 There is much more to LinkedIn than you think. I’d say if you can fit it in then all of you authors and ministers out there need to be on it. This network isn’t just a place to put your resume and forget about it. LinkedIn has 200 million members. Half of these members have a Bachelor’s or Graduate degree. 20 million are recent college grads. These people are probably readers so authors, especially nonfiction authors, need to be on and using LinkedIn. This is the professional platform and if you are writing for the business crowd you’ll find many of them here.
Get more LinkedIn stats here: Amazing LinkedIn Stats You Can't Miss
Ministers take note that your church can create a LinkedIn profile just like any business or non-profit organization. You can also start a group or groups which can be a great way to expand your ministries.
Creative authors, poets and novelists, you can find a home and fans here as well. There a many groups to join to help you make connections. And if you hire yourself out as a writeryou definitely need to be on and using LinkedIn.
Let’s have a look at what you can do on LinkedIn.
Network. The number one thing on any social network.LinkedIn groups are the best way to do this. The next fivepoints have to do with groups.
Join at least one group. Make sure the group you joinis active. There are many groups on LinkedIn, but not allhave much going on.
Complete your profile. This is your calling card. It is how others will get to know you. If you don’t have much on it or you don’t have a picture it will be hard for others to take you seriously.
Read and follow the group’s rules. To the right near the top you’ll see a link to the group’s rules. Be sure to read them.
Promote your work. Take note that there is a "Promotions" tab on groups. This takes you to where you can promote your work. Most groups don’t like promotions added to the discussion board.
Get involved. In order to get something out of a group you need to put in the time, you need to contribute. You can share information or answer people’s questions.
Groups for authors: Book Marketing
Books and Writers
Writer’s Café
Groups ideas for churches/ministries:
The best thing for church community managers or ministers to do is to search LinkedIn groups for their denomination or particular interest. There are hundreds of church oriented groups out there. If you don’t fine one that fits, create your own.
And here are some other things you can do on LinkedIn:
Find connections. You need to find people with whom you can network. You can either invite people from your email lists or search on LinkedIn for people you know. If you don’t know someone you can get introduced through someone you have in common.
LinkedIn is set up to connect with those you have met or know. If you don't know someone, get to know them viaa group and then you can make the connection.
Post. Just like on the other social networks you can share links to your blog posts or other interesting and relevant information on your Home page. There you will find a news feed that shows posts from all of your connections. After you post you have the option of then sharing your post with one or all of your groups or to share with a particular individual.
Ask for recommendations. This is a great way to promote your work. You do this by clicking "Profile" at the top of the pageand going down the menu to "Recommendations." Click on this and up comes a list of the jobs you had or have. Pick which one you want a recommendation for and you’ll be sent to a form to fill out and email. Choose which of your connections know you via this particular work and be sure to personalize the message.
Personalize your LinkedIn URL. This is a great way to make sure people have found the right Jan Smith. It is also easier to use than a bunch of numbers when telling people how to find you on LinkedIn.
To personalize your URL move your cursor over "Profile" at the top of your home page and click "Edit Profile." In the profile overview box near the top of your profile, scroll down until you see a line for "Public Profile." It’s usually the last thing in that box. Click the "Edit link" and there you’ll see a long box with lots of things in it. Near the bottom of that is where you can personalize your URL.
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find many
of the social media tips I shared with this great group of creatives!
You can also hear me on NWCU's Blog Talk Radio show: The Nexus Cafe
every Thursday at 6 p.m. EDT where I share Social Sprite's Tip of the Week.
If you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan photographer, musician, etc. and
interested in being on The Nexus Cafe contact me and I'll tell you more
about how you can get on the air.
Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of the kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Wednesday – Tips for writers & Author of the Week
Thursday – Social Sprite's Tip of the Week on The Nexus Cafe
Friday – New blog post
 Your website is your home on the Internet; it’s your online business card. This means you need to have your complete information here and then some. When someone comes across your website they should be able to learn all about you, your work, your message and the other places you can be found around the Web.
