Happy Monday, WG2E-Land!
Please give a big ol’ WG2E Welcome to the fabulous Lexi Ryan, who’s sharing the scoop on how she’s Using Facebook to Increase her Ebook Sales…
About a month ago, I saw a dramatic increase in my sales. And by dramatic I mean a 1000% increase and growing every day.
(DISCLAIMER: A 1000% increase is pretty attainable when you have low sales numbers. For those of you already selling 20+ copies of each book a day, your mileage may vary.)
TEXT APPEAL was doing okay for my first indie release, and I was seeing that very, very slow build. However, I wasn’t seeing the kind of success others were, and I was confident that the story and the writing were strong and even a good fit for the current market.
On Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Smashwords, Kobo, orAllRomanceeBooks
I knew visibility was key. I did some guest blogs and put my toes into the waters of paid advertising with varied results. But, outside of announcing my new releases on my own wall, I wasn’t promoting on facebook and didn’t really want to be.
There were many factors keeping me from using facebook to its full potential, but once I gave it a shot, I realized my perceptions were all wrong.
PERCEPTION versus REALITY
Perception: Those facebook promotion pages are just writers talking to writers. There’s no real benefit.
Reality: As is probably the case for everything I say in this post, it really depends on the group or page on which you’re posting. That said, there are a lot of writers on the promotion pages, but there are a lot of readers too. In fact, if you watch the pages for awhile, you’ll see that many times readers are recommending books they liked or posting trying to find a specific kind of book.
Perception: It’s like talking into a void. No one comments when other authors post, so that must mean no one’s reading them.
Reality: Even if no one comments, that doesn’t mean they’re not reading. My husband owns a business and he’s constantly telling me that businesses don’t advertise for the sale, they advertise for the branding and name recognition. Writers should approach advertising and social networking the same way.
Perception: Any bump in sales would be minimal and temporary.
Reality: The bump in sales one gets from posting on facebook promotion groups varies depending on several factors, including the size and interests of the group and the kind of book you’ve written. However, the biggest benefit I’ve gotten out of posting on these pages isn’t in the temporary sales bumps (though those are nice) but in getting my book on the “Also Bought” ribbons of similar books.
Perception: I don’t want to “spam” facebook users.
Reality: This is a fair concern. However, it’s not spammy self-promotion if you respectfully exercise your right to promote in groups that are designed for that purpose. In fact, a lot of these groups (not all, but many) are run by people who have Amazon Affiliate accounts—they want you to share your books because they make a little money when people purchase through their links. (That said, please don’t underestimate the amount of work these folks put into their pages. Just as with book bloggers, it’s truly a labor of love.)
Perception: Those groups are only interested in hearing about free books.
Reality: Everyone likes free, but readers are more than happy to pay for the kind of book they want—especially when the book is priced competitively, as many indie books are.
Perception: Some of the most successful facebook author promotion pages are for readers who liked 50 Shades of Grey and they won’t be interested in my book/s since I don’t write BDSM.
Reality: Of course it’s very important that you pay special attention to your audience and what they’re looking for, but don’t underestimate readers. 50 Shades fans, for example, are generally looking for sexy, emotional romance with an alpha hero—not necessarily BDSM or even erotic. Spending some time watching a group before you post is worthwhile. You can get an idea what appeals to them and, if you have a backlist, share the book you think best fits their preferences.
Some Guidelines
Do find groups that align with the kind of book you’re marketing.
Do spend some time on the page to see how it works and how others use the space. Be sure to follow any directions posted by the moderator and to respect any restrictions. (If they want PG-13 books only, don’t post about your erotic ménage.)
Do be gracious. Thank the moderator for his/her time. Share your positive experiences with others. Understand that even if you don’t get a sale from a posting, you did get some visibility.
Do join in the conversation. As writers, we’re also readers. If someone asks about a book you read and liked, let them know how much you enjoyed it. Never underestimate writer karma.
Don’t put down other writers. It should go without saying, and yet I’m consistently seeing writers try to push their books by putting down others’ books. Keep it positive. If someone asks about a book you hated, keep your fingers off your keyboard. Writer karma works both ways.
Don’t post buy links in groups that specifically ask you not to. Some groups are happy to let authors share reviews but ask that they not post buy links. Pay special attention so you don’t break rules.
