Is Facebook Marketing Dead?
As an author on Facebook it would be almost impossible not to notice the shifts that have been happening overtime with Facebook. From new rules about marketing and pen name use to changes in notification settings, it is getting harder to rely on Facebook as a way to market your books for free or at a low cost. So, the growing fear is that one of the easiest places to reach a large group of readers will no longer help them at all. Luckily, with some adjustments, you might still get Facebook to work with you for now.
1. Have a mentor for FB ads
Facebook ads can be an effective way to spread the word about a release party or a book sale, but it is useless if you do not know how to properly set up tags and targets for this platform. Just because you have had success marketing on other platforms or are a great author, does not mean you have all the knowledge in the world about using Facebook ads to your advantage. Luckily, a good portion of the author community is kind and helpful. Find someone who has used the ads frequently with success and ask them for some tips.
2. Slow down with sharing
Whether it is posting your links on a #sharingiscaring post or sharing a new release in groups, you have likely experienced some kind of warning or even punishment based on Facebook's algorithm for blocking spam. They key to this is simply to slow down. Instead of posting to 20 groups in a day, spread that out throughout the week. Instead of of doing your Sunday links all at one time, do only 2-3 every couple of hours.
3. Experiment with release dates
Have you noticed an ebb and flow in the number of people participating in release parties? Facebook release parties are one of the best ways to get the word out about your new book release, so attendance, and participation is key. There is no one day of the week, time of year, or time of day that works for everyone, but that does not mean you can;t find what is right for you. Unfortunately, much of it is found through trial and error, but with some great observational skills, you can quickly find out when might be the best time to have a release party. Some things I have noticed, for example, are:
Many of my readers are actually based in Australia, so I have to cater to their time zone and not mine.
Many readers are busy all summer with their children at home and family vacation. They are not reading or in Facebook all day.
Readers do not buy much once the week before Christmas hits, up until the last week of January. their budgets are drained.
the typical release date is Tuesday, but that does not seem to work for my genre, so i release on Thursday or Friday instead for a bigger turn out.
4. Ask for help the right way
In order to get, you have to give a little. If you need invites and shares, you have to offer to do the same in return. It's that simple sometimes!
