As authors, we're expected to use social media to interact with readers and market our books. Unfortunately, the rules keep changing and rarely are those changes to our benefit. The newest Facebook changes are no different.
Facebook wants to make user interactions more "intimate." As such, groups are becoming more important and are what Facebook's almighty algorithms will begin focusing on. If you are an author (like me) who doesn't have a Facebook group for your readers, you need to consider setting one up ASAP. However, once you do this, as the group administrator YOU are responsible for everything in the group so you'll need to set it up so you have to approve all memberships requests and all posts. Why? Because Facebook is watching. If Big Brother sees anything in your group that they feel violates their Terms of Service (ToS), they have the option of shutting down not only your group but your author page AND your personal page and you will have no recourse, no way to request a trial by a jury of your peers. Sounds fun, right?
Okay, so now you have created your group and allowed members into its hallowed electrons. You begin making witty posts and members begin giving them the old "Thumbs up." That's a good thing, right? HAHAHAHA Don't be silly. Liking a post means absolutely nothing to the Facebook algorithms. Love, Shock, and Laughing interactions mean the algorithms will allow more people to see your posts. There's an easy fix for that right? You'll just tell your readers to be sure to use those options when reacting to posts. No, you won't. You see, Facebook will consider that to be click-bait and is one of the many reasons they can potentially shut you down. So, you'll need to be more creative with your wording.
And if your members give posts Mad or Sad reactions? Well, that implies negativity and Facebook can't have that. Negativity reflects poorly on you as the group administrator and once again - say it with me now - can result in you losing everything.
This is just scratching the surface. There are videos online going into more detail. If you need me, I'll be over here alternately pounding my head on my desk and crying.
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| Extremely appropriate image courtesy of www.depositphotos.com |
Until next month, happy reading (and writing)!
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Isabella, I really have to thank you for the information in this post. I hesitate to make my Facebook for members only having to approve new members and posts (even though I really don't like it when people step on my time line) because I feel they will think I'm snooty or that I don't want any input from them. Yet, I want to adhere to the new Facebook rules and expectations because I depend on my FB page to keep in touch.
ReplyDeleteI posted your notice for this article on my FB page so everyone in my group will have a chance to come here and read about the FB changes and what to do.
All good things to your corner of the universe...
Hi Sarah! I'm not thrilled about that aspect either but I'm hoping if I post an explanation, people will understand.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and for sharing.
I can see this being used like a weapon by angry people. Scary times.
ReplyDeleteRight? And the fact that you have no recourse against having all of your accounts deactivated is just wrong. As my grandmother would say, Facebook has gotten to big for its britches.
DeleteIt's becoming such a police state, isn't it? I signed up for MeWe or something like that a few months ago but haven't participated yet, but I think it was formed for this very reason to escape all the big brother is watching crap. I love being able to communicate with writers and readers and friends, but to think there are programs in place to read what we post is not palatable. Thanks, Isabella, for posting this article. As Livia said, scary times.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of MeWe but haven't explored it yet. I need to look into that and Bookbub so I don't have all of my eggs in the Facebook basket. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteIt's happened to me! I administer(ed) the FB site for the museum where I am curator. FaceBook did not care for some comments others made in response to a posting and I was removed as admin, permanently. It seems they do not even provide a place to protest their decision.
ReplyDeleteThat's awful! The fact there is no way to protest their decision is just ridiculous.
Delete