Where I Post
This post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t talk about where to post. However, I simply don’t know the best, most effective facebook pages for your books. Every new posting is an experiment and you’ll have to find out what works for your books and which pages you like best. I can, however, share my top three facebook promotion pages.
What to Read After Fifty Shades of Grey—This page is a bit of a unicorn. It has both reader- and author-promoted books, has a daily digest (sent to the email inboxes of 2600 subscribers), and is all around massive (just under 30,000 “likes”) and effective (selling an average of 474 books per day through the links on her page). If you write erotic or super sexy romance, you should really be promoting your books here.
Korner Kafe Exposed—This page leans toward erotica and erotic romance, but they are also happy to share sexy romances.
Ebook Korner Kafe—The sweet sister of Korner Kafe Exposed, this page promotes mainstream (non-erotic) books, with a special emphasis on indie authors.
Where You Post
If any of my favorite pages look like a good fit, give them a try. Do you lurk on a page you think might work? Do you post somewhere already? In the comments, I hope you’ll share groups and pages where you like to post about your new releases or latest reviews.
About Lexi:
Author of both contemporary and paranormal romance, Lexi Ryan writes smart, spunky stories that sizzle. She enjoys reading, sunshine, a good glass of wine, and rare trips to the beach with her husband and children.
Lexi lives in Indiana where she divides her time between her family, her writing, and her job as an English professor.
Website: http://lexiryan.com
Blog: lexiryan.blogspot.com
Facebook: facebook.com/lexiryan
Twitter: @writerlexiryan
E-mail: writerlexiryan@gmail.com
Great post, Lexi. Facebook is still something of a mystery to me – even though I have a page, and a personal account I now prefer to use for my writing self. I found that I couldn’t join groups as my ‘page’ so had to use my personal FB self anyway. Very confusing. I’m still not 100% sure how to interact with the pages, and it’s hard to find guidelines in some cases. I’ll just have to jump in and give it a go
What’s the worst that can happen? 
Hi, Joanne!
I know what you mean about it being confusing! The problem is that they’re all designed differently. Some pages you can post directly on and your post will show. Others (like the three I mentioned above) put your post in a semi-hidden list where the moderator will then retrieve it (if she chooses) and post for the group. Others still don’t let you post at all–only the mod can post. I think the best thing you can do is monitor a page for a week or so before posting–see what kind of activity is happening on the page to determine if what you want to add is acceptable.
Thanks so much for your comment!!
Lex
Great post — very helpful to me since my sales numbers are VERY low! LOL, but it’s not really funny. I don’t write erotica or extremely emotional romance with an Alpha Male hero. I write Sweet Contemporary Romantic Comedy. I thought my books were pretty good — I wrote the kind of book I can’t find that I’d like to read.
Thanks again for the post.
Nancy,
Feel free to post your Sweet Romantic Comedy on the WTRAFSOG page … I welcome authors of all genres, “heat” levels, etc. …
Write a catchy blurb and you never know. Voracious readers appreciate anything that is written well – and nothing wrong with expanding one’s “reach” when it comes to choice of genres!!
Summer
Thanks for visiting, Nancy! Take Summer up on her offer. You might be surprised at the results!
Lexi
Really useful post, Lexi.
Like Joanne says, Facebook is a bit of mystery. It’s a little like walking through a forest full of fridge doors with a single magnetized note – trying to find the ONE fridge door that hasn’t been painted with demagnetized paint!
Steve,
That analogy is both hilarious and painfully accurate. To add to the confusion, pages change over time as the moderators adjust to new traffic and life commitments. On the one hand, I feel like I’ve been lucky to find pages that are good fits for me. On the other hand, I wanted to share my good fortune!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Lex
Welcome Lexi! terrific post and loads of great information- thank you:)
Thank you, Lois!
I hope it was helpful!
Help! What is a Facebook page and how do I ‘join’ it? Somehow, in the past year, I ‘joined’ a half a dozen groups such as Passion for Books, but don’t know how I did it! It was before Facebook’s last upheaval. These groups are listed on my sidebar. I click on them, and it goes right to the page, and I paste my promotion.
I only have my real name, and not an author page. I never post anything unsuitable for my cousin’s little kids or my elderly parents. If you can help me, please leave a reply here.
Hi, Nancy!
