Crain’s, oh, how you torment me. All these interesting bits of stuff to link to but can I link? No. Your content is locked up tighter than a widow’s virginity. PAH!
In this week’s issue is a small item in the “New York, New York” section, edited by Valerie Block (gotta cite your sources, now) that discusses using MySpace to promote books and boost their popularity. Seems MySpace is trying to parlay it’s success as a “launching pad for recording artists” by “redesign[ing] its year-old MySpace Books section…with an eye toward doing the same with authors” according to an unnamed industry insider.
The article cites the success of the book Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide to Emo Culture
With an obvious tie-in to the music industry and its success using MySpace as a promotional vehicle, the agent for the book hopes to use the community-building aspect of MySpace to craft a book tour that will combine readings by the authors with performances by “emo bands.”
(Man, what a whine-fest that will be.)
Personally speaking, I’m enough of a misanthrope that I have no interest in MySpace. I attempted to enjoy Friendster and it annoyed the hell out of me; the hot-pink sparkly squee OMGBFF mania of MySpace is too much for my hermit-like tendencies. And yes, I know this here site is hot pink. Our site is hot pink because it is ironic. This is ironic hot pink. There’s not the slightest little bit of irony on MySpace.
I’m curious about using MySpace as a book promotional tool, particularly when sites like Fresh Fiction are offering a Web 2.0 package that for $229 a month (or more) will “create and/or maintain up to three (3) profiles on up to three (3) social networking sites of your choice.”
What now? Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up – from the Fresh Fiction site:
Maintaining a virtual relationship with your fans takes hours, hours you need to create and write new characters and books. Because of the time involved, many authors contract individuals to create and manage web 2.0 profiles, and maintain an overall virtual community presence. Everything from filling out the basic information, to maximizing the number of views and friends connected directly to the profile. A media specialist creates a streamlined web 2.0 profile, updates it regularly, and keeps your name active within your network. The most successful users have thousands of friends, hundreds of comments, and an active following who visits his/her profile regularly for updates.
I’m not sure that hiring someone to create a profile for you at MySpace, del.icio.us, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, or Digg will guarantee book sales, but I have been on the wild wily internet enough lately to know that many an author keeps a MySpace page and updates it regularly. But those same authors who are on MySpace also have independent author websites and other online methods of presence aside from their networking space.
If your MySpace is kept by a publicist or by your own tappity fingers, what’s your take on MySpace as a promotional tool? Is this the best way to reach a readership? Does having a MySpace page increase book totals or are the statistics published in Crain’s somewhat unquantifiable or at the least impossible to attribute solely to MySpace?
Speaking solely for myself, MySpace does nothing for me, and knowing that an author has a page there wouldn’t influence my book buying by much, if at all. However, I realize that I’m a minority in my aversion to MySpace. What about you?
No, I’m with you.
MySpace makes me want to thrash around and seize like the little kids who watch too much anime (the flashing lights, y’know).
Too many images, sparkles, squiggles, songs, OMGs and !!s.
If an author has a MySpace page, fine. I won’t see it, and I won’t care. I do have Facebook, because it’s all nice and organized on a white background with little boxes for information, but privacy settings pretty much guarantee that it won’t be useful as a marketing tool.
And my spam blocker word is “instead29.” Basically, anything instead of MySpace.
You are not alone in your aversion to MySpace. I don’t know much about it, have only visited occasionally. I can’t get on to MySpace from work which is where I do the majority of web surfing (I know, bad employee but at home I have a 6 month old child who is much more entertaining). If an author had a MySpace page it would do nothing for me. Now if they have a blog or show up here or at Dear Author, then I note that and look for their books when next I am out and about.
What kinds of sports to MySpace sportswomen play? (I kid, I’m a smartass about typos) I don’t think MySpace can work well as a promotional tool for authors because it has just about the crappiest UI I’ve ever seen. Almost every time I try to log in, it tells me I must be logged in to do that. Combine that with having to click through 3 or 4 pages to get to the one you want every time, and all the shiney crap and slow page loads, and I think you’ve got something more likely to annoy the fuck out of potential readers than to encourage them to buy.
