How many followers does one need on social media to successfully market and promote a book?
I’m sure everyone has a different answer for this, and the truth is, there’s no clear threshold number that one needs to get to in order to definitively generate the level of activity one needs to break through the clutter.
Certainly, whatever the magical number is, it is important that your list of followers represents useful connections. Are the people following you the target readership of your book? Are they influential – do they have big followings of their own?
Another issue is how often you reach out to your followers and your level of quality presentation to them. Do you incentivize them to take an action step? Do you ask for their help? What have you done in the past to help them?
These “followers” and “connections” that we speak of are not all equal. A thousand followers on Twitter is different than the same number of LinkedIn connections. Why? It has to do, in part, with the level of engagement you have with these followers and the limitations or advantages of how each medium operates.
But if we’re talking about is purely numbers-building, here are some tips:
1. Ask people that you know to follow you on various sites. Call them, email them, even mail a physical letter. Ask them to get connected and make it easy by sending the appropriate request link.
2. Once connected, seek introductions to some of the connections of your connections.
< 3. Offer something that requires people to connect with you. For instance, offer a free download on your Web site to people who agree to follow you on Twitter or become a Facebook friend. At the very least, capture emails so you can correspond further.
< 4. Ask friends, family, or work colleagues, to share your contact information with others who are seeking to build relationships.
< 5. Comment on public spaces – other blog posts, people’s Facebook pages, on Twitter – and hope to get the attention of those who may follow or connect with you.
I don’t necessarily advise on buying lists, but you can buy them. You can also trade lists with others.
You’ll know when you’ve hit a magical number of connections when your tweets and posts and shares start getting responses and feedback – and when all of this chatter and linking starts to yield book sales.
I would be glad to get the ball rolling. If you haven’t yet, come follow me on Twitter @theprexpert and sign up to read my blog! If you send me an invite on LinkedIn or Facebook, I will accept.
Interview With Author Naman Chaudhary
What type of books do you write? I generally write fiction. I am fascinated by the world that fiction opens for us. I write on Indian mythology because it is one such aspect which is very vast and not known by the world.
What is your newest book about? My book is a trilogy with its first installment Kashmir of My Stories which is getting published by Partridge, A Penguin India Company. It is a collection of stories from the valley of Kashmir which is said to be the most beautiful place in the world, and is situated in Northern India. It will be out in the markets by May end.
What inspired you to write it? Since I was small, I grew up with my grandparents on in the countryside. I loved the peace and harmony there. Nature was one such aspects that inspired me to write. The Green trees and the blabbering streams attracted my imagination towards them. Then in the school, I couldn't relate well to people of my age and that left me with books. I read the Indian and British literature.
What is the writing process like for you? Writing process for me is like freedom. We build our own world and write things which our imagination and mind finds out, away from the rigid rules of society. I follow mainly the BIC formula which is Bump in the Chair for writing can be done only when you sit and let your thoughts come alive on the paper.
What did you do before you became an author? I am 15 right now and I completed my High School this year. I live in the Delhi suburb and in India the education pattern is completely different. Here children are supposed to only study and go to tutors. Though they have freedom but limited and they are told to work hard as the world is waiting like a hungry pack of wolves.
How does it feel to be a published author? I really feel very blessed. To write a book is only half a battle done. The other half is to get it published. And for me, it was more, as I am small and there is a misconception in people that children lack what the adults have. But I want to prove that it is not the truth. Children can do many wonders, and the adults will watch them with awe.
Any advice for struggling writers? What ever thought comes to your mind, just pen it down. Don't worry about grammar don't worry about anything and just write. Writing is freedom and enjoy that, don't let it go in vain. Don't be afraid of facing rejections, that is one inevitable truth. But you must have faith in your work and you will see one day that it will see the light of the world!
Where do you see book publishing heading? The book publishing world is evolving very rapidly. Though I am born in the modern world, I read in the history texts that it was very difficult earlier for the writes to get their works published and make them available to everyone. But now with the technology coming in, writers are tasting success and the readers are enjoying the perks too.
For more information, see the Facebook page of the book:
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013
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