Which social media is best to promote your book?

Increasingly we interact through social media, a catch-all term for various web-based and mobile technologies that allow the user to generate content. Rather than rely solely on traditional media, such as newspapers and television, writers today have to get the word out about their book utilizing social media outlets, which includes Goodreads, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and blogs. Indeed, the advantage of social media is that it allows people with like interests to connect, share information, and discuss topics, meaning you can directly reach those potential readers who are most likely to buy your book.

So which social media outlet is the best way to tell the world about your book?

That in large part depends upon your readers’ use of social media. Therefore, you probably need to have a presence on all of them.

However, some are outlets are worthy of more attention. My personal experience in promoting my own books is that some do seem to be more productive than others, and it’s largely a matter of which genre I’m writing in. My fiction and poetry do well via Facebook, Goodreads, and traditional media. My nonfiction does well via LinkedIn and traditional media. Neither genre does well on Twitter...but one way to be taken seriously by traditional media apparently is to have a Twitter account with followers, so there’s some secondary benefit to it.

Goodreads recently ran the results of a survey about where readers discovered or found new books. While Goodreads arguably is not the most subjective source for such a survey, I’ve found that with own my own titles and anecdotally in discussing with my clients (I run an editing business) how they sold their books that the results seem to bear out:
• Known author 96%
• Friend offline 79%
• Goodreads friends 64%
• Goodreads recommendation 60%
• Bookstore 59%
• Library 54%
• Amazon.com 54%
• Goodreads browsing 43%
• Newspapers 40%
• Author’s website 26%
• Radio 19%
• Facebook 14%
• Television 9%
• Publisher’s website 8%
• Twitter 6%

What conclusions can you draw from the survey? Focus your promotional efforts on Goodreads, getting yourself in bookstores and libraries, and receiving traditional media exposure via newspapers. And while a presence is necessary, don’t spend a lot of time trying to sell your book via Twitter, your publisher’s website (such as CreateSpace), or Facebook.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Boise, Idaho, or a small town like Cut n' Shoot, Texas, I can provide that second eye.