I’ve spoken to quite a few authors with regards to their marketing strategy and they’ve asked me whether they should have a Facebook page. They’ve also asked about different types of Facebook pages and whether it’s worth having one for a book. Now a lot of people will give you different advice on the subject, after all we are human. So today I’m going to give you my advice.

Should I have a Facebook page?

If you’re serious about your writing career then the simple answer is yes. If you would like a more complicated answer, then here’s why…

Facebook is great for:

• Connecting with your readers – this sounds pretty basic but your reader want to know what you’re doing
• Advertising your book
• Marketing your book
• Showing your fans what you’re up to
• Showing your fans the behind the scenes of you as an author
• Supplying your fans with inside tips and tricks
• Establishing yourself as an acclaimed author and an expert

Facebook is an invaluable tool for any author whether they’re starting out in their career or already established. It’s a place to join forums and connect with other writers, receive support and motivation, keep themselves on track and share their life. It’s also fantastic for showcasing yourself and who you are. We’re all unique and readers often love discovering the personality behind the books they love.

Should I create a Facebook page for my novel?

My general consensus for this is a no. As much as some authors don’t feel comfortable being in the limelight themselves, or don’t feel comfortable being more personal with strangers, I feel that creating a Facebook page for a book is a wrong turn:

• It’s a bit impersonal
• How much information/statuses will you be able to post?
• Are you going to be writing posts as yourself (the author), as the book, or as the characters?
• You’ll be limited to one book (or series) for the page without drastically changing your identity, so any new books/series you produce won’t necessarily be featured as the main content
• Can you share blog posts?
• You immediately narrow your field to only the people who have read that book.
• There’s less of a personality
• Will you add any additional value to the individuals that have read the book?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying don’t do it but these are the sort of things you need to be considering. And if you have a loveable children’s book, then maybe a page for the book is a better idea. It’s entirely your own decision.

How do I use my Facebook page? 

Let’s say you’re using Facebook as an author (and not a book) just to simplify matters. What sort of things are you really going to be posting? Here are a few ideas:

• Things/facts about you
• What you’re up to
• Research you’re doing for your next book
• Hobbies you have
• Local news
• Relevant news
• Pictures relating to you and your writing
• Inspirational quotes
• Inspirational people
• Sharing your blog posts
• Sharing other people’s blog posts
• Helpful/informative/relevant articles

That’s quite a lot of content there already. My strategy tends to look a little like this:

• Several times a week I post a writing related image or meme
• Several times a week I post a status – this ranges from quotes to questions to facts
• Almost every day I post from my Instagram account with what I’m currently up to, have been doing, books I’m reading
• Several times a week and almost daily, I post relevant and topical articles that have caught my eye
• I always try and include something funny every week

This isn’t necessarily set in stone, in fact I like to keep it a little loose. That way I can catch different people at different times of the day with different types of content and avoid boring individual people. Considering the number of ‘hide content’s that I’ve received, I’d say this is a successful method.

Using a Facebook page is a sure-fire way of boosting your readership. It helps to create an awareness of who you are but more importantly, it helps you identify yourself as an author and think about the outward online presence you have. But don’t take it too seriously, have a little fun with it…