Social Media Monopoly

Pinterest.

Twitter.

Facebook.

Blogging.

Instagram.

What else have I missed?

Photo Credit

There are so many social media sites out there and it only seems to grow “worse” with every new day. The thing with social media is it’s always changing. Always. We get one thing mastered—for many it was Facebook and Twitter—and now Instragram is on the scene as one more way to stay in touch and market/promote ourselves.

Newsletters are almost becoming obsolete because we stay in touch with our favorite authors and companies through Facebook and Twitter and get real-time updates. Even trying to reveal a book cover to only your newsletter subscribers can be tricky with there being so many ways it can leak out to the public early. We get one thing figured out and the trends have rotated and it’s time for something else.

Social media is not for the faint of heart or those who don’t like to change and adapt. You have to go where the crowds are and then make a place for yourself on the stage. This often is harder than it seems, but many also make this harder than it needs to be.

One of my biggest tips? See if the social media sticks around. Like buying technology the minute it hits the market, give it a couple years and let the company perfect their product. While we don’t usually give that amount of time to social media, I think it is wise to stand back and watch how quickly the fad comes and how soon it wears off.

Pinterest is going strong…and only getting stronger. It might be a good time to jump on that bandwagon. More publishers and publicity campaigns are utilizing this site to reach readers. The average American is on Pinterest and it’s a place to meet them.

Twitter isn’t for everyone. Yes, it’s a place to primarily promote and spread the word about a new book release or a blog post or a signing, but it’s also a great place for conversation. I’ve met and gotten to know good friends through Twitter. It’s not just a giant advertising billboard.

Instragram is a site I have taken to using yet, simply because I don’t take that many pictures and I don’t have a smart phone to automatically post to that site. But look into it. See what kind of readership you can connect with. Not as trying to push what you have to sell, but getting to know your readers. What do they post about, like, enjoy? What do they do on the weekend and read at night? A picture is truly worth a thousand words.

Photo Credit

Social media is not a time to mass promote your book sales. Though there is certainly a time and a place to do that. But balance your promoting with your relationships. These connections you make with real live people, like yourself, should be your number one priority. When the self promotion takes away from the relationships, it’s time to throw the self promotion out the window.

Social media is not about you.

Social media is not about you.

Social media is about what you can do for someone else. How can you help promote their new book release? How can you meet their needs? Get to know them as friends? In cultivating these solid, meaningful friendships, you’ll find a tribe of people willing to return the favor and help you out…without having to ask.

Social media is less about quantity and more about quality. Do one site really well before you join another. And if you’re succeeding where you are, stay there. Test the waters of other sites sure, but make sure what you do, you do well. That is the heart and key to social media.

So head to Go! Collect that $200 and let’s get started.

What social media do you plan to join or get better at in 2014?

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Casey Herringshaw is a homeschool graduate and has been writing since high school. She lives in rural Eastern Oregon in a town more densely populated with cows than people.