Many,
possibly the majority, of your readers will engage online whether shopping,
social media, viewing TV and videos or searching for information. These same readers are likely to turn to the
internet if they have an offline engagement with you and want to find out more.
Even if your readers rarely engage online you will need a minimum presence,
possibly a website, in order to meet their expectations, some people do
actually believe that if they can’t find you online then you don’t really
exist!
There is a vast array of opportunities for you to
engage with readers online however what you select depends on both your
personal preference and that of your readers so do remember to check your
reader profiles and ensure you go where they hangout. Once they have become
your fans they will be happy to go where you hangout.
YouTube
YouTube
enables you to upload and share your videos with others. Initially you may
think that creating a video is not for you however, think again, video is for
everybody and, considering the number of people using YouTube, it is likely you
can find some of your readers here.
If
you are not yet familiar with YouTube then go to the website and do a search on
any topic, perhaps something you want to know how to do. Whatever it is you
will find several videos, there are lots of funny, how to, academic, learning,
promotional and other types of videos.
You
can create a video using moving images, a series of still images, text, voice
and music. You could even create an animation. If you have yet to develop your
skills in this area then start by creating a presentation style video – using
presentation software – with a series of slides containing images and text and then
add music or voiceover. Save the presentation as a video and upload.
There
are lots of possibilities for your video - you could give a reading from your
book, create a book trailer, give a talk or demonstration on a topic in your
book, develop a video course, create a tourist information video of the
locations in your book, get someone to interview you, or create a video blog.
You
can share the link to your video on your Facebook page, in your newsletter, on
your website and in your books.
As
an alternative to YouTube take a look at Vimeo; you could post your videos on
both platforms.
Webinars
Have
you considered running a webinar – or a web based seminar? These provide
massive opportunities to engage with your readers. If you have written a
non-fiction book then why not run a webinar on this subject. For a fiction book
you might discuss the process of developing your characters or locations. Create
a presentation prior to the event and include video, audio, links to websites
in fact anything you can show on screen or hear through audio.
You
can choose how much interaction your audience has – typically the audience will
type in messages and questions which you can then answer live or save until
later and provide a FAQ page on your website or through email. You can also
record the webinar so that you can make it available after the event. You could
run a webinar to a small, perhaps personally selected, group and then make the
recording available after the event.
If
you are inviting comment and questions during the event you might like to have
an assistant who can group the questions together or draw your attention to
those that you could answer live during your session.
Consider
offering attendees something special as a thank-you for attending, you could
include a download link to free content such as an ebook that is available for
24 hours only.
There
is a wide range of online webinar providers available including free, free
trial, and paid for services; some free and trial versions will have
restrictions. Take your time to find a service that meets your needs. You need
reliability so check recommendations, the ability to accommodate your chosen
audience size, and the ability to record – I would recommend this function as
you then have the files for later use.
First
time around can be nerve wracking especially if you haven’t given a
presentation before or don’t feel comfortable with technology – try attending
an online webinar first so you get a feel for how they work.
Online radio show
Did you know you can broadcast your own online radio
show? There are a number of online radio services and apps you can download to
record and broadcast your show. Have a look at blogradiotalk.com and
spreaker.com to see what is possible. You could interview guests, give a talk
about your book or have a discussion about the topic of your book. The show
does not have to be related to your book, you could be promoting yourself.
There are free and paid for options available so you can give it a try without
any outlay and later, as your fan base grows, pay for additional features as
you want them.Happy writing.
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