I have a MySpace page so I can link to friends and vice versa, and people who use MySpace might find me more easily. It’s called “Darlene’s Other Digest” though ‘cause my main writing blog, “Darlene’s Digest”, is at Blogspot, and I keep a personal blog at LiveJournal.
I find what I’m usually doing is cut-and-pasting from “Darlene’s Digest” into “Darlene’s Other Digest” so it doesn’t take much of my time.
In terms of reader response, I get the most from the Blogspot site, ‘cause that one’s linked to my website.
And I loathe the MySpace interface. I’m much happier at Blogspot and LiveJournal.
“Sportswomen.”
Why my fingers type that by default, I will never know. Unless eating every 2 hours is a sport, I’m far, far from sporty.
I don’t understand MySpace. It doesn’t float my boat. But I’m there, because there are thousands of other romance writers and (more importantly) readers with Spaces. I’m there for networking and name recognition, pure and simple.
It’s not that hard, it doesn’t take much work, and I might sell a few (or a hundred) more books, just because someone sees my book at the store and their brain goes “Hey!”. And by definition, it’s not about reaching people who DON’T use MySpace. *shrug*
There is the added bonus, of “meeting” people you’ve been meaning to meet for a while, or reconnecting with authors you met a few years ago.
No harm, no foul.
MySpace is owned by Rupert Murdoch. Anything you post there becomes the property of Rupert Murdoch and can be used for any purpose.
Wonder why that didn’t come up?
All I know is it’s opening that whole “Show people your personal bullshit to sell more books!” and it’s part of the package deal that’s blurring the line between author and the author’s books.
Take Laurell K. Hamilton for example. Her site is filled with scary and woe. Reading it’s gothy gothness makes one’s head hurt. And it doesn’t even touch on her actual BOOKS. It’s about HER. Not the stories.
I guess when I see MySpace I think “Personal promotion” not “published promotion”. But alas, I’m old school and have no desire to know what my author thinks about anything other than their stories.
I ESPECIALLY don’t want to see my author nude in a bed with 2 other men as a promotional photo. That just makes me want to toss my cookies and ban them from the “intranetz”.
God, I just wrote a rant about MySpace this morning. The layout makes my eyes bleed, and it seems like all of the morons on the Internet are on that site. Plus it seems like MySpace pages made for corporations/organizations/groups all really suck and have no useful info on them besides “hey, here are my 6000 friends.” With large bad pictures. And lame comments.
UGH.
I know J A Konrath has talked on his site about how linking to similar authors and such can get you a pre-set dB of folks who might like your stuff, but beyond that, I can’t see the appeal. Myspace overcame a crappy UI to become useful for bands since it was easy for them to put up songs – something that’s a bit trickier elsewhere I don’t see between blogger and other easy web-hosting services how it would be ‘easier’ to use myspace for book marketing, than elsewhere. But I do get that if other authors have one, than everyone thinks they should have one. And if your target audience is on myspace – or even just a large enough portion, I could see how that would be useful.
I don’t like MySpace. But I’m old and irrelevant according to advertisers, now that I’m out of the 18-24 demographic. I find their layout eye-searing and confusing, plus it takes too darn long to load sometimes. After a few tries I gave up and went back to LiveJournal.
So, if Author X has a MySpace page it won’t help me find out about their latest book. But reading about Shanna Swendson’s new book on her LJ blog worked like a charm. 🙂
I don’t like MySpace, BUT. As a reader I’d be all over it IF it could do one big, wonderful thing. I want a site where I can find my favorite authors and get a heads-up when a new book’s out.
Amazon doesn’t do it. I don’t like their recommendation based on my purchases (doh—half my purchases are for other people). Big publishers like Harper have alerts only for their authors. EarlyInk could become a place I look, but it doesn’t offer this.
I have a ton of RSS feeds to author blogs and publishers alerts but it doesn’t work that well. I want it streamlined.
MySpace isn’t like Amazon—it’s hit or miss whether an author’s there. But if MySpace turns out to be a good collector for half the authors on my list, I’m interested.