Below are two lists. One is for authors and the other is for churches. Authors: Domain name: I talked about this last week. Home Page/Landing Page: This is the most important page. This is where you capture people’s interest. Your latest work should be here, the book cover, the blurb, tagline and the most adoring sentence from a few reviews. This is where you’re going to have your email list sign up and social media links. About page: Tell us about yourself. What makes you tic? What do you enjoy doing when not writing? Maybe you’re a writer who also enjoys photography. Share where people can find that work. Who inspires you? This is your bio and then some. Email signup: Email marketing is still a great way to connect and sell. You can use tools like Constant Contact or MailChimp. Calls to Action: Make your site interactive. You want people to buy your work so put in a “Buy” button. If you want them to follow you on Twitter or sign up on your email list ask them to do so. Contact Info: Make it easy for people to contact you. You neverknow if someone will want you to talk to their group, or has some other lucrative proposition for you. Samples of your work: People like to see what they’re buying. Share an excerpt from your book right on the site or offer a free chapter of your book via a PDF download. List of your books: You should display the book covers, the publisher info, book blurb, reviews and where to buy them. Current publisher: Share the love and appreciation for those who believed in you. If you’re self-published this could be an acknowledgement page, like the one you might have in your book. Representation: Have an agent or manager? Share the love some more and list them. Also let people know if you’d rather they went through your manager for gigs. Media Room: This is for the press. List press releases, a few different high resolution pictures of yourself and make sure to credit them, PR contact if you have one, manager if that’s who you work through, clips and a bio you’d like the press to use. News: This is for your fans. You can share what you’ve been up to. Have a new book contract? Finished your latest novel? Read at the local collage? Spent a week on the lake writing? Tell your fans all about it and post photos. Events: A calendar with your appearances. It’s also nice to sharelinks to the venues with a little blurb about them. Social Media: Have a link to your Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn profile, etc. on every page. Also be sure to utilize those share buttons. Blog: If you use your blog to share about your life you may not need a “News” section on your website. But if your blog has a specific purpose, let’s say you use it to give advice on writing or publishing etc. then keep your life events in the “News” section. Links of Interest: This is another place to share the love. Share links to your favorite authors, artists, musicians, as well as links to helpful blogs and other information you think will be of interest to your fans. Make it easy for your visitors to find all the above information Churches: Domain name: I talked about this last week. Home Page/Landing Page: This is the most important page. This is where you capture people’s interest. There should be a short blurb that tells people what your all about, address or a clear link to a map and directions, testimonials, a message from the minister (a video message would be best), and pictures that portray your mission and message. About page: Tell us your history and what work your organization does in the world today. Email signup: Email marketing is still important. You can use tools like Constant Contact or MailChimp. Calls to Action: Make your site interactive. If you want them to follow you on Twitter or sign up on your email list ask them to do so. Contact Info: Make it easy for people to contact you. You never know when you may be able to truly be of service to someone. Sermon page: Share samples of the minister’s Sunday sermons. Reading List: Share what books best exemplify your message. Media Room: This is for the press. List press releases, a few different high resolution pictures of your minister and make sure to credit them, contact person, short version of mission and message. News: This is for your congregation. You can post your newsletter here or make weekly or monthly updates using words and pictures. Events: A calendar showing the service times and any upcomingevents as well as the study classes you provide. Social Media: Have a link to your Facebook page, Twitter, LinkedIn profile, etc. on every page. Also be sure to utilize those share buttons. Blog: The blog can be used as the “News” section or it can be a weekly message from the minister. Links of Interest: This is the place to share links to guest speakers and others who exemplify your philosophy. Make it easy for your visitors to find all the above information
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find many
of the social media tips I shared with this great group of creatives!
You can also hear me on NWCU's Blog Talk Radio show: The Nexus Cafe
every Thursday at 6 p.m. EDT where I share Social Sprite's Tip of the Week.
If you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan photographer, musician, etc. and
interested in being on The Nexus Cafe contact me and I'll tell you more
about how you can get on the air.
Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of the kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Social Sprite's Tip of the Week on The Nexus Cafe and this blog
 Groups have been a part of the Internet experience since the beginning. They are a great way to meet people. I met my husband on an ICQ message board…remember ICQ? We connected via our love for poetry. Before social networking became what it is today, online groups and forums were the way to interact with others who shared your interests.
