For the past few weeks, we’ve explored using different methods of social media to broaden our reading audience and increase our e-book sales.  Utilizing these online networking sites introduces us to a world beyond our friends and family.  Once we create our brand and following, provide valuable content, and interact with online markets, our prospective customers grow.

Remember these simple rules on how to use all social media platforms effectively:

• Online handles –use a recognizable name (individual, pseudonym, or company names); don’t use a fun moniker or nickname; similarly, use a recognizable avatar (head shot, picture, or company logo).
• Socialize – chat for fun; respond in a timely manner; and don’t auto message followers; be personable; and join and participate in similar interest groups.
• Provide Valuable Content –promote others writers, retweet and encourage their products and successes; promote our products, provide linkage and any positive reviews from our fellow writers; be informative; and share information that will benefit all writers.
• Keep it positive – Don’t use social media to rant; when publishing a negative review, provide information backing up the low rating; don’t be negative.

The most popular social media platforms today, by way of users, are Facebook (750 million users), YouTube (1 billion hits per day) and Twitter (over 200 million users).

Remember the Twitter formula?

Twitter Success = 1/4 Socializing + 1/4 Promoting Others + 1/4 Promoting Our Products + 1/4 Provide Information

But let’s not forget these other social media methods for organic marketing with millions of users each: blogging, LinkedIn, Google+, Reddit, and StumbleUpon.

Social media and organic marketing are not limited to these platforms.  Similar to YouTube, Vimeo has over 3 million users including many popular musicians.  Much like the growing communities and groups via Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and Reddit, Buzznet also offers online communities to share photos, blogs or journals, and videos.

Our possibilities are endless on the World Wide Web when we use social media wisely.  We must utilize our time management skills to the best of our ability and be consistent to grow our fans and followers.  As our following increases, so will expectations.   Remember to set a schedule, keep on subject, and provide valuable content with strong keywords and tags.

Now, let’s put this information to use!

7 Steps to Increasing our e-Book Sales:

1. Abbydo the Author decides to self-publish her recently edited mystery novel with romantic elements.  [t1]
2. Abbydo the Author contacts Digital Content Center to convert her manuscript into all e-book formats (Kindle, Nook, and i-Pad) and build her website complete with their easy to use shopping cart service.
3. While DCC is hard at work, Abbydo the Author creates her social media brand.  She sets up a blog (Abby the Author’s Blog), Twitter account (Abbydo_the_Author), Facebook profile (Abbydo the Author), and Google+ handle (Abbydo the Author).
4. Abbydo the Author decides that on Mondays, she is going to blog reviews of her favorite mystery and romance author’s novels; and on Fridays, she is going to blog reviews of her favorite mystery and romantic movies.   She then tweets about these blog posts, and she copies the blog links to Facebook and Google+.
5. Meanwhile, Abbydo the Author locates and follows other writers and online users that share similar interests with her,  promoting her new friend’s blog pages as well her own.
6. After just a few months online, Abbydo the Author has built a solid following by keeping it positive on the Internet.  She’s busy socializing and supporting her new social media friends when DCC contacts her — she’s ready to sell her e-book.
7. Finally, Abbydo the Author sits back and watches as her family, friends, and digital comrades visit her website and click the Buy Button that Digital Content Center programmed for her.

Sound like a good plan, doesn’t it?  We think so!

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!

[t1] For the purpose of this blog post, Abbydo the Author is a fictional character.  Any resemblance to an actual person is purely coincidence.