I joined MySpace only because it told me I couldn’t read my friend’s blog unless I did. Now, randomly, I have these people who keep asking to be my friend. It’s very disconcerting.
My Space?
Isn’t that what the media refers to when they arrest a serial killer, runaway bride, teen shootgun slayer “And on their My Space page, they said……….”
OK!
What is this!
My word is easy43 again. 😉
MySpace seems to be inherently juvenile to me, but I immediately acknowledge that to be the personal opinion of someone approaching “old-fogeyness” at a rapidly increasing speed.
I have a mySpace page. Basically because it’s free. And I’m a “free promo Ho.” However, I don’t go onto mySpace regularly and visit others’ pages, I don’t blog on it, I rarely update my own page. But if someone stumbles across my page and happens to take a look at what I’m offering—well, maybe I’ll make a sale. Maybe. Maybe not. What the hell – it’s free.
I spend most of my time updating my personal websites. But, honestly, whether it’s bookmarks, contests, webpages, or guest blogging—there is no way to guarantee that you’ll get a book sale out of it. Sigh.
Personally, I’d be a lot more inclined to check out an author’s independent blog or LiveJournal than I am to look at MySpace; the times I’ve looked at MySpace, I’ve found it too busy and annoying.
Eh. It’s there. It’s free. Just another way to get my name in front of people, hopefully reader-type people. I still keep the website & the blog, though. They’re my top two. MySpace is huddled with LiveJournal, Ning, Bebo, etc. in a massive tie for third.
So far I have resisted MySpace as a marketing tool. It hurts my eyes, and I do feel it’s outside my age demographic. Plus, it doesn’t seem the most “book oriented” of places. Though my boyfriend and I like to laugh when we heard kids talk about “my MySpace” as in, “Have you checked out my MySpace?”
I am wondering if the emo book didn’t do well on MySpace because more people in the emo generation are drawn to MySpace (for their bands, etc). It may be a case of understanding the market that is MySpace if you use it for marketing.
I have great hate for all things myspace. If you have to ask is this too glitterly, the answer is yes.
And I have yet to understand how people come up with their rates. I think people either go off the fucked numbers other sites already over charge or pull them out of their ass.
But hey that 200 will be seen by more than people than if they pay AAR for an ad, I think LLB said April the ad’s saw an average of 35,000 views and Early Ink looks like it ranges from $300 to $500 to be seen by a nifty 300 people yesterday (using Site Meter which doesn’t measure unique IPs, unless that has changed).
Pretty much all the way around I think it sucks for authors. They either need to not sleep and have computer skills, have a publisher seriously behind them to pony up coin, or take a chance with the dollars they spend.
As much as I ‘hear’ people say what great ‘things’ myspaces does for authors I have never heard of WHAT those things are.
No MySpace for me. I don’t want to be that intimate with readers. And, you know, I actually need time to write books.
Anyone who wants to use it, fine. But for me, it’s just One. More. Thing.
I’ve got enough to do.
MySpace is owned by Rupert Murdoch. Anything you post there becomes the property of Rupert Murdoch and can be used for any purpose.
Jeez Louise, this sounds like an urban myth to me.
The user agreement on MySpace says: MySpace.com does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, or any other materials (collectively, “Content”) that you post to the MySpace Services. After posting your Content to the MySpace Services, you continue to retain all ownership rights in such Content, and you continue to have the right to use your Content in any way you choose. By displaying or publishing (“posting”) any Content on or through the MySpace Services, you hereby grant to MySpace.com a limited license to use, modify, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, and distribute such Content solely on and through the MySpace Services. … This license will terminate at the time you remove your Content from the MySpace Services. The license does not grant MySpace.com the right to sell your Content, nor does the license grant MySpace.com the right to distribute your Content outside of the MySpace Services.
Check it out, yo.
No myspace for me, either, and I’m just barely out of the 18-24 demographic. Of course, I am also totally blind, and myspace is one of the least screen-reader friendly sites on the Internet. I’m sorry, but if I go to read someone’s profile, I really don’t want to hear their favorite song of the moment. It’s not why I’m there. So I am actively turned off everytime I am told to check out someone’s myspace page.
