optimal use of social media for authors & publishers

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Examine the nascent importance of using social media networking to publicize your books. Publishers don't make the effort; authors must. This includes maintaining/updating info on blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Readers crave communication from authors and it's essential to frequently update postings.

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Optimal Use of Social Media for Authors & Publishers:

Optimal Use of Social Media for Authors & Publishers Thad McIlroy The Future of Publishing Presented to Book Camp BC October 16, 2009

My Background:

My Background 8 years in bookselling & publishing in Canada; 15 in the U.S. 22 years studying the intersection of technology and print publishing, working with publishers, printers & vendors 5 years with Seybold Seminars

More Recent Background:

More Recent Background 10 years studying the impact of the Internet on graphic communications Major focus now: The future of publishing The impact of the Internet on W&P Publishing automation Writing for PrintAction , Learned Publishing, and my own dear TheFutureOfPublishing.com

Outline:

Outline Q: What do you mean by “social media? Q: What do I mean by “social media.” Q: What is the optimal use of social media for publishers? Q: What is the optimal use of social media for authors? Q: What distinctions are important between the two?

Facebook & Twitter:

Facebook & Twitter My metaphor is (ignoring CPMs), advertising in the New Yorker vs. a local or topic-focused literary journal Work from the inside out, not from the outside in

Publishers & Social Media:

Publishers & Social Media Publishers are not good brands; authors are the brand Do you buy music because Warner Bros. published it? Do you go to a film because it’s from SONY?’ No publisher made it to the Global 100 brand list

Your Publisher’s Responsibility:

Your Publisher’s Responsibility One VERY bad page with a photo, a badly-written bio, a list of your titles, only those that they have published, and no outside link to YOUR site Sorry, that’s the best they can really do In fact, if they try to do more they’re probably creating a distraction

Your Responsibility:

Your Responsibility An incredibly fabulous and engaging web site, appropriate to your content, persona, style, what have you OK, that’s not easy to do and it will almost certainly cost you more than you want to pay, and the costs will be ongoing The ROI calculation is essential

The Key Ingredients (Abstract):

The Key Ingredients (Abstract) Personality Breadth & Richness Engagement & Interactivity Exclusivity Connectivity

Personality:

Personality Without question the toughest to define: what is your personality as a writer, how does that differ from your personality as a human being, and, most importantly: How do you take something as abstract as personality and encode it on the web?

Breadth & Richness:

Breadth & Richness Rich and broad and immersive experiences are inherent in the web To leave these out is to reveal your site as a “wanna be” Unfortunately much of the cost lies here

Engagement & Interactivity:

Elusive and potentially expensive (although not for the creative) Interactivity encourages engagement, but what truly constitutes ENGAGEMENT? Are they engaging with you or your site? Engagement & Interactivity

Exclusivity:

Exclusivity Your community wants to feel that as part of the commitment they’re making to you (via your site), you’re offering something back to them that only their fellow followers can partake of Exclusive new content, as yet unavailable from ANY other source Work previously unpublished

Connectivity:

Connectivity This is only a problem if you’re Stephanie Myers’ and her cadre For most authors, to be able to make one-to-one connections could/should be a delight This is the web experience: crossing physical boundaries and making virtual connections that feel like the real thing.

An Example (shortened):

An Example (shortened) We’ve undertaken an ambitious social-media program…We have a video trailer, a widget, a Facebook fan page, a blog, a Twitter feed, a highly produced 35-minute presentation…Ayatra has built our website… ̶ Bob Garfield, author of the book "The Chaos Scenario."

Part 2:

Part 2 “But there is no quid pro quo. Nobody has to buy anything. The whole program ̶̶ 30 days of discussion materials, the video, etc. ̶ it’s all free. Obviously, we’re betting that lots and lots of the people who participate will wish, of their own volition, to own the book. At attractive bulk rates, I might add. Plus a free index and easy-to-grip cover…”

Conclusions:

Conclusions

Remember: Objects in Mirrors Are Closer Than They Appear!:

Remember: Objects in Mirrors Are Closer Than They Appear! — Wendy McCully

Thank you thad@theFutureofPublishing.com:

Thank you thad@theFutureofPublishing.com