A series of previous articles looked at hashtags in general and in specific relation to Twitter and Instagram. A list of those articles, together with clickable links, is provided at the end of this article. Most social media users are accustomed to the use of hashtags on Twitter and Instagram and that by them they … More Hashtags – Using on Facebook & LinkedIn
This article was inspired by some self-posed questions: ‘Do authors have to be everywhere on social media?’ was the instigating question. This morphed into: ‘Do authors need social media?’ and ‘Do authors have to use social media?’ These resulted in this article that will attempt, in measure at least, to address those questions. Before continuing … More Authors and Social Media
TikTok is a short-form video sharing social media site that gained substantial popularity in 2019 (it was the second most downloaded social media app (application) that year). The originating company Douyin (under which the site continues to trade in China) was founded in 2012. It was not until 2017 it launched an app for international … More TikTok and Authors
It is difficult to do this book justice in a short review. It is indeed a remarkable and comprehensive aid, especially for those new to the writing world. Note ‘writing world’ rather than authoring because this covers far more than just authoring books though it does of course also deal with that. To clarify it … More The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman
Two previous articles considered the matter of social media scheduling: Social Media Scheduling reflected upon the usefulness of having a scheduling system; and Scheduling Software looked at a couple of available options for auto-scheduling. This article is an extension to both and aims to help users gain the most from their scheduling systems … More Using Social Media Scheduling Software Effectively
In a previous article Social Media Scheduling the usefulness of, if not to some extent the necessity for, a scheduling system was discussed. This article, that centres primarily upon the availability of third-party scheduling software, is a follow-up to that discussion. As any internet search will reveal, there are a substantial number of companies offering … More Scheduling Software
Is Instagram a useful tool for authors? It does have its advantages but it also has limitations and drawbacks. Authors, especially independent (indie) ones, consistently look for ways to get news of their books out to readers. The usual route, beside large paid for publicity campaigns that most indie author cannot afford and author websites … More Instagram and Authors
Trojan The terms ‘Trojan’ and ‘Trojan Horse’ tend to be used interchangeably. There is no difference: they refer to the same thing. A Trojan is a form of malware. Note: As will be mentioned a number of times ‘Malware’ is the correct ‘umbrella’ term when referring to computer viruses. However, as, colloquially, the term virus … More Computer Viruses – Trojan & Worm
Not another account to manage! No doubt many self-publishing authors will react that way. Life is hectic enough with having not only to write, format and publish but also publicise and market books. On top of which there is the need to constantly interact with readers, fans, followers, customers etc. No matter the perspective taken, … More Pinterest for Authors
The decision primarily depends upon intended purposes, aims and goals for the account. The topic will be principally considered from the perspective of an independent (indie) author and their use of Facebook for promotional/marketing purposes. Nevertheless, there will be elements that would apply equally to entrepreneurs of any type of business. Principle difference Profile: Essentially … More Facebook – Profile or Page?
