Wednesday 19 September 2012

If everyone's now got a platform how are you going to stand out?

By Candy Gourlay

It was only oh five years ago that I was giving talks advising authors and illustrators to get themselves a platform.





The web is free - go get it! was my clarion call.

And they did.

Now EVERYONE'S standing on a platform.



Everyone's tweeting.

Everyone's blogging.

Everyone's facebooking, collecting friends, subscribers, likes, shares.

Everyone's scrambling to be the first to Tumbl, the first to Pinterest, the first to be StumbledUpon, GooglePlussing, LinkingIn ...

But see here. If everybody's shouting, is anybody listening? Do you retweet because you liked what you read or because you're collecting brownie points from the retweetee? Are you liking posts because it's a good way to lure someone else to like yours? Why are you doing this? For the number of followers, the website hits, the spikes on the stats counter? 

If everyone's standing on a platform, we're back to where we started. 

You only stand out if you're the only one standing.

Which means it might be time to go back to basics.

Like remembering why we built the platform in the first place, what started it all.

Blogging for the love of it (or the hell of it). Writing a good book. Drawing a good picture. Giving a good service.

Note to self: It's NOT just the marketing, stupid.

With thanks to eight shapes \ unify for allowing people icons to be modified


37 comments :

  1. Just to say: I'm not saying we should stop social networking. Just that we should do it for the right reasons - AND think harder about HOW to stand out.

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    Replies
    1. One question that arose often at the Soc of Author's conference last weekend was 'are there any stats that relate book sales to influence of YA blogs'
      Part of the same problem that everyone too busy blogging to read books syndrome I guess. (Useful and informative conference though).
      Talking of standing out - under the new rules at Waterstones. Silent author sitting still - no talking unless addressed first. Wondering if I should don robot costume and play statues in Chichester Waterstones this Saturday when I'm there. Ha! (Pop in and engage if anyone around that day).

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    2. In Seth Godin's most recent blog post, he says "What are you measuring? Keeping track of the wrong data, or reading it wrong is worse than not keeping track at all." There are ways of figuring out if online marketing is working but in our DIY capacities, we authors are not very good at doing it.

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    3. Sam Hawksmoor, is that really the new Waterstone's rule? I'm doing a mammouth session in Oxford's Waterstone's in a month or so's time (six hours!) and it could be a very quiet day if we're not allowed to approach people...?

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    4. Yes there was a bit of an outcry a few weeks ago. I think a few hardselling authors led to a bite back by customers.

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  2. We have to make our brands unique to us. I think voice has something to do with it, too. One of the reasons I have booked to go to the 'brand' instensive day at the conference. I sort of know my brand, but want to know how to make it stand out and be known with it.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Julie. This is a good answer to the question of how does one become outstanding when standing out.

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  3. At the end of the day the very best form of marketing is always word of mouth. So, as you say, the most important thing to do is get out there and write that book or draw that picture and make it the very best you can!
    A good product will shape everything else, marketing and branding will then pretty much almost take care of itself. PR and marketing after that will be to really push sales.

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    Replies
    1. Hear, hear!

      The problem with the web is it's compelling in its own right and it's easy to lose focus.

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  4. Well, within a month of being on Twitter, Dougal Trump had three great reviews and give-aways - all from connections made there. So, it does work, but it is time consuming and you have to take care not to make it all me, me, me. But DT can get away with things that I couldn't!

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  5. This is really interesting, Candy. Thank you.

    I think that there's been a rush to the 'follow back' model on social media (particularly Twitter) based on the assumption that if you've got a huge number of followers then that's your platform and that's what you tell publishers/agents about. The problem (in my opinion) with that is that social media isn't a numbers game - it's about voice and/or personality and/or information (in other words, just like a manuscript of illustration).

    Caroline Hooton

    People keep coming back if you've got something to say or they're interested in who you are. :shrugs: That's always been my social media rule of thumb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh this is why I always check your FB profile, Caroline, whether I should or not. You're too interesting to ignore.

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    2. Heh I always check on Caroline, too
      (some people you just don't want to turn your back on :O)

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    3. Caroline has to find a way to monetize her personality.

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  6. It all depends where you are starting from, doesn't it? There's a friendly, welcoming world of people involved in children's literature out there, and social networking is often the best way to get to know them, and blogging can be a way of giving something to that community, so you're not just noticed for your incessant self-promotion. Once you're in though, what then?

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    Replies
    1. The community of the net is important to me, Keren. But I've noticed that some quarters think simply having a blog or a Twitter account or an FB page will generate interest. And one does get dismayed when, after accepting someone's friend request only to then get a message saying, please like my page even though you've never exchanged a word.

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    2. I must admit, I find that annoying!

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    3. I find that annoying too. I'm thinking of leaving twitter, I only tweet very occasionally and that's to people I know and can access in other ways and the last two people who've followed me have spammed me with 'buy my ebook' tweets, the twits.

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  7. I love Twitter and Facebook! It's so much more fun than the stuff you're supposed to do at school on the computer. And I've got more friends there than in real life!

