Here's something I wish authors would think about when they're seeking publicity via Facebook: That they can drive their friends crazy with WAY too many status updates and way too many mentions of the subject of their book.
Anyone who uses Facebook should know that if they clog up people's screens with too many crappy posts that their frustrated friends might well click "hide" and see none of their posts. Just because someone has a ton of Facebook friends doesn't mean that 90 percent of them haven't clicked "hide" to make their posts go away.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Too Much Shameless Self-Promotion
A writer friend sent me this rant. Facebook users: Read it and take note!
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9 comments:
That's a good warning to hear right now as I am engaging in much shameless self-promotion recently.
Now that I know there's a way to hide some people's posts, I'm going to find out how to do it. Thanks for alerting me to that.
To hide Facebook posts:
Scroll the cursor over the poster's name--say Jane Doe. "Hide" will appear to the right. Click on that, then click on "Hide Jane."
To undo:
At the bottom of the page, on the "Older Posts" line, click "Show hidden posts." Then click "Options" to select posts to return to your news feed.
Thanks so much, Bella! I have a couple of friends whose posts are voluminous and consist entirely of Mafia Wars and quiz results and other such stuff.
Ditto. I *love* the Hide feature!
I've been rather shamelessly promoting my latest novel, which, since my agent hasn't sold it, I decided to blog. Self-promotion has always made me feel a bit trashy, but what is the alternative? So I'm letting anyone who might be interested know.
It is a mystery that takes place in 2012 in which a young woman witnesses a murder that starts a Muslim rebellion in Amsterdam, which touches off riots throughout Europe and leads to the Great Eurabian War--World War III.
To read my book, go to:
www.amsterdam2012.blogspot.com
Hope you tune in. I'll be posting new chapters every day.
Hey, great minds think alike. At the Obie Joe Media panels at yesterday's Baltimore Book Festival, my jaws dropped a few times when some of the urban lit young'uns described the ways they bombed FaceBook with their book covers, updates, etc. In other ways, shamelessly misusing their friends' affection for gain. There is a line, you know. FB should be an enhancement, not the thing itself when it comes to building your audience.
Well put! I'm going to quote that last line.
If you want to use F'book for promoting your book, set up a group for it. That way, you know that the members of the group are genuinely interested in your book, and happy to hear updates etc.
Good point, Steve. Thanks! Just set up a Facebook fan group for Bella Terra Maps, my publishing venture.
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