Your life just got easier.

Facebook has finally given page administrators more power. This means that you can schedule your updates, just like you can your tweets. There is no reason to use third-party applications which are cumbersome at best and glitchy at worse.

Having the power to schedule posts gives you the opportunity to master your social media plan. (Don’t have one? It may be time to get a Social Media Coach.)

You Have No More Excuses

You don’t have an excuse to be logging onto Facebook while you should be writing. Many authors use the excuse of “it’s marketing!” but the reality is that unless you are specifically marketing, you’re probably wasting time. Quit wasting time!

We’re all guilty of it. That’s why this update is so exciting. Instead of sitting in front of the computer, waiting for something to happen, you can outline how you want your Social Media day to go and focus on your writing.

You can still use social media to interact with people but you won’t be a slave to it any longer.

Here’s how to schedule posts for your Author Timeline:

Unfortunately, this feature is only available on public profiles. You will not be able to schedule updates on your private page.

According to tests run by Mashable, you can plan posts up to six months in advance. Posts must be scheduled to run 15 minutes apart.

This Sounds Great, But How Do I Make It Work?

Scheduling updates isn’t hitting the “easy” button. Being successful in anything takes work. Social Media is no different.

Start thinking about the big picture. What do you want to be known for? What kind of content are you currently sharing on your author Facebook page? What pieces of media are your fans engaging with? Scheduling dud posts isn’t going to make you successful. It will just make you an organized dud.

To make this work, you’ll need:

• An editorial calendar for your blog
• Your personal editorial calendar
• A clear author persona (how do you want to interact with fans?)
• A vision of where you are going and the type of author you want to be
• An understanding of your Facebook analytics
• A thick chunk of time to process, plan, and strategize.

This is a fantastic tool for the DIY author. If you find the process overwhelming, talk to a social media coach or a social media manager. Or just talk to Author Media. We have both.

Are you excited about being able to schedule your posts?