5 New Year’s Resolutions for Using Social Media to Promote Your Book

Well, it’s that time of year again; almost New Year’s Eve. A time when people – especially writers – tend to reflect on the past 365 days and look forward to the next. I hope you’ve had a great year, filled with personal and professional success.

But why stop there? If you’re looking to find even more success with your book promotion in 2011, why not make the following 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Using Social Media to Promote Your Book:

Resolution # 1: I Will Be More… Original

The first thing I resolve to do next year is be more original. I don’t mean kooky, quirky or affected, just more… original. Better headlines, shorter posts, links that not everybody has seen yet, re-tweets I think not everybody else has re-tweeted; that kind of thing.

This starts by taking a look at every post and asking: Why would anyone want to read this? Is it funny? Wise? Sage? Clever? Outrageous? Controversial? Informative? Brave? I’m not saying to overanalyze every post, but just to be mindful of adding a tad more originality to what you’re posting. The best way to increase your social media brand is to be more memorable, and one way to help folks remember you is by always being consistent with your message.

If every time folks see your profile picture and they groan, thinking, “Ugghh, here’s another self-righteous sales pitch from this guy,” that’s not great branding. On the other hand, if every time they see your profile pic and think, “Oh, great; I need a laugh right about now!” That’s great branding!

Resolution # 2: I Will Be More… Useful

The posts that catch my eye on blogs, on Facebook, on Twitter and elsewhere are those that I think will be personally or professionally useful to me. 10 ways to be more creative. 5 of the best times to query an agent. 6 don’ts for writing a book proposal. I click on those with the quickness, because even if I only learn something from one or two of the tips, ways, secrets or strategies, at least it’s worth my time.

Why? Because it’s useful. I’m not saying every post next year should be a list, a bullet point, a secret or a strategy, but definitely more of them should.

Resolution # 3: I Will Be More… Giving!

If there’s one thing I resolve to do more of next year, it’s give more. More free stories, more free reports, more free articles, more free advice. (Even if nobody takes it!)

Not to the point where it’s annoying, but I get so much from my Facebook friends and the folks I follow on Twitter, that it’s important to me to take less… and give more.

How about you?

Resolution # 4: I Will Be More… Interesting!

Here’s a great exercise as 2010 winds down and 2011 begins: read through your last, say, 50 tweets, posts, comments, blogs, etc. Read them objectively, and look specifically to answer one question: Am I being interesting?

Make sure that what you’re posting, whatever you’re posting, passes the interesting test. In other words, if it’s interesting, post it. If it’s not, don’t. I tend to look at social media like a highway, with lots of great billboards that catch my eye all day long.

Some are funny, some are wise, some are helpful, some are informative and some are even useful; others are the creative equivalent of litter on the social media highway. Make sure that whatever you’re posting makes people stop, look and take notice – or don’t post it.

Resolution # 5: I Will Be More…Interactive!

This year, pledge to get more involved when it comes to social media. I recently read where most people treat social media like a speech, while the most successful people treat it like a conversation. What’s the difference? Well, in a speech you talk to an audience with no Q & A. In a conversation, you talk AND you listen.

In 2011, do more listening; then do more talking. Interact using comment windows at your favorite blog, respond to everyone who re-tweets one of your posts or just make it a point to say “Hi” to at least one of your many Facebook friends per day.


Whatever you choose to do more of next year – or less! – I wish you happiness, prosperity and success. As a recent social media convert, I tend to be overenthusiastic about what it can do when it comes to book promotion.

In 2011, I hope you are, too!

Yours in publishing,

Rusty