Nothing much has changed. Groups are still a great way to connect with those who share your interests. And many have found it’s also a great way for people to get to know you and your work…but is it? It can be if done right. Here’s a list of best practices that will help you build relationships and gain notice.
Don’t start with a sales pitch
Don’t make your first posting to a group a sales pitch for your book or website unless that is what the group expects. Some groups on Goodreads and LinkedIn even have a special place for promotions. Be sure to learn the rules before you do anything.
Introduce yourself
If you write poetry say so, if you wrote a book you can mention that…but just mention, no sales pitch. Now just hang out for a while and get a feel for what the group is about and what kinds of things people share and talk about.
Now that you have some idea of what the group is about and they’ve met you:
Interact
Read or take a look at other people’s work. If you like it say so, maybe even mention why you like it. Does it make you remember something or touch you in some way? Let the person know. It’s all about developing relationships.
Is the group right for you?
After a week or so of listening and interacting you should be able to tell if the group is one where you’d like to spend your time.
Sharing your work
The day you share be sure to check out other members’ work…it will bring your name to their attention and perhaps they’ll check out your work. Don’t be fake though. Only respond to the poems or art that you truly like. It’s all about being genuine so you can build relationships.
Collaboration
It’s from those relationships that you’ll be able to discover people you can collaborate with. Don’t rush this if you don’t see it already happening in the group. If you don’t see it then it might be best to put a call out for a collaborator and see if you get any bites.
Time Consideration
Time is an important thing to consider. How much do you have of it? Don’t belong to more groups than you can handle.
If it gets to the point that you just post and run, stop. Take stock of how much time you do have and spend it in one or two groups. The biggest benefit of this is that you just might develop some real friendships as well as fans.
Offline Groups
Don’t forget about the real world. You can use Meetup.com to find live and in person groups to join right in your own neighborhood. Who knows, you might have fans that live on your block.
This isn't a quick way to get known, but it’s not all about you either. You’re enriching your life and the lives of others. Fans are a side benefit. And if you've become a fan of someone be sure to share their work with your network.
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find many
of the social media tips I shared with this great group of creatives!
You can also hear me on NWCU's BlogTalk Radio show: The Nexus Cafe
every Thursday at 6 p.m. EDT where I share Social Sprite's Tip of the Week.
If you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan photographer, musician, etc. and
interested in being on The Nexus Cafe contact me and I'll tell you more
about how you can get on the air.
Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of the kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Social Sprite's Tip of the Week on The Nexus Cafe and this blog
 Be the one who does it right. Even if you think you've got it down it's easy to slip back into old patterns or to simply forget. It's all a part of the learning process. So take a look at this week's articles just to make sure you're on the right track. Let's dive in!
6 Ways to Make It Easier For People to Find You on Social Networks
By Sue Cockburn on Social Media Today
What I have found when it comes to people using the Internet is that you have to make it easy for them. You have to go out of your way to make things obvious if you want people to know that you can be found online. Besides all of Sue’s great points I would also add, tell people. Mention that you’re on Facebook in conversation even if it’s on the business card you just handed over to someone.
Social Media Red Flags to Avoid
By Timothy Carter on Social Media Today
It’s only five points and they are all easily incorporated into your marketing. I bet you’re already avoiding some of them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on Your Facebook Page
By Janet Fouts on Social Media Today
This article sums up some of what was said in the others. Have time for only one? Read this one.
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find
a storehouse of social media tips I shared with this great
group of creatives! And if you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan
photographer, etc. please join us!
Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of the kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Social Sprite's Top 3
 Ever wonder why the sound of certain voices makes you take notice or soothes you? It’s not only the sound or the physical vibrations in air, it’s how the voices are used and the personality expressed. A voice adds immediacy and makes a poem or story come alive. The personality is especially important for ministers because who you are is what draws people to your church.
The power of the voice is why social networks like SoundCloud are an important part of the marketing mix. Writers, poets, ministers, you all have a voice and a message or story to share with the world. I encourage you to use your voice and be heard. If you don’t feel confident here’s a video interview with Lynn Singer that will help you learn how to find your voice.
