Help for authors timid about technology
What if I told you that there was one easy way to optimize your Facebook page, get more fans, and earn credibility as an author?
There is.
It’s something simple, highly effective, and often overlooked.
It’s also the secret to getting people over to your author page. Do you know what it is?
Debbie Skinner does.
Debbie is an artist, speaker, and author. It’s important for her to let people know who she is and how she can help them. But like most of us, she doesn’t want to be “that person.”
You know, the person who treats their Facebook page like their very own informercial on the Home Shopping Network.
Look at her profile. Do you see the secret?
It’s there. Look again.
The Secret is simple.
Treat your writing profession like a profession.
List your writing page as where you work. If you are a writer, let the world know!
The simple act of declaring yourself as a professional writer will invite people to treat you like one. It is also one of the top ways to drive traffic to your Author page organically. You don’t have to pay anything to get those fans.
If you already have an Author page, it makes sense to link it with your personal page. If you don’t have an Author page, they are easy to set up. Contact me if you want it done professionally.
Here’s how to link your pages:
1. Find the “About” section on your personal page.
For those of you who have switched over to Timeline, click the little profile picture icon of yourself in the upper right corner. That will take you to your main profile page.
The “About” section is located in the section beneath your profile picture. The picture above is a snapshot of mine, just so you can see what it looks like.
Tweetables -
- The secret Facebook optimization tip you need to do now. – Click to tweet.
- Oh wow, this is an incredibly simple (and obvious) Facebook tip. Do it! – Click to tweet.
- Are you an author on Facebook? Optimize your profile with this little trick. – Click to tweet.
- Why didn’t I do this sooner? It’s so easy! – Click to tweet.
- I usually don’t say “optimize” when it comes to Facebook but I just did. - Click to tweet.
2. Find the “Work and Education” section.
This should be the top section on your “about” page. Click the edit button.
In this picture, my information is filled in with Castle Media Group as my employer. Being a Social Media Manager is my primary function, so that is what I choose to highlight.
For professional writers, the story is different. You are an entrepreneur in many respects. You need to build your brand. Entering in your day job information is optional. Putting in your author page shouldn’t be.
3. Enter the name of your Author page.
In this illustration, I’m using the Author Media page but you will want to put in the name of your public Author page like Debbie did.
You’ll want to fill out the following information with “owner”, “writer”, or “speaker.” Whichever fits your brand best.
That’s it.
That’s the secret. Be professional.
Did you do it?
Share your Facebook tips in the comment section!
Many thanks! I’ve done it and passed on the info to all the writers that follow me …
Thank you, Julie! I’m glad that it helped!
I tried it – several times – but facebook won’t accept an author page. The list of suggestions that pop up are all biz pages with similar names. Even putting in the url of my author page didn’t work. Perhaps I am missing a step or something?
In the end, it created one of those generic business pages with Katherine (KT) Wagner at the top. I deleted it.
http://www.facebook.com/northernlightsgothic
Katherine, I’m not sure why it’s not working for you. I tested it out on other author pages and it seems to be working.
Does anyone else have any ideas?
I tried it again (a couple of hours later) and it worked. Either it was me or a glitch, but I have it up now. Thanks!
That’s great!
THank you! What a brilliant tip – why didn’t I think of this before? So, yes, I’ve just done it. And it feels really really good!
Glad that it’s worked for you! Thanks for telling us!
I just did this yesterday! I use FB for networking a lot for my “real” job as a journalist, so I linked to my TV show’s page first, but I also linked to my blog’s page – where I am an author. Do you know how I can get them to BOTH show up on my FB profile though?
I don’t think you can do two…yet. Give it a few months and Facebook will probably make it possible.
I just added it. Thanks for the great idea.
I’m still ducking Timeline. Do you know how to do it on the own page? Like Katherine, I can’t get my author page to come up. Also there doesn’t seem to be a way to save the changes! Brilliant idea – and so obvious, but then all the really good ideas are.
Sorry, I meant the ‘old’ page!
I’m so excited. I’ve been trying to figure out how to link my personal page to my Author page. I knew there had to be a way, I probably would have never thought of this on my own.
It was starting to make me mad that I could promote other authors on my page, but could;t show people how to get to my author page. Whew, one less thing to be upset about!