3 Principles for Facebook Fan Pages

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Facebook is the No. 1 most popular website in the United States in terms of visits, which means it’s more popular than Google. According to its own stats, Facebook has 750 million users, 50% of which are active on it every day.

This alone makes Facebook an important site when it comes to author marketing and promotion. It would be a mistake to completely ignore it.

On the other hand, how does one use Facebook for meaningful marketing and promotion—especially if you’re an individual and not a brand? Here are three principles I’ve observed working for successful authors.

1. Fan pages work best when you have a content strategy.

The whole point of having a fan page is to stay in people’s line of sight—to be visible before, during, and after the launch of formal projects or books.When you post updates, it’s like waving to your fans, since your updates appear in your fans’ news feeds (unless your fans mute you!). Fan pages make it more likely fans will remember you and spread word of mouth about you and your work.

2. Fan pages work best for authors who have fans seeking them out!

Sure, you can be a complete unknown author with a fan page, but what’s the motivation for someone to like your page if they don’t know you or your work? Consider what benefit there is, and be able to tout it!

Maybe your friends and family will like your page regardless of what you post, but they’re probably already your personal friends on Facebook. Do you really need a fan page to cater to your close circles? You shouldn’t!

Fan pages make more sense when you’re an author with some name recognition, and/or when you’re getting marketing and publicity outside of Facebook, and/or scheduling live events and appearances. Even then, don’t expect tons of fans to come flocking (or to pay attention) unless you have something helpful, compelling or entertaining to share.

3. Consider using your personal page to get started.

If you’re an unknown name, consider friending your earliest fans or followers through your personal account, and create a specific “list” in Facebook that helps you manage privacy to that list. (For more instructions on this, click here.)

For authors with heavy privacy concerns, this may not be an option, but it’s the wisest option for someone who has a reputation that doesn’t yet demand “fan” page treatment—or doesn’t want the headache of managing two Facebook presences.

How do you know if your reputation deserves “fan” treatment?

  • If you have to beg people to like your page, you’re not there yet.
  • If you have multiple friend requests every single day from fans/followers, then maybe it’s time.
  • However: Some authors stick with the personal page, such as Christina Katz. Just keep in mind you’ve got a 5,000-friend cap on a personal profile.

What to avoid on Facebook

  • Avoid inviting your personal Facebook friends to like or fan your page unless you are shutting down your personal profile. Think about it: Why should your closest circle of friends receive TWO streams of information from you? You should treat your closest circle of friends different from your fans. Always customize your approach depending on your audience.
  • Do not post self-promotional messages or comments on other people’s walls. Epitome of rude.
  • Do not send private messages to your entire friends list, asking them to market and promote you—or to read your work. This type of message should be personalized and directed toward a select few people.
  • Do not send a blanket invite to events (where you invite people who couldn’t possibly be expected attend, or be interested).
  • Do not create “fake” events, like “Buy my book!” events. We see what you’re doing there, and we’re not amused!
  • Do not create Facebook groups, then add people to those groups without permission, to market and promote your work. (Or for any other reason for that matter. Get permission first or extend invitations.)

Good practices on Facebook

  • If you use your personal Facebook profile with mixed audiences, it’s smart to tag your friends to specific lists so you can adjust the visibility of your updates, or target them to the most appropriate list.
  • Don’t be quiet about having a Facebook profile or fan page. Mention it and link to it from your website, blog—anywhere you’re active online. That’s how you get fans over time.
  • Be interesting (share your unique perspectives), be helpful, be open, be charitable—unless not being charitable is your shtick.
  • Post links to new blog posts, if you’re a blogger.
  • Think carefully about having your Twitter updates automatically appear on Facebook. This can be a huge turn-off for people who aren’t Twitter users—and a turn-off even for those who are!
  • Don’t post voraciously—unless that’s going to be your shtick. You run the risk of people “muting” you.

Here are the most helpful posts I’ve read about Facebook marketing. Some of these posts are more geared for businesses/brands, but the lessons often apply for authors, too.