This week’s tips are all about SoundCloud and podcasts. There is specific advice for writers as well as tips on how to best use this particular social media effectively to market yourself and your work. Let’s dive in and discover its secrets.
SoundCloud Tips: Marketing and Promotion II
By Symphonic Distribution
You've heard the name now discover how you can use this fast growing, music sharing site. With 18 million users and an estimate of 1.5 million new users every month it’s rapidly becoming the place to share your sounds and be heard.
SoundCloud Advice for Writers
By Jason Boog on GalleyCat
Share the richness of your text via the sound of your voice. Via this podcast interview you’ll find out how to best utilize this popular site as a writer.
Is Your Church Social? Part 20 – Podcasts – Kinds of Podcasts
By Kurt Steinbrueck on Church Marketing Online
Now that you know about SoundCloud this article gives you an idea of what kinds of shows you ministers can add to your Church's account.
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find
a storehouse of social media tips I shared with this great
group of creatives! And if you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan
photographer, etc. please join us!Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of the kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Social Sprite's Top 3
 The white paper I've been working on is now available! Please sign up by using the form over there to the right. Be sure to click the box next to “Social Media Marketing for Authors" to get your free white paper and free monthly e-newsletter. If there is another topic that interests you click that too!Here are some of the topics the white paper covers:- Find out who will love your work
- Discover ways to monitor conversations about you online
- See how easy it is to create and curate great content
- Simple ways to measure your progress
- How to create a plan and put it into action
Here is a peek at it.
Social Media Marketing Goals
Now that you know your overall goals and all the ways you can use to accomplish them it’s time to take a look at your reasons for using social media as part of your overall marketing strategy.
Get specific. Ask yourself why you want to use social media. Some examples: increase awareness, gather a community around your type of writing/books, be seen as the expert in…, etc.
Also ask:
- Who? Will you hire someone or do it yourself?
- What? Do you want to create many small campaigns or one large one?
- Where? Will your platform include Facebook and Twitter? Only Facebook? Goodreads?
In order to accomplish your goals you need to make sure they are SMART. SMART stands for: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Using the example of “increase awareness” here's what a SMART goal would look like:
Increase awareness of my latest novel by me posting five times per week on my Facebook page to gain 100 fans in the next 30 days.
Let’s break this down:
- Specific: Increase awareness of latest novel with 5 posts on Facebook.
- Measurable: Gain 100 fans.
- Attainable: This is something I can do.
- Relevant: Facebook has been useful in creating awareness for books.
- Timely: Time frame of 30 days to help measure success.
This is just the beginning of the process. Sign up for the rest of the paper using the form to the right and be sure to click on the box next to “Social Media Marketing for Authors."
I'm looking forward to sharing in your success in 2013!
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find a storehouse of social media tips I shared with this great group of creatives! And if you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan
photographer, etc. please join us!Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of the kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Social Sprite's Top 3
 I read, via a SFGate blog post that Instagram is rethinking their rather unfair policy on using your photos. We’ll see what they come up with next. It looks like they may actually be back peddling.
There are two new things this week. LinkedIn profile pages have a new look and now you have the ability to download your Twitter archive. I’ve also included a great article on how to make your marketing more efficient because we all know it’s about the time.
Speaking of time, I’m taking some time off from social media until Jan. 2. This will be my time to reboot because I’ve got lots of new things in the works for 2013. So keep a look out for the first new thing on Jan 2, the white paper for authors. Take some time for yourself, too. Let’s all make this a great 2013!
Happy Winter Solstice and Merry Christmas!
8 Creative Tips to Help You Maximize Your New LinkedIn Personal Profile Page for 2013
By Neal Schaffer of Windmill Networking
Your Twitter archive
On Twitter’s Blog
5 Excessive Marketing Tactics to Stop Wasting Your Time On
By Corey Eridon on HubSpot
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find
a storehouse of social media tips I shared with this great
group of creatives! And if you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan
photographer, etc. please join us!
 New things this week! Google+ communities and new Facebook privacy settings. We’ll also take a look back over 2012 via Google Doodles. Let’s dive in!
