~***~
Today I want to welcome Shelly Bell, a friend from my group on Triberr,
who has graciously agreed to share the results of a workshop she took on Google
+. Rather than me taking the lessons, (cause I’m a little lazy…ahem!)
I’ve coerced her into giving us the low down….pretty darn clever if I do say
so myself!
who has graciously agreed to share the results of a workshop she took on Google
+. Rather than me taking the lessons, (cause I’m a little lazy…ahem!)
I’ve coerced her into giving us the low down….pretty darn clever if I do say
so myself!
TOP TEN REASONS AUTHORS SHOULD JOIN GOOGLE+
10. You
Don’t Want to Get Left in the Dust. First,
the kids joined MySpace. Then Facebook. Then Twitter. Do you notice the adults
are always one step behind? By the time we catch up with the newest social
media site, it’s nearly obsolete. There always seems to be something bigger and
better to come along. Don’t be the last one to join Google+. You don’t have to
wait for an invitation. Join now and by the time it really catches on, you’ll
have mastered all its capabilities. Additionally, it’s geared towards business,
so you don’t have a bunch of pesky kids asking to be their friend.
Don’t Want to Get Left in the Dust. First,
the kids joined MySpace. Then Facebook. Then Twitter. Do you notice the adults
are always one step behind? By the time we catch up with the newest social
media site, it’s nearly obsolete. There always seems to be something bigger and
better to come along. Don’t be the last one to join Google+. You don’t have to
wait for an invitation. Join now and by the time it really catches on, you’ll
have mastered all its capabilities. Additionally, it’s geared towards business,
so you don’t have a bunch of pesky kids asking to be their friend.
9. Circles. Circles are like lists,
a way of organizing your friends and those you follow. If you only want to send
a post to other authors, create an author circle. When you write your post, you
can choose who to send it to. It also includes a public circle which is
important. That means anyone can read it. You want those people doing searches
to find you and your books!
a way of organizing your friends and those you follow. If you only want to send
a post to other authors, create an author circle. When you write your post, you
can choose who to send it to. It also includes a public circle which is
important. That means anyone can read it. You want those people doing searches
to find you and your books!
8. No Reciprocity Required. Similar
to Twitter, you can add someone to your circle or follow someone without
requesting their friendship. You don’t have to feel uncomfortable following
someone else. Remember, Google+ isn’t really about making friends. It’s about
sharing information.
to Twitter, you can add someone to your circle or follow someone without
requesting their friendship. You don’t have to feel uncomfortable following
someone else. Remember, Google+ isn’t really about making friends. It’s about
sharing information.
7. Editing.
Ever send a post or a tweet and realize you made a mistake? Google+ lets you go
back and edit your mistake!
Ever send a post or a tweet and realize you made a mistake? Google+ lets you go
back and edit your mistake!
6. Starting Conversations.
You can share directly from Google+ search results, and contribute to a topical
Google+ stream. For example, if you search for historical romance and then want
to make a post about your book, you can share right from the search results.
You can share directly from Google+ search results, and contribute to a topical
Google+ stream. For example, if you search for historical romance and then want
to make a post about your book, you can share right from the search results.
5. Hangouts. Forget
Skype. You don’t need it. With
Google Hangouts, meet up with others and have a face to face conversation. Plan
a book discussion. Have a meeting. Throw a contest where winners get to meet
you via Google+. The possibilities are nearly endless. I say nearly because
your computer must have a microphone and video camera, and hangouts are
currently limited to ten people per hangout. Also, you have to make sure you’re
dressed and presentable. Still, it’s so much better than plain old chat rooms!
Skype. You don’t need it. With
Google Hangouts, meet up with others and have a face to face conversation. Plan
a book discussion. Have a meeting. Throw a contest where winners get to meet
you via Google+. The possibilities are nearly endless. I say nearly because
your computer must have a microphone and video camera, and hangouts are
currently limited to ten people per hangout. Also, you have to make sure you’re
dressed and presentable. Still, it’s so much better than plain old chat rooms!
4. Integration. The site is integrated
with other Google products including YouTube, Google Analytics and Webmaster
Tools.
with other Google products including YouTube, Google Analytics and Webmaster
Tools.
3. No Pesky Character Limits.
While this isn’t a problem with Facebook, Twitter limits its users to 140
characters. I hate wasting time revising my tweet due to going over the limit.
Google+ has no limit and you can still utilize…
While this isn’t a problem with Facebook, Twitter limits its users to 140
characters. I hate wasting time revising my tweet due to going over the limit.
Google+ has no limit and you can still utilize…
2. Hashtags.
The # symbol you see before certain words, phrases or initials indicates it’s a
hashtag. This is a way for your tweet or post to be organized with the social
media database. Let’s say you write a Google post about your book, you’ll want
to use hashtags for people to discover it. You want to give it a category,
similar to how you’d use keywords on your blog for Search Engine Optimization
(SEO). For example, after my book A Year
to Remember, I might do the following #romance, #chicklit, #contemporary,
#ShellyBell, #fiction, #books. Those are just a few suggestions. Use them all
in Google+. Unlike Twitter, you’ve got the room at the end of your post. I like to visit www.hashtags.org and enter a
few ideas to see how busy it is. Contemporary and Chicklit are used frequently,
but romance, books and fiction are used every minute.
