The Power of a Social Media Post

The Power of a Social Media Post

When the follower of a California fire took to Twitter to post about it in 2007, hashtags were born. Desiring to add ongoing information, @NateRitter pushed out Tweets every few minutes about the #SanDiegoFire. Others joined in. Locals adding their updates, in the fire chief added to the “stream.” Twitter changed that day.

Twitter was my first dance—the first platform I began in 2008. What I do remember was my total resistance to have anything to do with this thing called “social media”—I had enough on my plate. What I liked about Twitter was that it was short, punchy, and to the point. I could be “in and out” quickly and it was not a time suck. Quickly, I got what it could do. I got the hashtag thing and the power of using certain words that created the opportunity of bringing more eyes to a post with just a few hashtags added to it.

Initially, social media was merely text updates from one person to another. When images and photos joined the party, a new world began to unfold. As a user, you can build a base by posting and pushing out content that is clear and has an ACTION to it.

It lets and reminds followers of what you support and stand for.

Today, I post on Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. This past year, YouTube was added and has become a favored resource. Facebook is my least liked. TikTok will be inserted into the mix because of the power it brings to authors and book marketing.

I post for my viewer. My market. For whom I want to connect with. To share info with. To goose and move forward. To help. Many are quotations I have created. If there are events upcoming, special posts are created to alert potential participants. They sound like me. They are me. They are my words with my voice. And they all use hashtags to expand their visible reach.

And I post to get the attention of someone who can fix something I’ve failed to. Sometimes it’s with Amazon. If I haven’t succeeded in solving a problem through the routine channels, I take it to social media and include @JeffBezos @AJassy @Amazon and the appropriate hashtags. I get a response.

I, and most of my neighbors, had a newspaper delivery problem. After dozens of phone calls—promises of delivery, I took to social media. The hashtags of #Colorado #Denver #newspapers #ripoff were used. I added in the Twitter handles of @Colorado @Denver along with the local media and editor of the newspaper. By the time I was done and posting out—the opportunity of 4 million eyes on my single post was possible. Within one hour, the editor contacted me. Delivery started up. My neighbors thanked me.

The questions you need to ask, and answer are as you build and post include:

  • What is my intentionality with my social media?
  • Am I consistent with my posts?
  • Do they represent my true voice?
  • Are they understandable?
  • Are they seeable?

What say you?

 

Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. Often, she must roll up her writing sleeves and become a Book Doctor, juicing up storylines and author words. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 42 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book PlatformsSnappy Sassy Salty: Success for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a Million Dollar Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Amazon. Collectively, her books have earned over 45 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences. 

Throughout the year, she holds Judith Briles Book Unplugged in-person and online experiences: Publishing, Speaking, Marketing, and Social Media. All are two-day intensives limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE

Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorYOU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her.

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