Ten priorities for promoting your book on Facebook

'''in progress ... to be presented as one of the modules for the social network workshop'''

For other Facebook-related resources, please see Social network workshop: Facebook


 * 1) start a Page, instead of (in addition to?) a group.  Unlike groups, pages can have applications.  (What are the other advantages?)
 * 2) use events for book readings, online discussions, and to coordinate and promote blogswarms and carnivals.  Events are one of Facebook's most powerful virally networked mechanisms; as Gayle Laakmann describes, "On Facebook, people discover invites for (public) events through their friends - but without their friends inviting them, because of mini-feeds."
 * 3) be on Facebook long before your book is out. Find friends and join groups where you will be an active participant before coming on simply to promote.  Or, if you're a newcomer, partner with somebody who's been around for a while.
 * 4) create videos and post on your book page: book trailers, read an excerpt, personalize invites to readings
 * 5) when you send updates to fans, make sure to TELL them to click on the Share button to push the event or fan page out to their network
 * 6) Make sure your blog feeds into your FB profile and book page.  If you blog at multiple places, combine the feeds into a single one using Feedburner -- although keep Facebook's friendly advice in mind: "If you import too many blog posts in a day, you could be blocked from writing or importing new notes, and this could result in your account being disabled."
 * 7) turn excerpts of your book into jpeg files and add your books as a photo album - it keeps it safe and is the only way to get your book onto facebook product pages at the moment.
 * 8) use the status update on your personal profile to 'refresh your story'. In other words, don't say "hey, buy my book!" but mention upcoming book related events, exciting reviews, or anything else you want your Facebook friends to know.
 * 9) use the Posted Items/Share an Item feature to share links about you, your book, or anything else you think people might find interesting.