The # symbol you see before certain words, phrases or initials indicates it’s a
hashtag. This is a way for your tweet or post to be organized with the social
media database. Let’s say you write a Google post about your book, you’ll want
to use hashtags for people to discover it. You want to give it a category,
similar to how you’d use keywords on your blog for Search Engine Optimization
(SEO). For example, after my book A Year
to Remember, I might do the following #romance, #chicklit, #contemporary,
#ShellyBell, #fiction, #books. Those are just a few suggestions. Use them all
in Google+. Unlike Twitter, you’ve got the room at the end of your post. I like to visit www.hashtags.org and enter a
few ideas to see how busy it is. Contemporary and Chicklit are used frequently,
but romance, books and fiction are used every minute.
1. Search Engine Optimization
(SEO). Theoretically, use of Google+ increases your
Google rank in Google’s search engine. Isn’t that what every writer wants? For
more readers to find their books?
(SEO). Theoretically, use of Google+ increases your
Google rank in Google’s search engine. Isn’t that what every writer wants? For
more readers to find their books?
I
hope you’ll join and add me to your Circle! Find me on Google+ at www.gplus.to/ShellyBellBooks. I
look forwarded to meeting up with you in a hangout soon!
hope you’ll join and add me to your Circle! Find me on Google+ at www.gplus.to/ShellyBellBooks. I
look forwarded to meeting up with you in a hangout soon!
In
addition to Google+, visit her at www.ShellyBellBooks.com,
www.twitter.com/ShellyBell987,
and www.facebook.com/ShellyBellBooks.
addition to Google+, visit her at www.ShellyBellBooks.com,
www.twitter.com/ShellyBell987,
and www.facebook.com/ShellyBellBooks.
Shelly Bell writes women’s fiction and
romance, and is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Savvy Authors,
and the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition (EPIC). Her debut book, A Year to Remember, was released
digitally in January of 2012 and will be available as a paperback on July 20,
2012. In addition to her career as an author, she is a full-time corporate
attorney in Detroit, Michigan, a mother of two elementary-aged children, and a
book reviewer for SpunkyBean. She’s never bored.
When her younger brother marries on
her twenty-ninth birthday, food addict Sara Friedman drunkenly vows to three
hundred wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the
year. After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits
a national morning show to chronicle her search. With the help of best friend
Missy, she plunges head first into the shallow end of the dating pool.
her twenty-ninth birthday, food addict Sara Friedman drunkenly vows to three
hundred wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the
year. After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits
a national morning show to chronicle her search. With the help of best friend
Missy, she plunges head first into the shallow end of the dating pool.
Her journey leads her to question
the true meaning of soul mates, as she decides between fulfilling her vow to
marry before her thirtieth birthday and following her heart’s
desire. But before she can make the biggest decision of her life, Sara
must begin to take her first steps towards recovery from her addiction to food.
the true meaning of soul mates, as she decides between fulfilling her vow to
marry before her thirtieth birthday and following her heart’s
desire. But before she can make the biggest decision of her life, Sara
must begin to take her first steps towards recovery from her addiction to food.
~***~
Already a part of Google+, have been since they were still testing it.. I like it..It is such a great place to me and talk to people.
I've been invited, but haven't joined yet. I spend too much time online as it is. But you have changed my mind.
Google plus was the fastest growing social site predicted to outpace Facebook, until it said it was collecting and sharing data on its members. People have backed off from joining including me. Marian
I love G+ it has been a great tool for me as well as enjoyable on a personal level. For those worried about the information gathering. when you join the site there is a box you can check to opt out. G+ is worth it. Here is the link for my G+
https://plus.google.com/u/0/111218850861639480546/posts
I'm a member, but I have to admit that I'm not using it. I have noticed lots of people with weird names adding me to their circles. Shaking head. I have no idea why!
Great post.
I didn't know you could/should use hashtags on G+! I use them on Twitter all the time, but hadn't taken notice of them on G+ posts.
I've added Shelley Bell to my writer's circle.
Thanks, Shelly! This is helpful. I've got a related blog post that you might helpful — "Why I joined Google+ over my dead body" — at http://buildbookbuzz.com/how-to-build-book-buzz-workshop/. I'm going to invest some time learning how to really leverage it.
Hi Mimi What an interesting site you have, plus the web site. Your book She's Me looked too good to pass and I have down loaded a copy to my kindle. I look forward to reading that.
I have a blog called http://creatinglifestyle.com several authors post guest blog to, if you want I'm welcome a post from you.
Thank you
Mike Smith
mikessdesk@gmail.com