It sounds like you have a good start. Those places listed in your sidebar are groups, and you’ve done what you need to join them. (Find the group and click “join” and a moderator approves you.) In addition to “Groups,” there are “Pages” much like author pages that people have to “like” instead of “join.” I’m not sure of all the nuances between the two, but there you have it. If you have authors in your timeline, you can watch the scroll on the far right to see where they’re posting. I’ve found a few interesting pages this way! You can also do a search at the top and try searching your genre to see if any groups or pages come up as suggested search results.
I hope this helps! The previous comments are correct: facebook can be a mystery!
Lex
Like you, I have not been using FB to it’s max potential, mainly because I don’t want to be that “spammer” Ugh! But I am aware that writing is a business and I have to tap into that realization with a bit more gusto. Thanks for posting your experience and I’ll see how I can maximize my potential.
Good luck, Angela!
I’ll be honest, when my sales jumped, I stopped worrying so much about what others would think of me suggesting my own book.
Lexi
Hi Lexi,
Thanks for the excellent post. I have done ‘zero’ posting on FB, other than on my own page. I’m looking forward to checking out the ‘promotion’ pages you mentioned.
Good luck, Sheri! I hope it helps! The pages would die without diversification, so when other talented authors post on these pages it’s good for everyone!
Lex
Lexi says: “The pages would die without diversification” …
You mean I can’t post my sexy series over and over and over again Lexi?
What fun is that?
I’m taking my ball and going home.
~
Ha! You’re a hoot, Summer. I know you know what I’m saying though. Even when you’re reposting books you’ve posted previously, it’s great to have new content for the members who have been around for a long time.
Thanks for the post! I like Jumpseat Book Club. It’s fun, and I always get interaction.
Tamara,
Thank you for sharing! I just found them and saw their rule, ” If you LEAVE a post, LIKE a post.
If you are a Fan of JBC, we have a 24 hour free Open Wall for book advertising and sharing. All we ask is the golden rule of sharing. The good karma does come back.” I LOVE THIS! I feel the same way!
Thanks for sharing!
Lexi
Great post Lexi – while I use Facebook all the time, I am always looking for new groups and ways to increase sales (which have been horrible). . .
Jamie,
I think the key is finding the group that is the best fit. For example, I’ve posted about my erotic paranormal romance in WTRAFSOG without nearly the results of my contemporaries. Those readers are looking for something different.
Good luck and I hope you find your “home.”
Lexi
Fabulous post, Lexi!!!
Here are a few of the Facebook Pages/Groups I enjoy and often post on:
Indies R Us
Author Friends
Writers
Book Junkies
Writing Kindle Books
***Note: Each group has its own rules, so be sure to check out their posting guidelines.
Also, y’all are welcome to post on our WG2E and RG2E Facebook Pages whenever you’d like to do so!!!
Oh, and this weekend I launched my first Facebook Ad Campaign, and so far, I’m impressed with the results!
I’ll post about that experience soon!!! The ability they have through their algorithms to target readers is A-mazing!!!
Thanks, D.D.! I appreciate you sharing your favorite pages!
I’ve done a little paid advertising through fb, and I was impressed too! I ultimately decided it would be a better use of money once I’d established a bigger backlist, but I think it will be fantastic for you and your healthy backlist!
Hugs,
Lexi
An author friend of mine did this and got great results! I’m going to try this next.
D.D.,
I checked out some of those pages you recommended, but some of them don’t have “like” buttons. I’ve noticed that on some other Facebook pages, too. Since I’m new to all this, maybe you (or someone else on this board) has insight into this? Are some people able to remove their “like” buttons on their Facebook pages? (Although that would defeat the point of Facebook, wouldn’t it?). Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong spot. My eyes are bad, but I hope they’re not THAT bad!
LOL, Riley! There should be either a “Like” button or a “Join” button near the top, right of center. I hope that helps!
Thanks, Lexi! Yep, it’s been confirmed. My eyes ARE that bad! LOL!
Good morning, everyone!
Really quickly, I wanted to thank D.D. for having me today and wave to everyone visiting. I’m pretty new at all this, but I found something that helped me a great deal, and I believe in paying it forward. I hope you can all find something helpful in this post.
Thanks!
Lexi
I have 3 pages now. A personal one, author one where I post about what I have done writing wise and now have a Street Team, where I post more personal stuff that can affect other people and share ups and downs. I really like FB and find I post there more than Twitter. I have many friends there, whom I have met in person.
