If I had to do it all over. . .
would I have made my Facebook page a Fan Page?
I joined Facebook in 2008. At that time you could have a personal page or a fan page. I was starting out on the publication journey, for real this time, and decided to check out this new Facebook gig.
Little did I know what I was in store for.
Fast forward to today and the fan page is loooooong gone.
Here is Facebook’s response to why they changed the verbiage:
To improve your experience and promote consistency across the site, we've changed the language for Pages from "Fan" to "Like." We believe this change offers you a more light-weight and standard way to connect with people, things and topics in which you are interested.
I'm not a big FAN of calling my readers FANS....that is a whole different issue that we will discuss later, but before now my choices were personal Facebook page or Fan Facebook page. Now my choices are personal page or a like page or both.
I posted a question on my only Facebook page about switching over. Author H.P. Mallory was gracious enough to give me a little advice, and I took it. She suggested NOT to get rid of the personal page because you risk losing a lot of followers. I decided to have two pages, one personal and one like. . .little secret. . .they are both for my readers and friends.
Why? Why would I want to rock the boat and add another page for people to follow?
Simple! Maybe not that simple. I sat down and made a list of why I wanted to have a like page. And I thought you'd benefit from these questions too:
1) How many friends do you have on Facebook?
2) Would those friends move over to a like page?
3) A friend page is limited to 5,000.
4) A like page is unlimited.
5) What type of privacy do you want?
6) Is you personal page really personal and not something you'd share with the world of Facebook or readers?
7) Are you building an author brand and what type of personality do you want to give?
8) Are you trying to make friends or sell books?
These were questions that I asked myself. I decided to have a Facebook account to get my name out there. The person that I am on Facebook is the exact person I am. I quote inspirational quotes to my friends and family so I share them on Facebook. I take care of the people I love and don't bother with the people who are negative, just like I do with jealous writers or negative writers. There is nothing on my personal Facebook page that I wouldn't share with author Facebook page.
The biggest reason I decided to go with a like page is the limited number of friends I can have on my personal page. Either way. . .both pages will have the same updates, pictures, and quotes!
So come on! LIKE me!! Tonya Kappes, Author
Do you have a Facebook? Let's swap likes!
I haven't made a Like page, Tonya, but I can see why I need one. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Sandy!
DeleteHi, Sandy! I didn't want a like page in the beginning b/c I wanted to control who saw what. . .but hind site. . .I don't have anything to hide:) So I wish I would've started out with a like page.
ReplyDeleteMore great advice! When I started on the writing journey, I got a regular FB page. After I published my first book, I set up a like page, adding writer to my name. But, like you, I'd never post anything on my personal page that I wouldn't want anyone to see. So if anyone wants to connect with me, they can do it in either place!
ReplyDeleteSame with me, Maria.
DeleteHi Tonya, I've got two FB pages, and the one still has the old "authorfanpage" label attached to it. I thought I was setting up a separate page when I did this last year, but they seem to be connected. After reading your blog post, I'm just not going to worry about it. If folks find my personal page first, that's okay. I'm sort of like you, no secrets, or maybe like Popeye: "I yam who I yam!" Thank you for putting my mind at ease.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/annswann.author
http://www.facebook.com/annswann.authorfanpage
Great way to look at it!
DeleteAh, Facebook. I now maintain 5 pages. Yes, you read that correctly.
ReplyDeleteThey are:
Melissa Landers, personal. (Where I discuss which one of my kids is currently puking, and other fun details my friends and family probably don't want to know.)
Melissa Landers, YA author.
Macy Beckett, romance author.
The Honestly YA blog.
The Lucky 13s. (A group of debut YA novelists with 2013 releases.)
There's another page coming, but I might not need to maintain that one.
My only pet peeve when it comes to fan pages is when people update eleventy-dozen times a day, or double update using a secondary personal page. Readers won't want you blowing up their newsfeed, and you run the risk of them "hiding" your updates, so I try to keep it to once a day. I only share writing-related news on my personal page when it's big, like a new sale.
Eeck! Melissa you wear me out! EECK!! I'm one of those who post all day long. I just love connecting with people and um. . . .AND I double date too;)
DeleteI'm in the same boat, Tanya. Two FB pages, personal and professional. Never knowing exactly which one I'm posting too. Arrg. Or If I double posted as Melissa talks about Arrg x 2!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I "liked" you. But I always did. :-)
Thanks for the LIKE! Right back at you!! I'm a double dater;) But I love to connect and most of the time I get so many thumbs up and comments that they encourage me!!! Peer pressure...
DeleteThank you Tonya! I'm currently participating in Robert Lee Brewer's April Platform Challenge, (robertleebrewer.blogspot.com) and several writers have been debating fan vs. personal pages. You and your commentors have helped clarify some issues for me. I'll be sure to "like" you today! It sounds like you recommend both, so I'll consider that for the future!
ReplyDeleteOh! I'll have to check that class out! Sounds very interesting!!
DeleteTimely topic, Tonya.
ReplyDeleteI'm about ready to open a FB "author page" (as I heard it referred to), which I suppose is a 'fan' page.
I intend to keep my 'personal' FB page, for family & friends.
I do think it's important to have a business page because of the unlimited amount of likes you can have. Smart move.
DeleteA marketing expert told me about the whole 5,000 limit so along with my personal page, I did an author like page and a page for my book, Wedlocked. Then I did a group for Wedlocked, too. My second book is launching April 25th, but I don't think I'm adding any more pages. News on that and future books will be added on my author page and personal page. Way too much upkeep! Great to call attention to this, Tonya, as I know it baffles many of us.
ReplyDeleteHi, Bonnie! I don't think that a page should be made for every book. The release is a short period of time and you are creating a brand that needs to last your entire career. Your business page and focus on each of your releases and other things you have going on.
DeleteThis is a great topic. I've only been on FB for less than a year--and I remember I couldn't decide what to do when i signed up. I ended up doing it the regular way only because I felt too shy to ask for likes. I knew like 5 people on FB then. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Tonya! Love your stuff! We always gleen some great knowledge and direction from reading your posts. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and advice freely!! We now have an author 'like' page ourself! It's KR Hughes TL Burns Authors. We would love it if you dropped by and 'liked' us! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Tonya. What you see on personal page is what you'd get on fan page with me. Maybe when I'm so over-wrought with followers I'll graduate to that fan page, lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks for an informative post :)
Feel free to friend me (or not)--either way it's all good!
http://www.facebook.com/joannaaislinn
Thanks!