Comments on: Building a Facebook Ad http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/ about the craft and business of fiction Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:26:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129613 Therese Walsh Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:49:43 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129613 Hi Colin, First, congrats on your novel! No, it doesn't matter how many connections you have on Facebook. I would recommend spending some time thinking deeply about your potential readers -- specifically what they like, who they are, where they live. Are they married, single, female? Do they live primarily in a particular part of the country? All of these things will help you hone in on them when it comes time to submit your ad. Best of luck. Come back to let us know how you're doing. Hi Colin,

First, congrats on your novel!

No, it doesn’t matter how many connections you have on Facebook. I would recommend spending some time thinking deeply about your potential readers — specifically what they like, who they are, where they live. Are they married, single, female? Do they live primarily in a particular part of the country? All of these things will help you hone in on them when it comes time to submit your ad.

Best of luck. Come back to let us know how you’re doing.

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]]> By: colin t nelson http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129606 colin t nelson Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:58:02 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129606 Therese: thanks so much for taking the time to recount your experience and success. It's a great idea I think I'll try. I've got a new novel coming out in Sept. Quick question: does it make a difference how many friends you have on facebook before you run an ad? What would you recommend? Thanks again for your help, Colin Therese: thanks so much for taking the time to recount your experience and success. It’s a great idea I think I’ll try. I’ve got a new novel coming out in Sept. Quick question: does it make a difference how many friends you have on facebook before you run an ad? What would you recommend? Thanks again for your help, Colin

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]]> By: Superhero Nation: how to write superhero novels and comic books » Writing Articles Seen Around the Web http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129551 Superhero Nation: how to write superhero novels and comic books » Writing Articles Seen Around the Web Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:58:30 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129551 [...] Should You Advertise on Facebook?–Therese Walsh talks about her experiences advertising her writing on Facebook. If you’re thinking about ads, I’d recommend checking this out. Personally, I’m a bit skeptical (you only make about $1 in royalties every time you sell a novel, so your advertisements would have to bring in near-guaranteed sales to justify the expense). [...] [...] Should You Advertise on Facebook?–Therese Walsh talks about her experiences advertising her writing on Facebook. If you’re thinking about ads, I’d recommend checking this out. Personally, I’m a bit skeptical (you only make about $1 in royalties every time you sell a novel, so your advertisements would have to bring in near-guaranteed sales to justify the expense). [...]

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]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129480 Therese Walsh Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:51:53 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129480 Thanks for comments, everyone. Richard, believe me, you can easily spend career-length hours working on your own promo and marketing. I'm here if you have any Qs as you walk the road; just holler. Can't wait to interview you here at WU! Sarah, I'm so glad you enjoyed LWML! Thanks for letting me know. Ray, I'm not even close to a marketing expert, but I believe it really is about exposure. It would be great if every single person who clicked over to my site bought a book -- and that would certainly have paid for the ads if they had -- but the bigger picture is that over one million impressions were shown. It's kind of like passing a billboard on the highway. Maybe you're not going to veer off at Exit 51 and buy a new Blackberry, but the sign made you think about it, and it familiarized you with the product. And--and this I do know from research--familiarity is one of THE key factors in making a purchase at a store (e.g. "Hey, I recognize that book cover!"). As for the bids, the link to the tutorial on money matters is one you should follow for an in-depth explanation. Short story: Facebook suggests a range for bids, but ultimately you choose your bid. If, however, your bid is too low to be competitive, your ad simply will not be shown and you'll spend far less than your budget per day. I managed to luck out; I nearly spent every cent of my budget daily. Jonathan, I'll share any new info I can down the road. Thanks for comments, everyone.

Richard, believe me, you can easily spend career-length hours working on your own promo and marketing. I’m here if you have any Qs as you walk the road; just holler. Can’t wait to interview you here at WU!

Sarah, I’m so glad you enjoyed LWML! Thanks for letting me know.

