Support for Indie Authors discussion

As a new indie author I am trying to decide whether I should put my time and energy into an author Facebook page or website. What is your take? What worked and didn't work for you? If you've tried both and had to choose one, which one would you choose?

Thanks in advance!

Both. Plus twitter.

All the platforms. All the time.

How does anyone have time to write? :P

Discipline. I blog and social media in the morning, write in the afternoon. I work at my day job in between.

Facebook has the ability to qualify it as an author's page.

I have both, but don't put tons of time into either. So... there you go. I use both to just announce important stuff, so since not much important stuff is happening, they are pretty sleepy.

Given the number of social media sites available, I don't have a dedicated website. I have a blog, but honestly, I rarely post. I'm sure there are people who will claim this is bad or wrong, but I have seen no detriment in not having a website.

A blog is an author website, Christina - or at least it can be if you add one or two extra pages about your books.

The Author Facebook Page is ok. I get attention here and there on it depending what I post. But no I have not and will never have an author website. I find no use for them. I seem to be doing fine without one. I have a GR blog which I post on quite often enough which gets quite a bit of traffic. So there's that.

What Martin said. I just recently made an Instagram so I'll say that too if that's where your audience is.

Nate wrote: "A blog is an author website, Christina - or at least it can be if you add one or two extra pages about your books."

By dedicated website I mean a unique domain name and hosting. I don't have a need for the added expense of keeping a website when all of the social media available to us for free works just fine.

I have a website and email service for the book series which I stay on top of. I also own my domain and email service for my author name, but right now I'm just re-directing those to the book series one above. This is easier for me right now and my book series website covers the about the author, events, etc. anyway. But at l wanted to purchase my author brand stuff before someone else snagged it and then charged me more to buy it from them.

I also do the facebook fan page, but I only post on there 5 or so times a week. But it's nice to have that outlet for facebook ads and meeting people who might not be on twitter.

Twitter is where I make 95% of my connections with readers. I enjoy it immensely.

Instagram I hope to start using in future months, but then I draw the line, LOL.

Last December, I set up Facebook and twitter author accounts; Goodreads, Amazon and Smashwords author pages; and my own author website and domain email to see what happens and decide what's worth keeping once I have published several more books over the next two years. Contacts over the first six months include some existing friends, local press, a few other writers, and several writer organizations. Not bad, considering minimal publicity and promotion of first novel.

I have fb not website.

Make sure you have an author's page on Amazon.

You want to reach out far and wide.
You can link fb & Twitter so you post once but it goes on both.
Then get an author site; write fun, interesting blog posts.
Go in Instagram.
TALK TO PEOPLE. Don't just sell at them.

As an indie author you need to do as much as you possibly can.
Nobody said it'd be easy, just that it'd be worth it.

Good luck xx

I have website, Amazon author page, FB, Twitter and Google+, linked together but do what works for you.

T.L. wrote: "Make sure you have an author's page on Amazon.

You want to reach out far and wide.
You can link fb & Twitter so you post once but it goes on both.
Then get an author site; write fun, interesting ..."

I wonder if I have properly set an Amazon Author page. I thought I did but I have not linked it to my Twitter or Fb. T.L., if you ever find a spare moment, will you look me up and check it out?
Otherwise, I have a website, Instagram, review team. I think I am headed in the right direction...

I have Facebook and a website, which I also blog on. Not all the time, but when I feel inspirational or have something to share. I also have Twitter and recently started Instagram. I don't think it hurts to be all over social media. I think it's all what you're comfortable with and even what you have time for. It does take a lot sometimes to keep up with everything, but thankfully most of the social media out there have handy apps otherwise it'd be much harder:)

I have a facebook author page that I've linked to my twitter page - 1 post, 2 birds. :-). I've also just set up a website to feature my book and short stories. I'm not intending to blog, at least not at the moment, so it was easy(ish) to set up.

I also joined GoodReads and Google+, but am still finding my way around them.

Social media does take up a lot of your time, but I think it's important to get your 'name' out there.

I would recommend to do a bit of research on where your target audience hangs out. Instagram? FB? Good reads? Amazon? Forums?Do they request to see your website? Would you want to blog or send a newsletter to interact more with your fans?

You DONT have to be on all social media. It does take time to upkeep them all (although there are programs out there that can do simultaneous posts in all your media) so my recommendation is focus on three at the most to give you good visibility.

My final advice: be in at least ONE but most importantly, BE CONSISTENT! SHOW UP! If your fans know where to get ahold of you because you are always there, where you are will be their least concern. They will follow!

Website, definitely.

Hi there!

I do not have a Facebook author page yet. My website is set to launch in the next week (it is great having a hubby who can do such things). I have Twitter but I do not think I am using it like I should to promote my book. I will be working on that this week. I started a blog on Medium a few weeks ago and have posted two blogs with a business focus in line with my book.

As I say to my students, select a social media platform that you are comfortable with and will stay active on.

Good luck to you!
~Kris

I had just an author Facebook page for a long time and recently put together an author website with a personal domain name. I felt the Facebook page did well, but I was running into issues with people who do not use social media and it gets difficult to present information in an organized manner. Also, a website helps increase visibility online and with search engines. I was able to put one together fairly cheaply. I bought a cheap domain name, used bluehost, and picked a free WordPress theme. You can also do a free WordPress.com blog site which will has some limitations but is better than nothing.

If you have the time, it wouldn't hurt to use as many tools as possible, and the ones with which you're comfortable. Sometimes, though, we have to get out of the comfort zone to market a product. I have an author website, Facebook, and a blogging site. I did get some help with these since I wasn't savvy with social media. I get more inquiries about my book, though, through Facebook.

Thanks everyone for the great advise! I'm currently on twitter, Goodreads and I have an Amazon author page. I like the advise to figure out where my audience is first...since I'm targeting middle grade, I'm afraid that's probably Instagram and Snapchat which is totally intimidating! I wonder if there's an age requirement :)

😄