Mandy’s Media Blog
Friendly tips and tricks for your websites, marketing, and branding.
Market Like an Author Part 1: Treat your Audience Like your Characters
Who is your audience? Audience is a strange beast to many authors, yet as authors we must find a way to relate to the audience, both to connect with them in our stories and to market to them. Fear is the bedfellow of many a mangled audience. When an author is afraid...
When is Social Media Success a Failure in Disguise?
Successful social media is an essential part of today's author platform. But it seems like every writer is worried that social media success is actually a failure in disguise. The million-dollar-question, I hear over and over, is: "But does social media actually sell...
Understanding Social Media, Creepy Uncle Facebook, and not Putting all your Oreo’s in one Cookie Jar
(The blog post in which I will reveal the social media site that is the answer to life, the universe, and everything) Let's face it there are a lot of different social media options out there for marketing and promotion. Facebook is the most popular, but it is...
Authors & Video: 5 better ways to use video than book trailers
Since the topic of todays blog post is how authors can use videos in the marketing and promotion of book and author websites, I decided to make a Vlog post instead. The first thing authors think of when they think of how to use videos, is book trailers. Unfortunately...
Powerful Pinterest for Authors in 10 Steps
Ah, the ever elusive Pinterst. These days everyone wants to know how to make their author platform Pinteresting. Until recently, I didn't see a reason why anyone should invest time in yet another social media, especially one which is populated by people who can also...
Authors On Google+
Activities you can and should be doing on G+ Circle Share Re-share +1 Comment +mention Reply (basically commenting with a +mention) Join/Form Communities Hangout Post Photos Use #hashtags Google+ is a giant, non-stop, global conversation. Doing a few of these...
Find yourself and you will find your readers
During my social media lessons I often hear: "All this social media is great, but how do I find my readers" and one of the first things I say is "Find yourself and you will find your readers." We write things that we like usually. So inside everyone of us lives our...
Ever feel like you missed a memo? 2 Frequently overlooked Author marketing strategies
Have you ever wondered if your Blog-Tweet-Tube-Post-Plus routine is all you should be doing to promote your book or grow your author platform? What you are doing right now is probably such a grind that you are cursing at me through your monitor at the mere suggestion....
Stay ahead of the curve: Reasons you need to build your author platform on Google+, yesterday
I just wanted to share some interesting developments in the social media world. Basically a Facebook vs Google+ discussion. (Warning I am admittedly a Google fangirl so yes I am biased but you can't ignore the facts). Recently Google+ surpassed Twitter to become the...
eBook Publishing: Terms and Conditions May Apply
Checking that box to accept terms and conditions has become a routine. How often do you actually read what you are agreeing to...most people will probably answer zero. I have to wonder how much actual time it would take to read everyone of the countless terms and...
The Myth of Internet Magic: there is no magical switch for authors to flip and go viral.
Ever since word got out in Bellingham about my social media marketing lessons, I have had a deluge of authors asking for my help. They have varying degrees of skill levels with computers and the Internet, but that all have one complaint: "I have been doing this...
Shoot for the moon until the cows come home: Three advanced marketing tips for a great author website
My livelihood revolves around self promotion and networking. When I moved to Washington state in September 2011, I was the new girl in town and I had to hit the ground running. I got out there and got involved with as much of the local writing community as I could,...