Here's What the New Facebook Privacy Settings Will Look LikeBy Alex Fitzpatrick on Mashable
New and improved these new settings will be rolled out betweennow and the end of the year. I especially like the alerts that will tell you if the content you choose to hide on your Timeline will show up elsewhere.
Google+: Communities and photos
On Google’s Official Blog
Maybe you were recently invited to a community on Google+ and wondered what is this all about. Well Google+ rolled out their community feature at the end of last week. I joined my first community a couple of days ago. It’s been a lot of fun. Authors, artists, churches this could be the place to start your own community around your brand or genre. Find a group to join and learn the ins and outs before you start your own. They've also rolled out a new photo app for Android.
The 10 Most Popular Google Doodles of 2012
On Mashable
A trip down memory lane…Google style. This one is just for fun. Enjoy your weekend!
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find
a storehouse of social media tips I shared with this great
group of creatives! And if you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan
photographer, etc. please join us!Visit me during the week on your favorite network:Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of what kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for artists
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Friday - Post my blog, hang out on Twitter and study social media so you don't have to.
 I’ve harvested four articles this week instead of three on:- Public domain resources
- Social media success stories from a music artist and authors (2 articles)
- What churches should post on Facebook based on an internal study by Facebook
It’s a review of posts I shared this past week. Since it’s a holiday week and many of you are busy I put all the posts here for perusal at your leisure. I believe these articles are particularly helpful so I didn’t want you to miss out.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!
How to Use Public Domain Content to Boost Your Blog By Christopher Jan Benitez on Social Media Today
Christopher put together a great resource here. Check it out!
How Social Media Made Indie Hip-Hop Artist Macklemore #1 on iTunes
By Zoe Wilson on the Confluence Digital Blog
Zoe breaks down an artist’s strategy on various social media channels to show you how to use social media to make it big.
Is Social Media The Magic Bullet To Promote Your Self Published Book?
By Annie Pilon on Small Business Trends
Annie has compiled real life stories from authors who have succeeded in using social media to gain awareness for their work.
Facebook Page Engagement Insights for Churches
By Dave Hakes on Internet Toolbox for Churches
Dave breaks down a report from Facebook on what makes a good post and applies it to the needs of churches.
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find
a storehouse of social media tips I shared with this great
group of creatives! And if you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan
photographer, etc. please join us!
Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of what kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for artists
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Friday - Post my blog, hang out on Twitter and study social media so you don't have to.
 It’s all about Pinterest this week. Lots of new things going on over there like business accounts and widgets for your website as well as secret boards. Let’s dive in right now and see what this means for you!
Pinterest Finally Rolls Out Business Accounts: How to Set Yours Up TodayBy Corey Eridon on HubSpot
Great news! Now you will better be able utilize Pinterest for your brand. If you have a Pinterest business account you’ll have access to things designed for business use as they roll them out. Just be aware that the terms of service for these business accounts are different than for individual users.
What Are Pinterest Secret Boards And How Do They Work?
By Tracy Sestili on Social Strand Media
This new Pinterest application has a variety of uses beyond just hiding a board while you get it ready. You could use a secret board for your church board members to communicate or your newsletter team. Authors can create a secret board for new book ideas; you could also have a contest where a fan gets the chance to have a sneek peek at your next book by adding them temporarily to the board.
How to Add Pinterest's Buttons & Widgets to Your Website
By Pamela Vaughan on HubSpot
In a few simple steps get all of these Pinterest buttons on your website! These are a must if you've got one of Pinterest’s new business accounts.
'Pin It' Button
'Follow' Button
'Profile' Widget (NEW!)
'Board' Widget (NEW!)
Please visit New World Creative Union where you can find a storehouse of social media tips I shared with this great group of creatives! And if you're a poet, writer, artist, artisan photographer, etc. please join us!
Visit me during the week on your favorite network:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn for more helpful
social media and marketing tips!
Here’s my weekly schedule of what kinds of helpful posts I’ll be sharing:
Monday – General social media and marketing tips
Tuesday – Tips for artists
Wednesday – Tips for writers
Thursday – Tips for spiritual organizations and churches
Friday - Post my blog, hang out on Twitter and study social media so you don't have to.
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