As a System Admin I block “myspace” here at work due to some very unhealthy “spyware” and other wonderful goodies it allows people to play to load with their graphics.
It is just a mess and you will get far more respect with your own blog and web page.
If you want social interaction get a “Live Journal” Blog or something.
Like (many) others have already posted – MySpace’s layout makes my eyes bleed. It just looks so flippin’ messy to me. Even the pages that are relatively simple and stripped down drive me batty. It’s like the rules of Bad Web Design don’t apply if you’re on MySpace.
As for authors doing MySpace – I don’t think it can hurt. One more way to get your name out there – but like Nora said, don’t authors already have enough to do? Certainly some promo goes with the territory, but where do you draw the line? Sooner or later a person needs to sleep.
It took an opportunity to bitch about Myspace to finally stop my lurk-a-thon on this blog. Not mantitty. Myspace.
I don’t get Myspace. People say it’s intimate, but to me it’s the least intimate social networking site out there with all the two line glittery fly-by postings that people make.
I do have a Myspace and I try to update it, but it’s like pulling teeth. I feel like I need to have one because it’s Myspace! But I’d rather be using my time to blog or play on my discussion loop or, oh, yeah, WRITE.
But my Myspace page gets hits. *whimper* And since I’m trying to build an audience I can’t dimiss those hits.
Now, I do have a Live Journal and I find that to be a much better social networking site. It’s just a lot more friendly in most every way than Myspace. Plus, I get to be all wordy on LJ in an informal way.
Because obviously I’m kind of wordy.
Okay, I’m done and back into lurk mode. Never miss a chance to expound on the oddities of the Myspace phenomenon!
“particularly when sites…are offering a Web 2.0 package that for $229 a month (or more) will “create and/or maintain up to three (3) profiles on up to three (3) social networking sites of your choice.â€
What now? Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up -”
The entire point of Web 2.0 is to socially network. What part of “socially network” can a company do for an individual???? MySpace, et al are specifically designed to be INTERACTIVE places, not static websites one designs and walks away from for months on end!
That said, yes, I maintain a regular website and a newsletter that are one-way communication: from me to the world in general. I also maintain a MySpace page that isn’t great on graphics and all…but it IS mine, all mine! Few readers will email an author, but several think nothing of stopping by on MySpace and asking a question or making a comment. Do I ‘socially network’ with it as much as I should? Nope. I leave that for Second Life.
Yes, I am also there as well (as Diana Allandale) with several shops where you can get my excerpts for free or purchase a serial that takes place in SL and available only IN Second Life. Do I spend far too much of my time there? You betcha!
Pfft! Letting a company deal with my social interaction? No way. Now if they want to put together a booksigning tour for me…
(grin)
Diana Hunter
Well, of course an author should have her own webpage before bothering to use MySpace. It’s just one more tool. I have a website, I blog with a group of other historical writers, AND I use MySpace minimally.
Now, Teddy Pig, I want to know more about the spyware! Because I’ve got firewalls and all that crap, and I still got hit bigtime last weekend. I need a giant, extry-strong cyber condom!!!
I got a myspace 2 years ago ‘cause my little sisters told me it was the cool thing to do.
dude, i’m so not cool, it’s not even funny.
my spamblocker thingey is larger47. HEH! Jumbo.
Well my question Anya would be do you get ‘hits’ or page views? And does it count for every one a person does or remember the IP?
The thing to remember (which you might know but many an author doesn’t seem to) is ‘hits’ mean nothing. On MySpace they have to mean less than nothing because it counts every pic, every link and blinky blinky thingie.
So me as one computer, one person can click on the front page of one MySpace page and be anywhere from five hits to 100+ ‘hits’ just for that one click depending on how much shit is on it.
It can be very misleading…
Diana hit on my main peeve about this service. I deal with “Web 2.0” and “Social Networking” at work because part of my job is teaching technology stuff to librarians. Not everything that’s out there is going to work for YOU. YOU have to explore the services and see what YOU like and what makes sense for YOUR goals.
