If you asked me a few month ago which I preferred, Facebook or Twitter, I would have said Twitter without hesitation. I liked that Twitter was a quick way to see what people were doing. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I like short posts. I visit a lot of blogs and short posts help me do that quickly. Twitter was essentially the same. I could read a lot of people's Tweets in a short amount of time.
But... I now have three Facebook pages. I have my personal profile, my author fan page, and a Touch of Death page. Yeah, that's a lot to keep up with. I've sort of let my PB page go because the target audience isn't really on FB. But as for the other three, I've been more active. I'm trying to post things I think people would like to know about Touch of Death. My author page focuses on writing in general. And my personal page is... well, personal.
I've realized that I spend more time on FB, but with three accounts that I have to keep up with that's only natural. I'm still not sure which site is better for reaching others, though. I guess that will remain to be seen.
How about you? Do you prefer Facebook or Twitter?
I have resisted setting up an author Facebook page or a page for my books. Do you really see a lot of traffic there from strangers? And what do you post besides reviews, blog tours, and appearances? I've also heard FB does some sneaky stuff like keeping your page from appearing on people's feeds unless you pay them to promote it. What's your experience?
ReplyDeleteDiane, my author page have more followers than my personal profile. LOL. I see the most traffic there. Individual book pages don't get as much but the author fan pages do. At least that's my experience. FB hasn't hid my page at all. People go on it all the time.
DeleteI prefer Twitter only because...well, I've never been a huge fan of Facebook; I sorta just never really *got* it, I guess. LOL
ReplyDeletePlus, my Facebook is my personal account which sorta turned into my blogging account as well--which is all kinds of weird. I hardly post on there; just once in a while, I'll do a status update and post a youtube link. Recently, I've been posting a lot of links to my blog posts so...it's weird. On Facebook, I'm friends with my immediate family yet at the same time I'm friends with authors, bloggers, publishers, and editors.
Anywho, I love Twitter--am crazy addicted; I can't stay away. LIKE. EVER.
That's exactly how I used to be, but FB does get me more traffic than Twitter, so I've made an effort to be on FB more.
DeleteEven though my twitter followers are growing, I don't have more blog traffic, same with fb. So it does make me curious. All my new traffic comes from these sources though, maybe if the blog was better I'd get repeat readers.:)
ReplyDeleteI should really check to see how many people come to my blog from FB and Twitter. Thanks for the suggestion.
DeleteFollowing you via book blogs from TheStuffofSuccess.com. I would love it if you could follow back. Have a great day. Athena
ReplyDeleteHi, Athena. Nice to meet you.
DeleteThey are both useful. I have a Catherine Stine page and a Fireseed One book page on Facebook. That's the max for me.
ReplyDeleteI think they're both useful, too, but in different ways. I can say more on FB but I have more followers on Twitter. That's the weird part.
DeleteI have both, but closed down my author page on FB in favor of my original one for my first novel. There was more traffic for the novel page, surprisingly enough. Being YA, I'm sure you have to have a Twitter account, but I prefer FB. Twitter gets to be too much after awhile.
ReplyDeleteAnd for me, my author page gets more traffic than my book page. Odd.
DeleteThey both have their purpose. I like to post quick blurts to my Twitter when I feel like I'm neglecting to post on my blog. I don't get as much traffic from Twitter as I do from Facebook. It's more likely because most people interested in what I'm doing with my blog are personal friends and not the other writers in Twitterville. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the personal sharing on Facebook, the types of things like photos and videos of family and friends. Twitter is more for blowing off steam and blasting marketing promotions.
I find I connect with book bloggers more on Twitter though, and that's great.
DeleteI don't really care for either. I tried twitter but it's just too much for me.
ReplyDeleteI do like that FB allows you to group friends, co-workers, etc, but then again Twitter lets you create lists and you can just view those to make it less overwhelming.
DeleteI just started my author page on Facebook but I've been on Twitter for ages. Twitter is one of my news sources. I use it to share articles I like and information I think people would want to know about. Facebook, like my blog, is a way for me to connect with other writers and potential readers.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great way to use them both, Auden.
DeleteAlthough I have not had as much experience with Twitter, I prefer FB. I have a personal page and a author page (fan page). I like the fact that I can post images and trailers with my FB account and I find that eye candy draws people in that may not otherwise have paid attention to the post. I find the share button is easily used and conversations are easily followed by those who avoid Twitter because it is "to much to fast" or find it difficult to navigate. So I guess my input is FB for the fans, Twitter for the quick and dirty business end.
ReplyDeleteYes, I love the share feature on FB.
DeleteTwitter can be really fast. I know what you mean.
I prefer FB, personally. I like the pictures and that I can use more than 140 characters if the need arises. But I'm fairly new to Twitter, so I may change my mind...
ReplyDeleteThe 140 characters is limiting. I hate when I have to continue a thought into another tweet.
DeleteI am intermittently on Facebook, which I thank for allowing me to connect with people I had known long ago but had no way of finding now (and they with me)- but I don’t have ‘The Facebook Bug.’ Twitter is a still untried territory. My teens have stressed that teens and kids don’t hang out there (they’re still on Facebook or Tumbler, the ‘up and coming site’, if we need to find our readers) - so I use this as an excuse not to use it. The real reason is that Twitter seems to require constant connectedness, a la ‘mobile device always on.’ I’m chicken.