Broad advice

Facebook’s advice
Writer-specific advice
What has worked for you on Facebook? Or what’s the best advice you’ve received for using it effectively? Share your experiences or resources in the comments!
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Meryl K Evans

Jane, thanks for including the link to my Facebook post. Other than the author’s own website, I think Facebook pages are an ideal forum for authors. Like you mentioned, not all of them choose to have fan pages and that’s OK. Too many create a FB page because they feel like they need one and not because they have a strategy and can commit to one.

Jane Friedman

Appreciate the comment, Meryl! 100% agree.

Sheryl Browne

This is really ueful info. Have shared 😉

Jane Friedman

Thanks!

Marilyn/Marly

Thanks, Jane!  Great advice for a newbie like me!

ConversationAgent

Hello Jane: very useful advice here – you covered a lot of ground. I could almost see each bullet as a separate executive summary with a story underneath of a situation that worked well and was creative. I was researching Facebook Pages for a client just this past week, and all I could find was the same tired lists.  Thank you for the food for thought, and for the link to the Kristof post.

Jane Friedman

Flattered you stopped by! Thank you.

Theresa Milstein

These are excellent tips.  I’ve seen many of these faux pas committed.  I’m sharing this on Facebook.  

Jane Friedman

🙂

Anonymous

I’m just trying to get my head round starting a FB fan page so this was brilliant! Thanks!

Jane Friedman

Excellent! Good luck!

Barbara Forte Abate

If there’s one thing I’m definitely trying hard not to be as an author, it’s OBNOXIOUS! This post is a wonderful assemblage of FB wisdom. My novel has it’s own FB page and oh how tempting it can be when one launches such a page to go on an immediate and obsessive “Like” hunt. Clearly, as you’ve so wisely stated here, it’s an urge that needs to be tackled to the ground if we don’t want to become “one of those people!”  Thanks, Jane. Great stuff 🙂 

Jane Friedman

You’ve nailed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Julie Golden

Jane, you are amazing. It can take me all day to follow your trail…this link, that link, another link. Can’t imagine how much work you do to blaze the way for us. Thank you.

Jane Friedman

🙂 I do love resources!

Deborah Niemann

I have a non-fiction book, and I created a Facebook page for it as soon as the book had a title, which was back in December or January. The book will be coming out in about six weeks, and the page already has 315 fans. But, as you said, I had a plan, and I try to think of at least one post to make every day — a link to an article or to my blog post or simply a status update. Facebook sends out an email once a week with your stats, and every week my number of fans goes up, as well as the number of interactions, which I think is more important than the number of fans, because as you said, people can mute you if they’re not interested in what you have to say. The exciting thing about this is that only about 60 of the fans are also friends. I’m not quite sure how this happened, except that I am faithful about updating it at least once a day with relevant content. I did initially get some friends to join, which started the ball rolling, but I think regular updating is what has helped me to continue to add fans that don’t know me personally. The book is called “Homegrown and Handmade,” so it is a perfectly descriptive title. I imagine a few people find it by simply searching either of those words.

As far as updating, I am continuing to read and research in relation to the book’s topic, so I post links to articles about backyard chickens or the latest food recall or genetically modified foods in stores. My blog often includes recipes, which I also link. And when I have nothing else, I simply mention what I’m doing today that relates to the book, such as “Making chevre and mozzarella with today’s milk!” or “You know it’s summer when you’re having fresh-from-the-garden salsa every day!”

Jane Friedman

Fabulous! Thanks for taking the time to explain your strategy. I’d say you’re an excellent case study for meaningful Facebook marketing.  🙂

trackback

[…] 3 Principles for Facebook Fan Pages. This author-focused article gives you the basics to get started, even if it’s with a personal page. Don’t start a page for the sake of it. Do it because you have a strategy and you want to commit to it. Although, he has been talking about social media for a long time, my client didn’t commit to a Facebook page until recently. If you’re into social media and marketing, you might find it useful. […]