Social Media Networks: Be an active participant with relevant news, articles and support
The success of any type of social network is active participation. Yes, technology allows us to automate almost every aspect of publishing through cyberspace. The convenience of scheduling blog posts on Twitter, then Facebook, then LinkedIn is a huge time saver, but we must set a daily reminder to engage personally on our social networks.
I have admitted with a red face that I have been guilty of allowing my automation to take over and have gone away as a living person through my social media. I have given myself a good slap on the head and I will no longer allow myself to become the absentee salesman.
I recently downloaded the Twitter app (app) on my Droid phone, which gives me an opportunity while waiting for my daughter to get out of basketball practice or religion to engage with other Twitterers. This has proven to be a successful way to engage and connect with current and new colleagues, potential clients in the children’s publishing industry, and those looking for help with their social media campaigns. Twitter works perfectly on the Droid phone because of the mobile Tweets screen. Thanks Twitter for keeping tweets to 140 characters!
Fortunately, my family gave me an iPad several years ago and I downloaded the Facebook and Twitter apps to interact more with others. I personally like the Facebook app on the iPad because it’s a much bigger screen than my Droid phone.
Mind you, I try to keep my personal social interaction to 30 minutes per day so I don’t spend most of my time away from my valuable time writing, editing, PR services for authors, and of course my family.
Key attributes to become an active social media user:
Share relevant information with followers, friends and colleagues (whatever the specific social network calls them). If you’re a children’s book author, share… the latest publishing industry news you’ve read, the latest magazine article or book launch, children’s book fair events, conferences children’s books (such as SCBWI by region), your experience conducting school visits, etc. The list is endless. It’s important to note that you don’t make it all about yourself. Shout out the successes of your teammates.
Participate in online chats through social networks. For example, on Facebook search groups you are interested in joining… like teachers, librarians, parents, schools. Participation is a must, so I strongly suggest that you don’t join more than 1-2 groups for each social network you’re a member of.
Offer advice and assistance from your expert point of view. When a particular topic is being discussed and you have experience on that topic, join the conversation and get involved. You will be pleased and surprised how much people appreciate your feedback and will remember you in the future. Over time, you’ll become known as the go-to person in your field of expertise, often leading to much more than you ever provided.
Don’t fall into the “it’s all about me” attitude. This is a surefire way to turn people off. Don’t talk about your specific book or product unless the conversation specifically lends itself to it.
Once you join a group on most social networks, you can set up an email option to be reminded of the latest discussions in the group so you remember to participate. You can also set a reminder via the To Do/Tasks option in your email. I use Outlook for my email and am constantly updating and revising my To Do list, which by the way gives me great satisfaction when reviewing the last item. Yes, I am a smart person and I love seeing the list of checked off tasks! I tell my daughters all the time, if it’s not on my list, it won’t get done.
Happy networking and remember not to overload yourself!
Until next time…
Donna M. McDine
Award-Winning Children’s Author and Publisher