Secrets of Indie Success

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Justin Nemo

I'm sure you know best.

Nice way to dodge a perfectly valid observation.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Appearances in Google searches don't equal sales. And I've been doing this for over 5 years.

Social media is a popularity contest. Popularity contests don't sell the best products... they sell sparkly vampires. Those of us who want to sell more than sparkly vampires need something more than social media.

^^^^^^^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Google that!

[Justin Nemo]

Originally Posted by gmw

I agree that blogs and websites are a great way to interact with an audience, I am less confident that they are a way to get an audience.

Your website is just a shop window, if you don't promote it, it will just sit there and do nothing. Building a website is the easy part, especially when Joomla and Wordpress do it all for you. The hard part is getting it seen. An authors website is so much easier to promote than most others because it has specific content. Therefore there will be far fewer websites using the same keyword phrases, page titles and descriptions. In my experience, if a website is not working after five years, then it's not being promoted properly.

[Justin Nemo]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Nice way to dodge a perfectly valid observation.

I'm not doging anything. As I just remarked to GMW, if your website isn't working after five years of promoting it, then you're not doing it properly.

I'm only giving an opinion based on my knowledge. You know better than I what you are doing to promote it.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Justin Nemo

Your website is just a shop window, if you don't promote it, it will just sit there and do nothing. Building a website is the easy part, especially when Joomla and Wordpress do it all for you. The hard part is getting it seen. An authors website is so much easier to promote than most others because it has specific content. Therefore there will be far fewer websites using the same keyword phrases, page titles and descriptions. In my experience, if a website is not working after five years, then it's not being promoted properly.

If that's the way YOU look at it. I don't, neither does Steve. It's not always about selling and promoting .... despite what you believe from contemporary society.

[Justin Nemo]

Originally Posted by kennyc

If that's the way YOU look at it. I don't, neither does Steve. It's not always about selling and promoting .... despite what you believe from contemporary society.

Well isn't great that we can have OUR opinions.

[kennyc]

Yes, it's great. ANd you know how opinions are, everybody's got one, many are wrong. Why don't you go tweet someone else.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Justin Nemo

Your website is just a shop window, if you don't promote it, it will just sit there and do nothing. Building a website is the easy part, especially when Joomla and Wordpress do it all for you. The hard part is getting it seen. An authors website is so much easier to promote than most others because it has specific content. Therefore there will be far fewer websites using the same keyword phrases, page titles and descriptions. In my experience, if a website is not working after five years, then it's not being promoted properly.

If you look back through the posts you will see that we have been talking about websites and blogs as if they are promotional tools - for example: as ways of getting name recognition etc. Hence my various comments.

It seems to me that you and I essentially agree on this subject. The book is the product, the website/blog is the showcase, but none of that helps without finding some way to get people to look. Social media can help after you get "out there", but it doesn't get you out there. Something else is needed, this nebulous "promotion" which - if there is any secret beyond writing books that are both good and catch the right mood for those picking them up - is the secret many are looking for.

[Justin Nemo]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Yes, it's great. ANd you know how opinions are, everybody's got one, many are wrong. Why don't you go tweet someone else.

Is that the most intelligent thing you could come up with? Pitiful.

[Justin Nemo]

Originally Posted by gmw

If you look back through the posts you will see that we have been talking about websites and blogs as if they are promotional tools - for example: as ways of getting name recognition etc. Hence my various comments.

It seems to me that you and I essentially agree on this subject. The book is the product, the website/blog is the showcase, but none of that helps without finding some way to get people to look. Social media can help after you get "out there", but it doesn't get you out there. Something else is needed, this nebulous "promotion" which - if there is any secret beyond writing books that are both good and catch the right mood for those picking them up - is the secret many are looking for.

Yes I totally agree with you, but a website/blog is one of many tools an author should use to get his book out there.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Justin Nemo

Is that the most intelligent thing you could come up with? Pitiful.

Those kind of responses will only get you slapped by the mods. Be civil, or begone, as they say.

[Just4kix]

I think you have to start with a good book (well written) that will appeal to a wide range of readers and then wait for word of mouth to work it's magic.

It worked for JK Rowling and Amanda Hocking.

[davidwfleming]

Social media can be frustrating and I'm not sure if it is the answer (not the whole answer anyway). Some people advise just using the ones you enjoy.

Regardless, I took a look at your blog posts and think that you are picking some interesting topics that should have an audience.

[davidwfleming]

Some really great comments and observations on here today. Let's all relax, however. It's okay to disagree and leave it at that.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by davidwfleming

Regardless, I took a look at your blog posts and think that you are picking some interesting topics that should have an audience.

"Should have" is the operative phrase; because, as I said, no one is sharing, and I'm not building that audience.

Is it the subject? Is it me? I don't know... probably both. No one considers me, a PhD-free son of government workers, an authority on matters scientific... and most people are shying away from serious science and SF in favor of zombies, transformers and Aliens.

Bottom line, nothing in these social media sites is convincing people to check out my books, or tell anyone else about them. It's a lot like when I go to a party, and no one wants to talk about environmental issues or building an edition to my house, but mention the playoffs (of any sport) and they'll talk for hours...

So, social media has been a complete bust for me... about as useful to my selling efforts as crabs. I need something better... something that actually attracts customers.