I have a website because as an e-published author, it’s kind of de rigeur. I have a newsletter because there are a lot of people who like a nice big chunk of information from an author once a month or so. I have a blog because I’m a blog whore. Amending that to say, I have a main blog at Blogspot, an LJ blog which is more for following authors like Anya, Jennifer D., Lauren Dane and a few others, a MySpace “blog” and a Vox blog. The last three, when they get updated are just copies of what I’ve already posted on the main blog. I participate in my promo group’s blog once a week (Tuesdays!). Other “2.0” tchotchkes I use are a LibraryThing widget on my blog because I think people are interested in what I have in my book collection, Flickr for posting my book covers, and Meebo to allow people to IM me without needing the IM programs I’m using or an IM account of their own.
I play with other services in my day profession, but it’s all me. I know what I look for when evaluating a service and what’s going to be easy-ish for me to update because I sure as heck don’t have $300 a month to spend on three lousy services. And, for the same reason Nora doesn’t use a researcher, if someone else is doing the work for me, how do they really know what’s going to be important to me if I’m not sure?
My Space? Isn’t that what the media refers to when they arrest a serial killer, runaway bride, teen shootgun slayer “And on their My Space page, they said…â€
Well, the media needs something to blame in order to scare parents (and make them tune into the news again, of course).
As for it being a youth-oriented service, according to the BBC, the average age of MySpace visitors is 35! The kids have moved on to other places, I fear.
This is from last year when my company started blocking myspace but it explains the issue…
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2006/07/myspace_ad_served_adware_to_mo.html
I just use Grisoft’s AVG Anti-Malware package.
I have used Ad-Aware
I also use Firefox instead of IE.
But nothing is a sure bet but it is good to stay protected as much as you can.
The point of the whole matter in that article is not that it happened once and they pulled the ad it is that Myspace does business with companies that do things like that.
As an expert in this field there are known fraudulent ad companies no one in their right mind running an HONEST website would allow to buy their ad space.
Myspace space spent a lot of money to make sure they remained blameless even when THEY WERE AT FAULT and let that company do that to their users.
Thanks so much, Teddy Pig. We were definitely flying without security patches. *g* Won’t make that mistake again.
That sounds like a really idiotic business decision since users need to have HEALTHY computers to use MySpace and view the ads in the first place! Amazingly shortsighted.
Thanks for the heads up.
An “advisor” told me how great MySpace was for publicizing books, so I toiled through all kinds of krappy templates to come up with a page that didn’t make children fall into foaming at the mouth fits, like that flashing Japanese cartoon.
After two months, I told the “advisor” that I found MySpace to be an ineffectual marketing tool and a fricking waste of time. She got all “The Secret” on me and told me it was because I didn’t BELIEVE and didn’t have the right kind of energy around the page. Yeah, right, that’s how marketing works.
Anyway, I set up a new blog (Vampire Wire, Bite into the Latest Dish on Vamp and Paranormal Fiction & Entertainment, http://www.vampirewire.blogspot.com) and there were no glitter graphics, no annoying ads, no ten bulletins a day from the same person, no sense of existential despair from the thousands of other writers trying to promote themselves.
“told me it was because I didn’t BELIEVE and didn’t have the right kind of energy around the page.”
Heh…Heh
Believe in Myspace? Energy around the page?
I can see it now…
What do you think of this new web page design? Well the energy on the page does not seem right. I think we need to believe this will bring in more customers… BWAHAHAHA!
I’m sorry I have not laughed so hard since I reviewed the Web 2.0 garbage which boils down to AJAX and some content tags. That got tossed into the round file along with those old Java applets.
Hi Sybil—I guess I mean page views, not hits. *Goes to check* Profile Views, that’s it.
Honestly, though, I keep up my Myspace because I feel I should. I don’t really dwell overlymuch on its promotional merits. If I paid for it, I would. Mostly I just wonder about the Myspace phenonmenon and why people love it so much, because, well, I just don’t get it.
Probably I’m too old to get it. Ack.