Julie,
That’s great! I need to learn more about “Street Teams.” I might finally be in a place where I’m brave enough to attempt to form such a group.
Thanks for your comment!
Lexi
Hi Lexi,
I’ve just recently started posting on Facebook pages as part of my overall marketing plan, and I can see its effectiveness! It’s just one more way to connect with people, which is the best way to market, anyway.
I checked out the Facebook pages you recommended and “liked” them. They look great! Thanks for sharing!
Riley J. Ford
Thanks for stopping by, Riley! I’m so glad you’ve had good experiences with FB pages too!
Lexi
Thanks, Lexi. This is a very helpful post. I’m going to do a little more looking into this.
Thanks for stopping by, Alison! I hope you find something that works for you!
Really useful post. I belong to a lot of groups for writers/authors/promotions, and I’m never sure if it’s worth putting information there.
Stupid question on the pages, though: I checked out Ebook Korner Kafe and liked it. Does that mean I can post my information on their page?
Thanks!
Stacy,
That’s not a stupid question AT ALL. It’s very confusing since they’re all different. If you watch this page you’ll see that she occasionally posts explanations on how the page works. In a nutshell, you post your short blurb then comment on your own post with the link (so it doesn’t go to spam). If you go out of the page and back in, it will look like the post disappeared. It will be in the little half-hidden feed until the page moderator pulls it out to share with the group. That page usually takes 3-5 days between when you share and when she posts it for everyone to see.
I hope that makes sense. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any trouble!
Lexi
Thanks for the info, Lexi! I have a few groups that I post in, but I never know which work or not, so I get lazy about it. After reading this, I’ll pay more attention to them.
Alicia,
It’s so hard to tell what promotion works and what doesn’t. I simply had low enough sales numbers when I started that the difference was obvious. Thanks for stopping by!
Lexi
This is such a great site, I learn something everytime I come. You all rock!
Lex
I was wondering how you find these pages. Is there a way to search for them? Thanks for the great information, Lexi. In such a competitve market it’s nice to find other ways to reach out!
Adrienne,
I’ve come across most of the best ones by asking and watching where other authors are posting. (This isn’t so easy to do from a cellphone, but if you are looking at fb from your PC, there’s a scroll on the far right that shows information on what other ppl are doing/saying/posting that might not otherwise end up in your feed.) FB searches might be worthwhile too–”romance fans” or “book lovers.” Can’t hurt to try!
Thanks for swinging by!
Lexi
Hi Lexi,
I’ve used all of these pages and love them (especially WTRAFSOG). Another that I’d recommend is Authors on the Cheap. This is a source for all the “Cheap.net” pages.
Kristine
Kristine,
Thanks for chiming in! I didn’t know about Authors on the Cheap! It looks like a great one!
And, yes, Summer, who runs WTRAFSOG, gets occasional gushy grateful emails from me. It’s an amazing group she’s put together.
Thanks for visiting!
Lexi
Great post, Lexi! Other pages I’ve posted to are:
The E-reader House
UK Kindle Lovers
Passion for Books
Books Gone Viral
Sexy Romance Readers/Writers
And a bunch of others I can’t remember. I also make sure to post whenever I’m doing a giveaway or contest, so that I’m not just posting about my books.
Thanks for the additions to our growing list, Dana! That’s really helpful!
It’s a fantastic idea to balance out posts about our books with posts giving readers chances to win stuff. I also try to add balance by talking about books I love. I usually do this by commenting on others’ posts, but I’m a huge reader, so someone’s almost always talking about a book I read and loved!
Thanks for swinging by!
Lexi
Great post Lexi … and thanks for the kind words about WTRAFSOG!!
One thing I forgot to mention is that a lot of authors who do not currently have a Facebook account (or only a personal page that they don’t want to associate with their writing) – are more than welcome to simply email me at summerdaniels71@gmail.com if there is something in particular they would like promoted on the WTRAFSOG page.
While the vast majority of sales from the page are indeed erotic in nature – there are a large number of romances that also do very well – ranging from mild to wild … sweet to steamy – so don’t be afraid to take a chance at posting your book(s) … you never know.
Our numbers continue to grow – readers and authors – so come join us.
Summer
author of Summer’s Journey: A True Romance / Erotica series
admin of What To Read After Fifty (50) Shades of Grey
Thanks so much for chiming in, Summer! I didn’t realize people could email you–that’s fantastic!
Lexi