as the book is very helpful and an important tool that will help you make the most out of your writings! This author has written some similar books that I will also definitely be checking out!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**

[Ryshia Kennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Social media plays a large role in promoting for today’s author. But are you using social media as efficiently as you could? Are you using the right sites? If you’re an author, unless you’re a social media guru, this book is for you. The most popular sites from Facebook to Snapchat, Goodreads, Twitter and more, are laid out, analyzed for their advantages and disadvantages – what works best and what might not work at all. The author reveals invaluable nuggets of information such as the 80/20 rule where twenty percent of contest posted should be about your books, the other eighty percent from other sources. Shorter is better and of course, then there’s the pictures. On social media, pictures rule! Referencing such terms as social karma, the author explains how your actions directly affect your sales and goes through the step by step process from setting up to wielding the sites like a pro. It is a clearly written manual that will help you connect with your readers easily and efficiently. Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing a book can feel like growing a baby and birthing it to the world, the publishing process, can be very emotional. Just as any proud new parent of this day and age, the author needs to share the good news via social media. One must also think of the new book as a product, a tangible thing, to be promoted. The way to reach readers and make sales is to let them know about you and your book.

Although social media is a constantly changing creation, this book gives a very solid foundation to get an author started. It shares the differences in various platforms and tips on how each is best used.
Even if you are currently using social media to reach your audience, you will find valuable information in this compilation.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a blogger and a former social media manager, I wasn't sure how much I stood to gain from this book. I was pleasantly surprised to take away several action items for my online platform.

Social Media Just for Writers gives an overview of the current social media landscape. I appreciated this, especially the tips on which sites/apps might be best for which writers/genres. I loved Chuck Sambuchino's Create Your Writer Platform -- also a create guide to social media for writers -- when I read it a few years ago, but I think it was written before some of the newer platforms (e.g. Snapchat) were introduced. Social Media Just for Writers goes into more detail on each platform while still offering a general overview.

This may also be a weakness, as some sections felt like they lacked enough detail for an effective how-to, yet went too deep to serve as a general guide. It's tough to cater to brand-new users while providing a high-level tutorial.

For complete social media newbies, this book offers several step-by-step tutorials. However, it would be impossible to cover everything in sufficient detail, so some topics are given a more glancing treatment. I was not, for example, able to find my Facebook fans' most popular times to be online using the information in this book.

A warning for those of you who consider this a dealbreaker: Occasional editing errors distracted from my reading experience. However, if you're completely lost when it comes to social media, you may want to look past that and give this book a read.

[Stan Skrabut · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a newly minted author, I have been looking for information to better promote my book. I realize that social media can be a powerful tool for doing this. It is with these thoughts in mind that I picked up Frances Caballo’s book, Social Media Just for Writers: How to Build Your Online Platform and Find and Engage with Your Readers . While I am familiar with how to use each of the tools and concepts that she shared, it was the specific ideas for their use that I found interesting. Read more

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see me coming back to this when (!) I have a book to promote. I'm perhaps just a little too early in the process to take too much from this guide now, although I can see that there is a ton of useful advice. I think a lot of the 'don't do this' elements are even more useful: over-promoting yourself, retweeting compliments, etc etc. Definitely liked that there was a section for each of the big social media platforms, so you could pick one to really focus on, or venture into something new with a guiding hand.

[Lori]

I will keep this book close as I plan my strategy for social media engagement. Caballo's easy to read and understand instructions for the different social media forums has given me the confidence and enthusiasm I need to take this next important step as an author.

[Terrence Michael Fanning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful on how other famous writers think and their particular nuances.

[Terrence Moylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Informative.