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And that's where I'm waving to you all from right now. I. Am. Stuck.
I fought it for a long time, but I'm at the point where I need to - want to! - do more with social media. I want to add to my online presence, which consists of this blog and Goodreads.
(Go ahead, I'll wait while you all wipe the tears of laughter from your eyes.)
I know, I know, I am way behind, and so I am turning to you, my fellow IWSG-ers. Help a techno-social media-phobe out!
What works for you? Twitter? Instagram? Something else I have no idea even exists? Why do you like it? How was the learning curve?
If you're familiar with me and my writing, what do you think would work best for me? What would you like to see from me - tweets? Something more visual, like photos? A newsletter?
Hi Madeline, I'm on Twitter (joined 2 years back) i enjoy it and tweet regularly. I joined Instagram 2 weeks back, not very active on it, as I'm not very comfortable sharing my pics. I also have an author page on Facebook which I have ignored for quite some time. My advice is do what suits you. Whatever you do, be regular with it.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of photos, but I'm not sure how consistent I'd be with them, and I agree about consistency being important.
DeleteIt all depends not only on what feels comfortable, but the the time you can invest.
ReplyDeleteFor exaple, I thought Twitter would be quick and easy. Easy, yes. Quick? Ugh. It was a time suck for me.
Blogging worked best for me. I could plan posts weeks ahead and schedule them at opportune times. Don't believe the naysayers that blogging is dead either. I've been doing this a long time and it's never been stronger. It all depends on your content.
Whatever you try, give it an honest effort for 3 weeks. You'll know by then if it's your cup of tea.
I really do enjoy blogging, but I'm not sure it's "enough" anymore. Maybe I just need to do more with it? Expand or update the blog somehow?
DeleteI'll definitely give whatever I choose a good, strong effort. :)
I only have my blog, Twitter, and Goodreads. I think Twitter has become overrated though. As for blogging, you just need to find a passion that connects with others.
ReplyDeleteI really do enjoy blogging, so I'm not going to stop. I like being on Goodreads, too. I might just do more over there....
DeleteI'm in the same boat, but I don't even have the time to spend on my Goodreads account. So that leaves blogging. I should probably learn to deal with Twitter, but I'm not looking forward to it. Instagram is much more appealing. Posting and liking photos sounds more relaxing and fun.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way re Twitter and Instagram! I'm not really sure what's really involved with Instagram though, and I'm concerned that it might not give me the bang for my buck.
DeleteI say give both a whirl and see which one you enjoy most, then spend more time there. You can set up Instagram to auto-post at Twitter, though it doesn't post a picture, just a link to your Twitter account. Still, 2 for 1 posts!
ReplyDeleteIt seems e-mail lists are the most important thing - getting delivered to an in-box is still the most effective way to reach readers. But social media's helpful in growing that list.
Happy January!
I like the idea of linking/cross-posting whatever social media accounts I do have so that's definitely a consideration of what I choose.
DeleteI have a note about an email list but haven't tackled that yet. Sigh.
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad about increasing your Social Media presence. You're never too late. I have a Facebook fan page, Twitter, and Instagram and they work for me. But also I use Tumblr and Google + and StumbleUpon. It took me some time to grow up a fan base but my fan base is increasing.
Wishing you all the best for 2017.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat Garcia
I've heard of Tumblr and StumbleUpon, but I don't know what they are exactly. More research needed!
DeleteWishing you a wonderful 2017 as well, Pat!
Start small. Do what you feel comfortable with. My favorites are Instagram and Goodreads.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure you can get any smaller than what I already do. :) But maybe just working on blogging and Goodreads more would do the trick....
