I know that I said the whole social media thing is a bit boring and a total time suck but I have been having some fun with it. I think once you start to see results it gets you more excited. You just have to get over the hump.
My first social media blog was about setting up basic accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. I was getting distraught on the thought of having to post everyday and be consistent. But then, along came Hoot suite. I had heard of these social media ‘platforms’ and then started to really look into what they have to offer. Let me just say – it is A-MA-ZING!
I researched a few of these systems and some are setup more for individuals. Hoot suite seemed to be the best fit for me. You can add all your social media streams (or accounts) and view simultaneously. The program is free for up to 5 social media accounts – so you can do Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and one more for no monthly charge. I am a member of quite a few author groups on Facebook so I upgraded to 9.99/month pro plan to have 50 social media ‘accounts’. Each ‘group’ I belonged to on face book counts as 1 social media ‘account’.
When I posted a blog, I found myself going to each group on Facebook, then my Twitter, then my LinkedIn, etc. This was very time consuming and I would end up getting distracted with screaming children in the process. Well, the most awesome thing about Hoot suite is that you can compose a message (or blog, whatever) and include all (or some – your choice) of your social media accounts and post to them at one time. And get this – you can SCHEDULE the posts too. This is what gets me so excited (I know I am kind of a loser if this makes me excited, but anyway…). Anything that helps me manage my time better I absolutely love. So now on the weekend I will get all my posts for the week and schedule accordingly. You can be more consistent and almost tell a story with your posts. The best time to post is between 10am-2pm so just schedule them for that time of day.
Hoot suite also features reports and analytics. Once you really start to get some traction, these tools are super helpful. They will help to show trends, what links are being clicked, what messages get the most views, etc. It is nice to start seeing results and feel like the time you are spending engaging with your social media is really paying off. This program helps to put everything right in front of me so I give it 2 thumbs up.
Check out my previous blogs on prelaunch marketing, cover/manuscript setup and working with a printer. If you are not following, just click the follow button on the right hand side to be emailed when new blogs are posted.
As always, I appreciate any comments, suggestions or feedback. If you have a blog topic you want me to cover – send it over.
…and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night.
real answers real authors 