ReplyDeleteI admire you for tackling it all, Kelly.
Thanks, Mirka. I don't have the FB bug either. I check in quickly, post something, and leave. I don't know what people do on there for hours. ;)
DeleteI have never been a huge fan of Twitter but I appreciate it for it's capabilities. I was shocked to find so many indie writers out there selling books but since there's a huge amount of accounts dedicated to the subject, it makes sense to market there. Sadly, the actual discussions are few and far between on Twitter (it hasn't been bad lately) and Facebook is where you can actually connect with people. I'd market in all social networking medias, personally. If one doesn't give as much response then there was no harm in trying, right?
ReplyDeleteNo, no harm in trying. I find both useful, but in different ways.
DeleteWell, I really like that facebook feels more detailed. I think people can get a better scope of a book or author opposed to little bits on twitter.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I am extremely new o twitter, but one advantage is that i am able to follow people that are potentially in my reader market (and they usually follow me back) so in a sense it seems easier actially connect and network in that sense.
Like you, I still forming an opinion on this. I laugh at the difficulty I have keeping up with technology. =)
I'm not sure we ever really keep up with technology. It's always a step ahead. ;) I agree that FB is more detailed, but I've made a lot of great connections on Twitter, too.
DeleteI like Twitter because it's short, even though I get lost in tons of posts there; then again, I barely remember to log into Twitter and spend much more time on Facebook. Where I also get lost in plenty of posts and rants and... Well, you know how it is.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know. LOL. FB can get scary sometimes. ;)
DeleteI love blogging, like fb, and don't much care for twitter. But I do these things just for someone to talk to, since even my day job is from home. I'm not good at social networking to promote.
ReplyDeleteI mostly social network to have conversations with writers and readers. That's the fun part. Promotion isn't much fun, even though it's necessary.
DeleteI don't do either (can barely keep up with blogging a few times a month). But I love that you've now let me know the pros and cons with both. If I ever publish anything, I'll go get an author FB page. Thanks for the post! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. And thanks for you post about blogger. I made sure my account has a phone number on it. ;)
DeleteYou do great at keeping up with all you do. My blog post today was pretty much just the opposite. Trying to find time to post at all.
ReplyDeleteI like FB. I have a Twitter account, but don't do much with it.
On FB, I try to keep up with our pages for our magic shop, our chainsaw carving, the Arts and Crafts Community, plus my personal one, and my writing page.
Wow, that's a lot of pages, Rick! No wonder you have trouble keeping up with them all.
DeleteWell. I guess if you look at statistics - Facebook all the way. Granted I am not doing great on either, and I will blame that on not being published or even agented. But so far Twitter has little rules to know about and I find that annoying. But I guess Twitter does make one focus their thoughts. Still in the end I like the freedom of facebook. More space, no odd # rules, and it seems more personalized.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was querying agents, I loved Twitter. I could follow agents, get tips, and see what they were looking for. It was great.
DeleteI like them both: Twitter, you get an instant feedback - and you can chat in 'realtime' to people. Plus, they RT you!! Facebook is lovely to look at pictures, and share oter's success. You haven't mentioned blogs? That's how we met!! Love reading blogs and posting responses. Love reading others' responses to my blogs. It's all good!
ReplyDeleteBlogging is my favorite. :) I love the amazing people I've met here.
DeleteI use and like both of them. I have a lot to learn about Twitter! I am not sure which is the best way to connect with others- but I like that they are each a way to connect with two different audiences (with overlap, of course).
ReplyDeleteYes, there is some overlap, but I find I have very different followers on each too.
DeleteI'm more of a FB person. It's less impersonal, more like speed dating. Twitter feels too much like being groped by a stranger on a subway. However, both are powerful mediums. The jury's out on whether FB will go the distance, but until something bigger and brighter comes along, work it.
ReplyDeleteLOL. I've never heard anyone describe Twitter like that. I do like the real-time on Twitter. I chat with a lot of people there.
DeleteI've never heard of anyone describing Twitter like Brenda did! That was so funny. I'm posting less on both, just the regular blog post, but I do get a lot of my blog reads from FB (via Networked Blogs).
ReplyDeleteSame here, Claudine. Networked Blogs is a nice feature.
DeleteI love Twitter and go through phases of being completely addicted to it! Sometimes I have to make myself stay away from Twitter as it stops me from getting my writing done. When I had a deadline back in August I more or less stayed off Twitter and went into Facebook once a day to keep up with news. I found I could open Facebook for a short time and close it down without being drawn in for too long-unlike Twitter. Great idea for a post.x
ReplyDeleteTrue. Twitter sucks you in because it moves so quickly. There's always something new to read.
DeleteI prefer facebook. It seems with twitter that anything you post quickly gets lost in the maelstrom.
ReplyDeleteIt is fast!
DeleteI like both FB and twitter the same. I see great opportunities on both.
ReplyDeleteI agree. They both have great opportunities.
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