OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
There is no getting away from Facebook! Whether you love it or hate it, you have to be on it as part of your author platform.
A few weeks ago, I interviewed social media strategist Amy Porterfield who inspired us about how to use Facebook for marketing. Then this Fast Company article convinced me that Facebook will only continue to grow and may even overtake Google for online search.
I already have a basic page for The Creative Penn here, but I wanted to provide free chapters and build a list for the launch of my thriller novel, Pentecost so I needed more functionality. In browsing for options, I found that it would cost between $200-$2000 to get it created so I did a bit of investigation and managed to do it myself within an hour.
This information will save you time and money, so watch the video below or read the text steps to create your own Facebook page for your book or author brand. Click here to Like the Pentecost page so you can see the result.
In the video, I go through these steps:
1) Set up a basic Facebook page here. You do need to be a member of Facebook already.
2) Add the Static FBML app. It creates a blank page where you can add FBML which is basically HTML.
3) Open a new blog post on a WordPress blog and add your text in the Visual screen. Then copy the HTML that has been generated for you. Paste into the FBML page and save.
4) For list building, I use Aweber (affiliate) and they give you the code that you can paste into the FBML page. (More detail on list building here)
5) Set the default of the page by changing the settings on the Wall.
6) Claim your easy to remember URL here after you page has 25+ fans.
If you do set up a page, please leave the link in the comments below with whether these instructions helped you and any other tips you have.
Please come and check out the Pentecost Novel page and download free chapters if you like thriller novels.
louisa clarkson says
Thanks for the great tips. I didn’t even know this was possible! Obviously I will now have to research the iFrames so thank you to Gloria too.
Rajvir Singh says
I’m afraid the video isn’t showing up for me no matter what I do, it’s possible it might have been taken down or something similar?
If not can you please reply with a link so that I can watch it?
Joanna Penn says
This post is 5 years old now – I suggest you look on YouTube for a more recent video. All the best!
Keefe Michaelss says
Would loved to have seen this video but there is no video to play.
Tom Jones says
The video does not exist on the page:
http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/12/02/how-to-create-a-facebook-fan-page-for-your-book-or-author-brand/
Does it exist elsewhere?
Thanks much,
Tom Jones
Joanna Penn says
This article is over 6 years old, so best check Google for more recent videos on this topic.