“Visibility leads to profitability.”
Facebook and Google occupy 85% of the online advertising sphere. In other words, eighty-five cents of every dollar spent on online marketing is paid to one of these two companies! That is a thought-provoking statistic for content creators and providers.
The necessity of marketing through these companies is undeniable. If you have something to sell, you must contend with Google or Facebook to attract your audience.
Why Facebook?
Facebook shifted the perception of privacy, and through the process, simplified a marketer’s job. The 2.2 billion active monthly users on Facebook freely provide personal information. When the ReadWrite blog explored reasons behind Facebook’s popularity, they found Facebook capitalized on people’s desire to pass time and entertain, the two biggest drivers of online activity.
Now that Facebook connected with its vast audience, its gears have shifted to marketing. With that shift, Facebook became a great means to build a group of followers and sell. For those not ready to sell, Facebook is also an ideal network to establish interest groups and set the stage for future profitability.
Benefits of Establishing a Facebook Group
Facebook groups allow you to release content, stimulate discussions, and be established as a professional in your field. The number of users, and thus the amount of potential group members, offers no shortage of opportunities to find those interested in your work. Word of mouth referrals are still powerful! Let people know who you are, and allow others to do the talking (thus, the marketing) for you. Use Facebook groups to educate people about the need for your work, who will then find others who have a need.
[bctt tweet=”Use #Facebook Groups to build your #author platform. #bookmarketing” username=”loishoffmande”]
How To Establish a Facebook Group
First, you must have a Facebook profile! Once a member, head to Facebook and click the groups link located on the left side of the screen. There you will find the ‘Create Groups’ button. You will be guided in the following process:
- Create a group name and group description – Gives members an idea of what you plan to discuss and the information you will offer.
- Select a privacy setting – public, closed or secret.
- A public group operates, well, publicly: free to all, open for membership, and anyone can see the discussions.
- In a closed group, those interested in joining must request membership or be added by current members. Non-members can see the group name and description, but not the posts and stories in the group
- For private settings, potential members need to be invited by current members in order to see the group name and description and have the opportunity to post in the group.
- Invite friends to like your page! – The administrator (you, if you create the group) gets the ball rolling. Start by inviting family and friend to your group and take responsibility for finding more members.
- Select a group image – Find something that stands out, establishes your brand, and represents what you have to offer your members.
Success In Established Facebook Groups
The secret to your success? Engagement! It is not enough to have members. You need to find particularly engaged members. You can foster engagement by asking good questions and starting discussions.
Use Facebook Groups to:
- Determine interest level for your work
- Discuss portions of your book
- Get feedback
- Post case studies
- Give benefit statements
- Find others interested in your research topic
If you are ready to lay the groundwork for book sales, start with a Facebook group! Find your audience, foster engagement, build your following, and one day – sooner or later – sell your book.
Share your success with Facebook Groups with fellow readers!
Resources:
Taplin, Jonathan. (2017). Move Fast and Break Things. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.
Small, Cathleen. (2017). 20 Great Career-Building Activities Using Facebook. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/
https://bookcoaching.com/10-ways-to-sell-your-book-on-facebook/
Are you struggling to find readers for your book? Maybe you need to define what success looks like by setting goals as an author.
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“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” ~ Cheshire Cat
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