Ray, I’m not even close to a marketing expert, but I believe it really is about exposure. It would be great if every single person who clicked over to my site bought a book — and that would certainly have paid for the ads if they had — but the bigger picture is that over one million impressions were shown. It’s kind of like passing a billboard on the highway. Maybe you’re not going to veer off at Exit 51 and buy a new Blackberry, but the sign made you think about it, and it familiarized you with the product. And–and this I do know from research–familiarity is one of THE key factors in making a purchase at a store (e.g. “Hey, I recognize that book cover!”). As for the bids, the link to the tutorial on money matters is one you should follow for an in-depth explanation. Short story: Facebook suggests a range for bids, but ultimately you choose your bid. If, however, your bid is too low to be competitive, your ad simply will not be shown and you’ll spend far less than your budget per day. I managed to luck out; I nearly spent every cent of my budget daily.

Jonathan, I’ll share any new info I can down the road.

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]]> By: Jonathan http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129478 Jonathan Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:16:02 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129478 Having done pay-per-click advertising with Google Adwords and Yahoo Search Marketing in a previous life, I look forward to hearing how your facebook campaign goes. Please tell me there will be a follow-up post. Please? Getting exposure to semi-qualified leads sure beats spending crazy dollars on print ads that run once. If you can do both, all the better. If not, God bless the internets. .-= Jonathan´s last blog ..<a href="http://jonathandanz.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/layers-and-texture-revising-your-writing/" rel="nofollow">Layers and Texture – Revising Your Writing</a> =-. Having done pay-per-click advertising with Google Adwords and Yahoo Search Marketing in a previous life, I look forward to hearing how your facebook campaign goes. Please tell me there will be a follow-up post. Please? Getting exposure to semi-qualified leads sure beats spending crazy dollars on print ads that run once. If you can do both, all the better. If not, God bless the internets.
.-= Jonathan´s last blog ..Layers and Texture – Revising Your Writing =-.

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]]> By: Ray Rhamey http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129472 Ray Rhamey Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:26:01 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129472 Okay, that's close to $500. How many books do you need to sell from those clicks to make it worthwhile? Or are you figuring that it's the impressions that are worth the expenditure? Also, you said that you "bid" .75--what happens if you name too low an amount? And how did you come up with .75? Oh, and many thanks for the insights and tour through this new medium. I'll be looking into it. Okay, that’s close to $500. How many books do you need to sell from those clicks to make it worthwhile? Or are you figuring that it’s the impressions that are worth the expenditure?

Also, you said that you “bid” .75–what happens if you name too low an amount? And how did you come up with .75?

Oh, and many thanks for the insights and tour through this new medium. I’ll be looking into it.

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]]> By: sarah pekkanen http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129468 sarah pekkanen Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:05:50 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129468 Terrific post - I've been curious about FB ads and you spelled it out so clearly. Thank you! P.S. I adore your book! Terrific post – I’ve been curious about FB ads and you spelled it out so clearly. Thank you!
P.S. I adore your book!

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]]> By: Jael http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129462 Jael Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:41:34 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129462 w00t! I'm so glad you shared these details. When the day comes, I'll be ready. Ish. Thanks! w00t! I’m so glad you shared these details. When the day comes, I’ll be ready. Ish. Thanks!

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]]> By: Yat-Yee http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129455 Yat-Yee Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:07:16 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129455 Thank you for taking us through the process step by step, and for telling us the results. .-= Yat-Yee´s last blog ..<a href="http://yatyeechong.blogspot.com/2009/12/grab-line-monday_14.html" rel="nofollow">Grab-A-Line Monday</a> =-. Thank you for taking us through the process step by step, and for telling us the results.
.-= Yat-Yee´s last blog ..Grab-A-Line Monday =-.

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]]> By: Valerie Geary http://writerunboxed.com/2009/12/15/facebook-ads/#comment-129454 Valerie Geary Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:00:23 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1357#comment-129454 Great post! I didn't even know you could do this! Putting in my future book marketing folder... thank you! Great post! I didn’t even know you could do this! Putting in my future book marketing folder… thank you!

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