Creating Community Around Your Book Part II

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.