DeleteOh boy. Open the can of worms, eh? Twitter is AWESOME for quick interactions and the EASIEST way to reach new people. Well, tied with Instagram--but then you have to be all crazy with images. (And hashtags.) I find those two to be the most viral. Facebook is great, but it's a TON of work and maintenance, and in recent years, they've algorithmed away the productivity of your reach, even for friends in your own circles. Still, for advertising purposes, they supposedly have the best targeted campaigns, but you must have a presence to utilize them. The groups are my favorite aspect of Facebook. I've gained SO much writerly help/knowledge through them. I attempted Tumblr. Not a fan. It's really similar to blogging. I'm on Google +, and it's better for an international audience. Pinterest is still alive and active, but again, that takes images. I hear awesome things about Amazon community boards, and then there's Wattpad... Really, it boils down to the kind of presence you can comfortably maintain, and which audience you want to hit. Find out where they hang, and see if you're comfortable in their space.
ReplyDeleteI'm not planning on joining Facebook, but I have a note to check out Wattpad.
DeleteI really liked this part of your comment, Crystal - "Really, it boils down to the kind of presence you can comfortably maintain, and which audience you want to hit. Find out where they hang, and see if you're comfortable in their space." Excellent advice! :)
You asking ME? Boy, are you barking up the wrong tree. I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, but no one would notice if I disappeared from both of them. I don't even have (or want!) a cellphone, so tweeting isn't very practical for me. FB, I use at my convenience. I never got into it as a means to create a fan base; I just want to know what's going on with our kids and grandkids. :)
ReplyDeleteBlogging still works for me. And Goodreads, which I reeeeeally should use more effectively.
Happy New year!
But you have more social media accounts than I do! :)
DeleteI struggle with how best to use Goodreads - as a writer, a reader, both?
You are not the only one. I'm constantly fumbling around or getting crickets. :-/
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Just when you think you have a handle on something, like blogging, more and more opportunities pop up. When does it end? :)
DeleteI have a Facebook fan page, but I love Twitter and Instagram. I don't think I even come close to using them to their full potential, though. I mean, I don't even put hashtags on half my posts. Still, they're fun to play around with.
ReplyDeleteThanks, MJ. I do like reading the Twitter scroll thing you have on your blog. :)
DeleteI personally like Facebook, but my reach is restricted on it. Twitter takes more effort, but the reach is a lot greater - talking to actual strangers instead of friends or friends of friends. It's best to look around and see what would suit you best - there may even be some blogs/articles that compare them, from a writer's point of view?
ReplyDeleteThe concept of "reach" is important and one I hadn't actually thought too much about. Duh! See how bad I am at this?! :o
DeleteBut also, enjoyment, don't forget that!
DeleteI won't, don't worry! :)
DeleteI am horribly unsocial so I doubt anything I add will be of any help. I have accounts all over the place, but I mostly lurk and look. I like looking at instagram, but I hardly post and if I do, it's pictures of my kids. I use pintrest for drawing inspiration/instruction. I use facebook to keep tabs on family. Twitter I pretty much ignore, along with Tumblr and Google+. But I have it all. I just don't do anything with them. :)
ReplyDeleteHa! :)
DeleteYou are definitely more artistic than I am though, so I can see why you gravitate more to those visual social media outlets.
I really enjoy Instagram, although I haven't figured out how to use it for marketing purposes. I just have fun sharing the pics. I'm on Twitter and keep trying to use it more, but I find it overwhelming and always have. One of my goals is to finally get more comfortable using it. Good luck with whatever you decide to try!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie! I think that's what I wonder about with Instagram - how is it going to help me with regards to writing, marketing, etc? And Twitter totally seems overwhelming to me!
DeleteI think Instagram is a coming thing and it's easy to get started. Twitter can be a lot but I use it the most. Facebook has the proven track record. No good advice but I'd start with just one and see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan. If I do add something, it will only be one thing. Any more than that and I'll be totally overwhelmed. :)
DeleteApparently Pinterest is the fastest growing social media site and can do amazing things for your traffic if you utilize it properly. I'm still working on that myself. Facebook drives the most traffic to my blog, and I'm also on Twitter. Not sure Google+ does anything other than improve your Google rankings.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I found having a separate newsletter to be a huge PITA. My designer told me over a year ago to make my blog my newsletter, but I resisted. Now I've followed her advice and wish I'd listened to her from the beginning.
