Do you want to build a tribe or community around your book? You should you
know. As an author and even an aspiring author you are one of the best
candidates to build a tribe following of you and your work. First think about
the most feedback you’ve gotten ever on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or anywhere
about your book’s topic. This is where you could start.

For example, one of my information websites for a book trilogy, I noticed I
kept getting Facebook posts or someone messaging me with a question to one of my
general accounts. I finally put up a Facebook like box on that website, just to
see how it would fare. As soon as I posted it, 30 people liked it, in a few days
170 people liked. I know those aren’t huge numbers but it was a little sign that
I could build a community around this topic. In fact, from what I teach I should
have already been building community. So, I did the next best thing as soon as I
was aware of it, I started.

Perhaps, you have been getting little signs that it’s time to build a
community around your book’s topic? Here are some tips about how I got started
and you can too.

1. Add the main social buttons: Insert Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn and any other favorite social sites in your side bar or column. Place
your buttons in a prominent place. In website optimization terminology, place
your button above the fold. Experts say people respond most to anything in the
top third of your website. If you are using a WordPress blog, you can used the
Fixed Social plugin. Or if you are using an html website or some other blog
platform get your favorite social graphics and place them on your side bar or
side column. For more tips about building community around your book and other
book marketing tips download EZ
Book Marketing

2. Create a Facebook page for your book or book’s topic:
Fill in the profile as completely as you can. Put the link back to your website
on the timeline page. Post all your related articles, contest, related marketing
campaigns and more here as you grow.

3. Put a Facebook Like Box on Your Website: If you are doing
this yourself, sign up for a Facebook developers account http://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/
and create your box or button. Unless, you are lacking space on your
blog/website’s side column include the faces in your like box. People seem to
like seeing other people that have liked your website or book’s topic.

4. Place a graphic of your book. You might be surprised how
many people want to sell their book but have no picture or ad graphic for their
book. Don’t be shy; you can’t effectively build a community around something
that’s not seen. Are you proud of your work? Then proudly show your book/ad
graphic. After all, it is your space and your website. I’m not giving you a
license to be obnoxious with it; pasting it all over the place. But, do
tastefully display your book.

5. Place an invitation to join. Whether you decide to build
your community with your main door being a LinkedIn group, Facebook page/group,
Twitter following or some other way, it doesn’t matter just get started. I say
that because what proves successful for me may not work for you and your
community at all.

Join the discussion about Creating Community, post your comments,
successes or link to your writing community in the Facebook comment box below.
Share this article link on your  Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and you receive a
chance to win one of the Free EZ
Book Marketing ebooks on Wednesday June 13.

Social Media is fluidly changing the landscape of our personal lives and
businesses in varying degrees.  For some it seems like another time wasting
technology that seeks to invade our lives. Then there are others who see Social
Media as an opportunity; for them it’s all changing for the better.

Depending on which perspective you possess, whether you view it as a nuisance
or an opportunity I have some good news. Your customers and even your
competitors are embracing social media at a growing rate. Even the aging Baby
Boomer generation and beyond are incorporating social media into their daily
lives. A Baby Boomer friend of mine said she was resisting Social Media with her
colleagues and friends until her eighty year old mother got a Facebook page. Her
mother bragged so much about her friends and her daily posts that my Baby Boomer
friend gave in and setup her own social media accounts. Last I heard, she loves
the effect social media has had on her business and life. To confirm you should
be including social media in your marketing plan yesterday, please know there
are now more than 850 million active Facebook users, with over 200 million added
in 2011. (Growth trend Ben Foster)

Also, Nielsen found the following in their third quarter 2011 Social Media
Report:

1. Over 80% of all Americans use a social network.

2. Americans spend more time on Facebook than any other U.S.website.

3. Approximately 40% of social media users access their accounts through
mobile devices.

4. Nearly 23% of online time is spent on social networks.

5. Facebook is the top destination among social networks and blogs: Nielson
found U.S. users spend nearly 10x more time on Facebook than Twitter or
LinkedIn.

Even with such staggering statistics, there’s a personal element to most
networks that can be addictive. To allow users privacy control, they are given
the ability to limit access to their profiles to whomever they choose. Social
media savvy authors and writers alike should use them as arms of their
credibility growing, influence building and marketing. If not already, you will
soon find out, signing up and posting a page should not be the end of it.

Although, I have accounts with more than several other social media there are
only three that I give special attention. In my opinion, through all the
setbacks, dropouts, throughbacks and changes in the industry three social media
websites have emerged as leaders at this time. They are Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn.

To achieve social media success, first of all requires a consistent
investment of time. It’s important to note, success rarely happens quickly on
the social media scene. For example, only 25% of those just getting started in
social media saw new partnerships form, as compared to 80% or more of those with
three or more years of experience. If you are fortunate to see growth in your
social media accounts, you should remember the soft approach works best.

Use relationship marketing, where you genuinely build relationships with your
customers and friends then give back to your community. Hopefully, you haven’t
experienced this but it’s a known fact if you use social media sites as just a
place to sell your book or service and never give back to the communities,
you’ll find your friends and feeds disappearing faster than you add them. As
with all kinds of marketing, what you do on social media networks depends on
what your audience respond to and what your goals are. Here’s seven tips on the
big three of social networking.

Need  more help with including Social Media in your book marketing? Click
Here

Earma Brown is an expert in book writing, publishing and marketing
advice. She focuses on innovative and unique techniques to helping  others get
their book written, published and ready to sell in record time. She has been
successful in using new technologies in publishing  her own twelve books and a
few of her friends.