52 Projects

Website – You should have an anchor on the web, and the way to do that is to establish a website that is not single-book-centric. Think of your website not as a billboard where you are promoting your most recent book, but as an ongoing project that allows you to connect with colleagues and readers. Use a registrar like GoDaddy to purchase a domain name that you will use for the long haul, most likely your name (and not the title of your current book). Then, use a blogging platform like Blogger (blogspot), Tumblr, Typepad or WordPress to create your website. You may or may not need a designer to help you make the most of these platforms — try them out and see which one works for you. Note that social networks come and go (first there was Friendster and Myspace, now there is Facebook and Twitter… something else will no doubt come along), but your website will remain to anchor your online presence and the various social networks you will engage over time.

Facebook – This is currently the preeminent social network. It’s so preeminent that you probably already have a Facebook profile. You probably do not want to use this to connect with readers — it’s too much of an open book. Your profile should only be open to friends and family, given that those friends and family members might be posting and tagging pictures of you that only friends and family should see. That said, you can create a Facebook fan page to connect with readers. How do you do that? If you don’t know, google it.

More Facebook Resource Articles:
- Facebook Pages vs Facebook Groups: What’s the Difference?
- 5 Elements of a Successful Facebook Fan Page
- Mashable’s Facebook Guide Book

Twitter – This is in many ways much more useful than Facebook, as it does not trigger the same public/private concerns. It’s simple to sign up and learn how to use, but be aware that in order for it to be truly effective for you, you need to really put time into it. You can’t just “tweet” out your thoughts, links and news — you’ve got to respond and react to what other people are tweeting. In short, you have to join the conversation. Twitter is not for everyone but it is a very good way to connect not just with readers, but bloggers, book reviewers, journalists, fellow authors, and bookstore owners/buyers/managers.

Twitter Resource Articles:
- How To Use Twitter
- How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You
- Mashable’s Twitter Guide Book

Mailing List – You should have a mailing list that readers can sign up for to updates from you from time to time. It’s a way to be able to connect with your readers to let them know about new books, events, or big news. And you shouldn’t always make it about you — include relevant info unrelated to you that would be of interest to those who have signed up for your mailing list. Good mailing list services include Google Groups, Godaddy, MailChip, Campaign Monitor, and Constant Contact.

Amazon’s Author Central – When people search for you or your book, your amazon book page(s) will show up in the first page of results. Amazon offers you the opportunity to post blog entries or feed your blog into your book pages, as well as update your bio, post videos and more. Full details at Amazon Central — sign up and take advantage of the real estate.

Note that these five things are just the basic foundation of your online presence, and in many ways, the easy part. In 2010, the web is less about blogging on personal websites, and more about social networks. It’s about making connections (following, friending, fanning, retweeting, commenting), easily sharing information, and participating in online conversation. It goes without saying that you should be participating in some or all of the above — if you are not participating and engaging, you will have very little success online.

Also note that establishing all of the above is easy. If your first instinct is to ask for a meeting with someone to get help, or hiring someone to do it for you, you are going about this the wrong way. The best way to begin is to simply try to figure it our yourself — that way, you can truly grasp how it works and more importantly, how it can work best for you. And if you have questions, the most effective way to get the answers you need is to “Google” it. Most likely, someone has written and posted a step-by-step tutorial to show you exactly what you need to know. Of course, there is no “one-source” for information about how best to handle your online presence. But if you understand and engage the basics, and keep working to grow your knowledge, the easier it will be for your to figure things out and take advantage of all the cool things going on in the online space. When you see something or hear about something you think you should be doing, do a search for it online — you will often find a quick tutorial explaining how it works, how to implement it, and how best to use it.

More Author Resources