I don't know much about Pinterest, but I have looked at it now and then. Another visual medium, which I'm drawn to. :)
DeleteHow do you make your blog a newsletter?! I had no idea you could do that. Sigh. So much I don't know.
You encourage people to sign up/subscribe to your blog. I had two lists to sign up for--blog and newsletter. When I made my blog my newsletter, I just combined my lists.
DeleteThen make sure to blog about your writing news and updates. Theoretically, if a person would sign up for your newsletter, he/she is interested in your progress.
I'm bad with social media too, so no advice from here, but I sympathize with your struggles. What I found useful is ongoing blog hops. I currently participate in two - IWSG and WEP (writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com) - and find both useful. I'd like to add one more to the list this year, but it's not easy to find one that fits your writing.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to come back here and reap the wisdom of these wonderful folks!
DeleteI like a good blog hop now and then. I participated in The A-Z Challenge a few times and it was fun.
I'm on Twitter and it's easy to find writers there, but I find it harder to connect with readers there because I'm mostly trying to connect because I want them to become fans and that doesn't feel sincere.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point, Patricia, regarding sincerity. Thanks for the feedback on that.
DeleteI wish I could help you. I am on Twitter, but I hardly ever use it. I just don't have time to follow all the links. I do think it probably works for marketing, but I haven't anything to market...yet. I'm on Instagram with family only...Good luck, and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI'm worried I'll disappear down the rabbit hole of Twitter links. I don't need any more distractions.
DeleteI'm terrible with newsletters, but I keep meaning to take a stab at one again. I use twitter, but sporadically and in a terribly commercialized way. I use instagram, but not really as an author - more of as a reader-fan, mom-fan, walker, random-fan, and I use pinterest- but it can be very distracting.
ReplyDeleteBest of wishes on all of that. I think instagram is slightly more personal - if you don't mind taking and sharing pictures. Twitter is generally not personal, or very social - even during the "chats."
I do like the visual nature of Instagram and Pinterest. It sort of works a different part of my brain/imagination than writing.
DeleteI'm like you, observing from the sidelines before I make a decision. There's nothing wrong with taking your time. Building an online presence is a marathon, not a race. I do suggest though looking up popular authors in your genre (especially the self-published ones if that's what you are) and studying what social media they use and how do they interact with their readers on each social media site. You can experiment and see what works for you.
ReplyDeleteI hate Facebook because pages don't reach anyone unless you're willing to pay. It is good for connecting and networking with other writers. I avoid groups that have a heavy abundance of traffic with 'buy my book' posts.
Twitter is my favorite. I interact with readers on there. The hashtags #amwriting and #amreading are good with connecting with readers. I love Goodreads, that's the majority of my book sales. I act like a reader instead of an author.
No matter what platform you try, treat it like blogging. Leave comments on other people's walls, follow other people, be engaging, don't spam, and interact with people who share your interests. Be geniunine.
Keep smiling,
Yawatta
Love what you said about it being a marathon! We do build out audiences slowly, one amazing reader and fan at a time. :)
DeleteExcellent idea to look at favorite authors and see how they use social media.
Be genuine. Good advice for social media and in life. :)
I'm on Twitter. A lot of people do Tumblr, and I have one, but I don't get it. lol
ReplyDeleteI've only heard of Tumblr. I have no idea what it actually is or does. :)
DeleteWhat works for me? Twitter? Instagram? Something else? No, no, and no. In fact, I am increasingly convinces that this stuff just sucks up time I should use for writing.
DeleteAfter reading what you all have to say, I'm starting to rethink the whole thing. :)
DeleteI feel pretty comfortable with Twitter, and I'm trying to get more into Instagram. That's pretty much it. I have Facebook but I don't use it that much. I use Google+ even less. There are just way too many things to keep track of, really.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know how anyone keeps track of it all. That's why I try/am trying to limit myself to just a few.