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    Replies
    1. Beware, Dougal. They're not real friends.

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    2. do we need to give Dougal a lecture on internet safety? surely he's no old enough to be let loose without supervision!

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    3. You sound like my teacher!! He doesn't like me being let loose anywhere either. Dad says I shouldn't be let loose on the poor unsuspecting world, but at least I'm out of his way when I am - as long as he doesn't have to hear anything about what I've got up to - which is fine by me.

      And don't worry, I am VERY careful about who I choose to be my friend on Facebook and Twitter - I don't say yes to everyone!

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  8. I try and remember that the virtual world is parallel to the real world - if you're genuine in the real world, you'll be surrounded by others who are genuine too. Likewise out here in the ether - and I'd rather mix with quality than quantity! Well said,Candy.

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  9. There are some people who can tweet twenty times a day and yet still remain engaging and fresh, and others who can't (myself included). It's all about identifying your strengths and playing to them, while continuing to have at least a background presence in the other areas. That's how I see it, anyway - you can't be in every place at once, so don't try!

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  10. I've noticed a lot of people trying to friend me on FB with no comment or message to give a clue who they are or why we should be friends - so I don't.

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    1. They think they're building a platform. I hate this scattergun approach to self promotion.

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    2. The first point of call for marketing should be people who want to know about you ... not everybody in the whole wide world just because you can reach them on the internet. Makes me cross.

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  11. I built my blog around my cats past and present with a bit of writing on the side and just hope those who visit like this frivolity! LOL!! Take care
    x

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  12. I don't use social networking for marketing - I rarely mention my books. I don't think the people I talk to online buy my books, and that's fine. I suppose I promote my blog slightly, but that's because the blog is intended to be helpful to people and it's a way of sharing with the writing community that I like to be part of. In fact, it's the opposite of marketing - the MD of a major publishing company told me the other day he would never commission me because it would be stupid to commission an author he knew would be stroppy!

    I don't follow people unless I like what they say or they look interesting and I never follow back by reflex. If you say something people want to hear, they will listen. The way to stand out is to be interesting. Period.

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  13. Love those graphics, Candy. The problem in a nutshell.

    And I agree that the mantra of "building a platform" has led to some pretty weird dynamics in the online world.

    My rule of thumb about social media is that it needs to feed me as a writer and person. Which means that the time I've spent on blogging and FB (and even on Twitter) has been mostly about friendship and staying connected with people who make the writing life less lonely. Which isn't much of a platform, but it does make me a happier writer.

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  14. I'm just lonely. Sad isn't it? There's a deal more truth to that than I like to admit...

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  15. I keep getting likes on Bookwitch and CultureWitch, despite me having switched those buttons off. People 'like' so fast, they can't even have read the posts, and they are nothing like me. I reckon they do it for the advertising of their own blogs, etc. I can't stand it. Once I received the email notification that someone had liked my post as it was in the process of being published. Suggests some kind of auto-programme.

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  16. I try to write blog posts that will be useful to other writers. I'm not really sure what likes are for, but I do use the button sometimes. I suppose it's nice getting a response from folk who don't want to comment. I'm not convinced social media creates book sales, but it is a way to let people know about books that are out there.

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  17. I honestly really enjoy Twitter and Facebook - probably I'm more of a Twit than a Face, but both have their moments. When you spend so many hours working alone, it gives someone to say hello to now and then. Personally I think if it isn't your thing, though, it is better to find something you enjoy.
    I like blogging but that is harder when time is tight.

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  18. I see social media as like a kind of shared scrap book and recipe book - as places to test out or record work, and make sense of things I've come across.
    I also see it as a kind of pretend publishing, where I lay the table, serve up, and just pretend someone's coming to dinner. You never know who might turn up. Whether they'll go out and buy my books are another matter! But it keeps you going.
    Yes, Amy's food analogy works for the exploratory side too. I graze haphazardly and inconsistently across social media for interesting content, am frustrated or overstuffed. But there's comfort food out there, and vitamins to rev me up when I'm tired - so thanks Candy for a couple of timely tonics today!
    I

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  19. Thanks, Candy. But you're meant to tell us WHAT to do not what NOT to do! You tell us (and show us an impressive looking presentation at a conference) and we all go and do as you say. Now I'm floundering. Give us the answers. PLEASE?

    That aside, it's interesting. You encouraged me into facebook about a year or two ago and it's a great source of cameraderie between fellow writers/illustrators. If you're working from home, it is like the water cooler break where you chat with fellow workmates for a bit and catch up. I spend too much time on it and I doubt it does lots for sales but it makes me feel connected with the people I want to feel connected with (I'm already connected with lots of real-life people, and there's increasing overlap) -and I get to read lots of interesting articles I wouldn't otherwise know about. For me, tweeting felt a little too like doing it for promotion -but only for me; I know lots of people who love it and use it really well. But facebook feels right -until you get lots of people asking you to like things, even though you don't know them or the thing you're being asked to like. But it's easy enough to unfriend people that aren't making facebook a nice place for you to be...

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