Book Marketing on MySpace

We have all heard that online social networking is a great way to get a book noticed. We’ve also heard negative things in the media about MySpace as one of the premiere social networking sites.

I have actively marketed my novels on MySpace since February 2006. I am here to vouch that I have had nothing but a positive experience (despite some occasional spam). MySpace can be a fantastic way to get attention for your book, to network with other writers, and to make friends in the book world and among readers.

If you haven’t tried out MySpace yet, it is extremely user-friendly. By following my suggestions below, you can have a rewarding book marketing experience.

Build and Effective MySpace Profile

  1. PROFILE  SETUP - On your profile, link to your website. Write a description of yourself and synopses of your books. The profile is an intimate way to know an author beyond the capabilities of a regular website or listserv, and it provides viewers an interactive experience to write or post comments to the author. MySpace is a great place to promote your author image.
  2. PROFILE PHOTO - Make your profile picture your book cover. If you have more than one book, rotate your book covers periodically.
  3. PHOTOS – People want to know what the author looks like, so in your “pics” have some pictures of yourself as well. In your various photo albums, have different albums devoted to different subjects relevant to your books, your writing, your life as an author. Also, MySpace has the option to flash or play your photos in a slideshow on your profile page. Don’t miss this opportunity. I like to have my book covers alternately flash for everyone to see.
  4. ADD EVERYONE – When you get friend requests, don’t turn anyone down (except the occasional spam girls who hit on you—MySpace will delete them right away). More friends, more exposure. I recently added friend # 1,000 and I’m sure I have thousands more to come. Many of my friends will list me as a top friend, which increases my visibility and my book covers’ exposure.
  5. COMMENTS - Leave comments on all friends’ pages when you add them. That way, your book cover (your profile picture) appears on their page and people can click to your page. More than 8,000 people have viewed my page, primarily from clicking on comments I left on other people’s pages, and the number who have seen my book covers on friends’ pages has to be in the hundreds of thousands by now. You don’t need fancy comments—something as simple as “Have a Nice Day” or “Thanks for the Add” will do, or a personal comment if you choose to leave one. In addition, copy and paste your URL to your website below each comment you make. You will be amazed how many people click through to your website. My website traffic nearly doubled once I started adding my website to each of my MySpace comments.
  6. BLOGS and BULLETINS - Post blogs frequently. People will read your blog when they view your page. Encourage people to subscribe to your blog as well. Whenever you add a friend, send them a message requesting they subscribe to your blog. You can also post your blog as a bulletin that goes to all of your friends. There are plenty of topics for an author to blog about. My blogs include quotes from my novels, reviews of books I’ve enjoyed reading, announcements of author events, updates on topics included in my novels, humorous lists of reasons to buy my books. Whatever you think might remotely stir interest in your book is worth becoming a blog.
  7. EVENTS - Make an event posting for every appearance, book publication date, book signing, speaking event. All your friends will be notified of your event. MySpace also includes a calendar option where you can list the place, date, and time of each book signing, speaking engagement, or other public appearance you are going to make.
  8. GROUPS - Over 5,000 book groups are on MySpace. Join and participate in the ones most relevant to your book. Every comment you leave makes people see your book cover and they may go to your profile, then website. My favorite group is the self-publishing group where I can talk to other authors. However, many book club groups also exist. Join the clubs where people are reading books similar to your book. You don’t need to plug your book, but do join in the discussions about the books there. Everyone will know you’re an author because with every comment you leave, your book cover will appear. Some of the book club members are bound to click on your icon to view your MySpace page.

MySpace Results

  1. BOOKSALES – MySpace has not resulted in huge sales for me that I know about directly, but I don’t know how many people saw me on MySpace and then bought my books at Amazon or in stores. At least a couple dozen MySpace members have directly told me they have bought my books. Book sales are what authors most want, but my book would not have been visible to millions of people if not for MySpace.
  2. NETWORKING - Perhaps MySpace’s greatest advantage
    • Several hundred self-published and traditionally published authors have added me as a friend—some famous like Kurt Vonnegut (R.I.P). Many have traded books with me.
    • I have befriended some of the MySpace book reviewers who have reviewed my book and the reviews have been read by their thousands of friends and blog subscribers. One reviewer said she would be my “fan for life.” What more can an author want?
    • Reader Views is a member. They list, among other things, their book video trailers, a great new way for authors to market books and which has made me rethink how to present my novels to the public. Many other authors, publishers, and book promoters’ profiles will help you come up with your own marketing ideas.
    • I added Authorsbookshop.com, an independent bookstore—they now carry my books and displayed them at Book Expo America.
    • The World of Myth ezine approached me for an author interview, then agreed to publish two of my short stories in different issues.
    • If you offer other services beyond writing, such as editing, you can also promote these services on MySpace to other authors. It’s a great way to get potential clients.
    • Movie star, Casper Van Dien and I had an email conversation about the Tarzan novels. You don’t know who might talk to you on MySpace. Now if only Oprah would talk to me….
    • MySpace is an enjoyable marketing experience. Thousands of authors, publishers, reviewers, editors and especially readers are members. You may get a good idea of who your potential readers are by who sends you a friend request.

Many other social networking sites are out there. Among the ones I’ve tried are LinkedIn, Facebook, Shelfari, Library Thing, and Authors Den, but I find MySpace the most fun and entertaining as well as the best-organized. It is the only one I actively log into and I highly recommend it.

MySpace is free, easy and fun. Sign up now! Then visit www.MySpace.com/tylertichelaar. I’ll be happy to add you as a friend.

Contributor

Tyler TichelaarTyler R. Tichelaar is editor and contributing author of Authors Access: 30 Secrets for Authors and Publishers, the regionally bestselling Marquette Trilogy and the newly published Narrow Lives. He is the Associate Editor of Reader Views, he has interviewed over 150 authors, written more than 60 book reviews, and edited and evaluated manuscripts for publication

 

 

 

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Article excerpt from: Authors Access: 30 Success Secrets for Authors and Publishers