Just how social are you?

There is so much emphasis on using social media as a channel for marketing and promotion. Authors can be found everywhere these days, me included. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, GoodReads and blogs are all opportunities for authors to connect with readers, promote their books and hopefully drive up sales.

If you are focused primarily on eBooks and/or self publishing, social media is the only low cost option to promote your product. Absent the marketing money a traditional publishing house can provide, it is incumbent on the author to get the word out as widely and as often as possible. But is it possible to be too social?

Just how many social media platforms are necessary to make an impression?

I think there is a difference between having a presence everywhere and being present. To me, the key to making good use of social media is to be engaged with others - content is king (or queen). You can't simply just put stuff out there and hope for the best. The social part of social media requires the building of relationships, actual genuine interactions and a give and take. I think it's hard to do that if you're spread too thinly over too many platforms.

Currently, I have this blog, can be found on Twitter (@fosterthewriter) and can be found on Facebook here

If you're an author, where are you? How social are you?

If you're a reader, where are you looking to connect with your favourite authors? How social would you like them to be?