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Top Three Thursday: Social Media News You Can Use

TTTPearsWelcome to my Thursday feature. Here’s where I link three useful and interesting articles from excellent information sources all about social media and marketing subjects.

As you know, changes are always happening in the world of social media. We have a lot to keep up with!

Earlier this year Pinterest introduced a new feature called “Pinterest Propel”. In  “Introducing Pinterest Propel for Successful Advertising” they outline what this new feature offers and how it can propel advertisers forward to stand out among their users. This service is really for businesses that have figured out how to leverage Pinterest to expand their bottom line but still want to increase their Pinterest ROI.

Twitter has introduced a new aspect to their brand called Twitter Kit. Twitter Kit is designed for advanced Twitter users looking to get even more out of their tweeting experience. In their recent blog post titled “Introducing Twitter Kit 3” they outline the benefits and feature by provided from this new service. This kit is for users that enjoy customizing their features to optimize their overall experience.

Periscope has begun to expand their reach further between social media platforms. In Adweek’s recent blog titled, “ Periscope Users Can Now Connect To Their Facebook and Google Accounts” they explain how this change arose and what the opportunities it has opened up. Will this make Periscope a more viable option for live video on social media? Time will tell.

See you next week with another edition of Top Three Thursday: Social News You Can Use.

Melody Jones is your social media aspirin. She helps take the pain out of social media for you! Check out her services and see which one can reduce your social media pain the most.

Posted on

Top Three Thursday: Social Media News You Can Use

TTTPearsWelcome to my Thursday feature. Here’s where I link three useful and interesting articles from excellent information sources all about social media and marketing subjects.

As you know, changes are always happening in the world of social media. We have a lot to keep up with!

In Poynter’s recent blog titled “Facebook is testing products to connect it’s users to local news”, they explain the latest installment of features offered by Facebook. These new testing products are designed to help continue to push and promote local happenings for users to keep them up to date on what is happening in their own neighborhoods.

Instagram’s recent blog post “New Objectives Now Available in on Ads in Stories”, covers why they decided to change direction from only focusing on reach and targeting in their new advertising offerings. Now ads are capable of incorporating Traffic, Video news, Conversions, and Mobile App Installs.

In Adweek’s recent update for Twitter titled, “Twitter Adds 9 Million New Users in 3 Months, Surpassing Q1 Estimates” it appears that even though this social giant was on the decline in popularity, it is now making a BIG comeback. This is great news for Twitter, and its loyal fan base, but what does it mean for the rest of 2017? Good question.

See you next week with another edition of Top Three Thursday: Social News You Can Use.

Melody Jones is your social media aspirin. She helps take the pain out of social media for you! Check out her services and see which one can reduce your social media pain the most.

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Should Authors Have a Strong Social Media Presence?

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Charles Dickens once wrote that “you can’t shut out the world…you must mingle with it…make the best of it…and make the best of yourself into the bargain.” Social media is as important to writers as the words they put on the page. If you cut yourself off from the world, you lose connection with your readers.

There are some authors (like Joanna Trollope) who believe that social media engagement is a threat to literature, but I disagree.

It is human nature to be social in some form. Social media interaction allows us to do so from the comfort of our own homes. You can give articulate responses in pajamas and no one would know the difference.

Social media is beneficial for writers. Your online presence is necessary and valuable to your author brand. Here are some tips to get you started.

Nix the Drama

You’ve seen it happen. Flame wars, insults, rumor spreading, schoolyard-style bullying and more are what give authors in social media a bad name. Your social media presence represents who you are to your readers. They will remember how you act, so keep the drama to a minimum.

Be Comfortable in Your Skin

I’m not talking about taking selfies. I mean show your fans, friends, colleagues, and potential readers something you enjoy doing. If you like to paint, share that. If you enjoy planning your week on a paper calendar or in a planner, snap a quick photo before you add personal data to it so they can see your process. When you’re ready to ship off new products, show the shipping production line. I work with one author who shares the view Author's Catout her window when she’s writing, and her affection for her cats who regularly lay on her keyboard.

The behind-the-scenes posts are what makes you stand out from the crowd!

It’s Not About Sales (Most of the Time)

Social media is about being social. While your end-goal is to gain loyal book-buying readers, you won’t get there by pounding them with promotional material post after post. By the same token, if you never post about what you do or the services you provide (with links, of course, since most of your social media readership are now mobile-only users), they won’t engage with your sales funnel.

Spelling and Grammar are IMPORTANT!

Spelling - Authors WritersWhile it’s easy to become lax about spelling and grammar, I would urge you not to be. Have trouble with either one? Try a free plugin like  Grammarly. If you’re a fumble fingers with your phone, consider a USB keyboard, using a stylus, or waiting until you’re able to concentrate more on your posts.

Social media isn’t the literature-killer that people believe. Not every reader will be on board with their favorite author having a social presence. For the rest, however, they’ll be thankful for the chance to get to know you.