So you have written a book and have it published on Amazon. So you are thinking of maybe creating a website. But, wait, you have a Facebook account, why not just use that to promote yourself and your book/books? True many people do use Facebook to advertise and show off their books and their writing skills, but is it enough? A website could be very beneficial, if not more, than social media. And then again, Facebook may be all you need. It just depends on your situation and what your needs are.
Pros and Cons of Facebook
Pros
Inexpensive– It doesn’t cost a thing to create a Facebook page, unless you opt to use their advertising services.
Exposure– It does get a lot of traffic.
Followers– Your fans can follow you!
Easy– It is very easy to use.
Cons
Branding– You will be under the Facebook brand
Rules– You will have to work under their Terms of Service. All companies have Terms of Service guidelines, but with Facebook you will be very limited to what you can post.
Technical Issues– It may be a long time before you will receive any help with technical issues that may arise.
Marketing– You will still need to market your book as much as you would with having a website.
Pros and Cons of A Website
Pros
Platforms– There are so many options out there to choose from. Like Facebook, there are site building tools that are free! Wix is one of the top site builders out there that is totally free. Wix is extremely easy to use too. They have beautiful templates you can choose from. If you opt to go premium with them however, they can be pricey. Weebly is another site builder that is very easy to use and free. Their premium fees are cheaper than Wix, but not as much eye candy. Another option is WordPress.org which is different than WordPress.com. Both are excellent choices for building a website. The learning curve for both, however, is a bit more extensive than Wix or Weebly. There are several hosting sites that provide WordPress.org in their progams.
Freedom– You are free to post what you want on your website! Provided it isn’t illegal of course. As I mentioned above, all companies have a Terms of Service.
Your Brand– You wont be under the Facebook brand.
Business Presence– Folks may ask you for a business card or a website url. It is good business practice to have a name and presence for people to see. You will have your domain name ( business name) in your email address. Sending them to Facebook will inevitably make you look cheap.
Cons
Expensive- Having your own website can be expensive. It depends a lot of how you choose to pursue it. You can opt to go the cheap route and get a free website, or you can pay someone to create one for you, or you can create it yourself with using a hosting provider. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it just depends on the route you choose to go with it.
Learning Curve– Building a website can be on the techy side. As I mentioned above, it just depends on what route you go. There are website builders out there which are extremely easy to use, or if you know html, you can whip one up with no problem. It can take anywhere from a day to a month or more. It just depends on your choices.
Summery
While Facebook can be a good outlet to show your work, having a website will take you much further. A website will give you a good business standing and a name you can call your own. You should have your own website and you can also use Facebook as an enhancement!
Helpful Links
- TheArtisticCat’s Blog
- Self Publishers Helpful Links
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- Kindle Direct Publishing
- Prints and Monitors
- Kindle Image Resolution
- Smartphone vs Camera
- E Books vs Printed Books
- Website Vs Facebook-Which is better?
- Page Count For Self Publishing
- Publishing Guide For Amazon’s KDP
- Draft2Digital
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