DeleteHi Madeline. Nice to meet you. I am starting out, but have FB, blog, twitter and goodreads. The key for me is time. Marketing cuts into my writing, so I do the minimum I can get away. My only goal is to keep growing everything. One thing everyone keeps telling me to do is to start a newsletter. Challenge is collecting those emails for it. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI think growing everything, moving slowly and steadily - like a tortoise! - is a great way to approach it all.
DeleteI keep hearing about doing a newsletter, but I rarely read newsletters myself!
I have an Instagram, Twitter Pintrest and FB authorpage and I rarely use any of them. I'll echo a lot of the advise here: use what you feel comfortable using how often you feel comfortable doing it. It's all up to you. Do some research and take a chance. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI agree about doing what works for me, what's comfortable. I just sometimes worry that I'm not pushing myself out of my comfort zone enough.
DeleteI'm on Twitter but I'm not an active user. Upon joining, I was a bit shocked by some of the drama that I have observed taking place there, and maybe that's why I'm not an active user.
ReplyDeleteI so try to avoid that kind of drama! I hear about that a lot on certain social media sites. Shudder!
DeleteI'm cheering you on, because I have no real advice from experience, so can't say what works or don't. What I have deduce from reading is what works for one may or may not work for another and different folk like different things.
ReplyDeleteJuneta @ Writer's Gambit
I'll take all the cheering on I can get. :)
DeleteIt really is true about something working for one person and not for someone else.
None of them work for me. Sometimes I prefer twitter over Facebook, then it swaps. I'm not a fan of any of it. Sorry, I'm no help, lol.
ReplyDeleteIt actually does help, knowing you're not a fan of any of it. I'm getting that impression from a good chunk of you all. Really interesting stuff. Are people on social media because they want to be or because they have to be or because they THINK they have to be?
DeleteI wish I could help you. I am absolutely hopeless with social media. Actually, I am going to read your comments to try to get some help.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely come back here and check out the comments! I'm finding it really helpful. :)
DeleteThe only other social media I regularly engage in is Facebook. I've tried to be active on Instagram but it started to feel like too much work, plus it sucked up a lot of data (I'm reliant on my cell phone data most of the time). I'm also on Google+, but I only share my blog posts there. I would just experiment with a few things and see which one you like best. Cheers - Ellen
ReplyDeleteI never joined Facebook. Way back when, I had a website and then this blog and thought that was enough.
DeleteI never thought I'd be on Twitter & Facebook, but I am due to my contract with my publisher. Facebook, I truly like. It's a way to promote your books through different groups without spending a dime. I'm not saying it works for, but people can notice you as an author. Although, a few times it has generated a sale. I would recommend making a Facebook account.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year.
Thanks for your feedback, Cathrina!
DeleteI hope you have a great New Year!
Seems we're all making changes in social media participation. I'm cutting back on Facebook time; paying more attention to Twitter, website/blog, and visiting other blogs; and turning a little more to Goodreads for reader connections. I don't plan to add any other social media sites at this time.
ReplyDeleteI told myself I would only take on one social media venue in addition to my blog and Goodreads. But now I'm starting to think I might not even do that. :)
DeleteI'm an introvert on social media. Sometimes in person too. But, like you, I kind of waited and then decide what worked for me. Twitter, Google+, and Facebook for writing related posts, Instagram is more personal photos where I have family from all over the world. On facebook, I separate my writing page which is open to the world and my personal page which is only open to my friends. I find google+ has more writing-related support where people interact more, whereas facebook and twitter is like reading news but about your friends or your writing groups. I have Pinterest, but I post once every few months, and AboutMe that I barely use. Goodreads seems to be a must, just for publishing, but I don't really interact. I am on Wattpad too, which I try to post up something every week or two (new resolution). We'll see where I am next year. :-D
ReplyDeleteHappy posting!!!
Thanks, Tanya!
DeleteA friend sent me an article about Wattpad and it sounds interesting. Might have to check it out.