Creating Content for Your Author Page on Facebook

Looking at your Facebook page can be like staring at a blank canvas. What content do you post so you gain an audience and they stay interested? What do you share first?

Before we discuss content, be sure your profile and banner pictures are uploaded­­. If you’re operating as a business, then your profile picture could be your logo. If you are creating an author or free-lancer’s page, then you’ll want to use a professional headshot of yourself, preferably the one you use on other social media sites so your branding stays consistent. The banner needs to be an image representing what you do. Be creative! Just be creative in a space measuring 815 by 315 pixels.

Now that you have your profile and banner pictures uploaded, start adding content over the next several days. You’ll want to have some posts on your page before you invite others to “like” it. By already having content posted, they’ll get to know you and what your page is about. The ones who like what you’ve already done will be the audience you’re aiming for.

Here are 12 great post ideas for your page:

• If you’re a writer, create graphics using your quotes.
• Post a review from one of your readers or a client if you’re a free-lancer.
• Share a book you love.
• If you do any public speaking, share the video or an audio recording.
• Post photos you’ve taken either pertaining to your work, an event, or other beautiful photography you’ve shot.
• As an artist or designer, share your creative work so your audience gets to know your style.
• When you come across an article of interest, post it to your wall.
• If you keep a blog, share every post you write.
• Ask a question! Is there a service or product people would like you don’t yet offer? Are you traveling somewhere and want recommendations of what to see there?
• Post about any book sales or promotions you’re running.
• Stay current by including the holidays in your posts or respectfully comment on a news article.
• If you have a website, post links to it every now and then.

As you write your posts, keep in mind what you’ve posted before. By using a mix of media (text, images, and video) and posting on a variety of topics using different styles such as the ideas above, you’ll keep your audience engaged. Make sure your posts benefit those who’ve already liked your page as well and they’ll be more likely to share what you say with their friends. Also, every once in a while, especially if you’re a writer or free-lancer, you’ll want to include a personal post, something sharing who you are as a person outside of your work. People, especially those using Facebook, will be more loyal to you as a writer or free-lancer if they get to know you a bit beyond your professional image. If someone comments on a post, make sure you respond back to them and “like” what they’ve said (if appropriate). It’s an easy way to engage people and keep them interacting with you. Also, keep in mind every time they interact with you and you interact with them, it promotes your post so it really pays off to respond to your audience.

Once you’ve added some content, let people know about your page and where to find it. Make sure to include a link to it on your website and blog. Some of your friends will have already found your page on their own. When I created my page, before I ever let anyone know about it, eleven people had already found it and “liked” it. The internet is so interconnected, especially on Facebook, people will see the page when you create it. Just add the content in and then make a public announcement.

With all that content to post, it might feel overwhelming. However, most people don’t have the time to spend continually posting on social media throughout the day. To help with this, Facebook has come up with a great feature: the ability to schedule out your posts. You choose the time and Facebook won’t share your post until then. You can use other internet platforms to do this as well such as Hootsuite, but Facebook also has this feature built in to their system. To schedule a post, follow these steps:

1. Go to your page and click in the status box
2. Type in what you want to post
3. Click on the blue down arrow button next to “Post”
4. Click “Schedule”
5. Choose the date and time you want to publish it
6. Click “Schedule”
7. When Facebook publishes your post at the selected time, it will send you a notification letting you know it was done.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is not keeping their page up. If you’re going through the trouble of creating a Facebook page, make sure you also take the trouble to update it. Regularly posting on your page is a sign of professionalism and shows you’re active in your field.

By creating a variety of interesting and engaging content helpful to your audience while promoting your work at the same time, your page will be a powerful marketing tool and a great way to share what you do.

For even more ideas of what to post, see What to Post on a Facebook Fan Page.

To look at a breakdown of demographics across the different types of social media so you can better tailor to your audience, see the Pew Research Center’s study, Social Media Update 2014.