Time for another Monday Marketing post. Now, this wasn’t a scheduled blog post but fits well with my Marketing advice.
However, I felt the need to write this after getting a little frustrated at some of my fellow writers. Let me explain…
A Catchy Comment or Two
I spend some of my time trawling through other blogs. My fellow bloggers are brimming with ideas and thoughts that I enjoy reading. I also read the comments.
Sometimes one of these comments will be highly insightful or extremely funny or even painfully moving.
In these cases, I will often click the person’s name and go snooping.
The Elusive Writer
On clicking their name (if it is clickable), I am taken to their Gravatar page. For those who don’t know Gravatar is a service that provides globally unique avatars.
It has a space for a bio, photos and more importantly, links!
So I visit these Gravatar pages, I read their profiles and think, “oh cool, another writer” and then instantly realise there is no link to a website or a blog or even a Facebook page.
What is more frustrating is those who list in their Gravatar bio that they run a blog and are sharing their writings on said blog. And then fail to list it.
On occasion, I’ve been able to find them. Usually, it’s the ones who run their blog/website in their own name so I just do a little searching and it comes up.
But if their blog is under a random title (like mine used to be, remember The Eternal Scribbler?), I can’t find it.
Missing Out
These writers and anyone else who does this, is missing out on new followers, new fans who might love to stalk them as they develop their skill and maybe become published.
It’s already hard to get found, it’s already hard to compete with the millions of blogs and even more millions of published works. So for the love of all that is chocolatey, give yourself a chance!
Maximise Your Chances of Getting Found
In this day and age, it is strange if a writer has little or no online presence. While I can appreciate you may not feel great about being online, on all these platforms, it does have its uses.
So, if you want your books to have a fighting chance, you need to have a presence. I did cover this in my post “Why you need to cultivate an online presence“.
Even if you don’t want to be everywhere, at least be somewhere.
Personally, I believe all writers who want to be published, should have an Author website. Doesn’t have to be fancy or packed to the gills, but it should be your central hub.
If you do have an online presence, make sure each location (where possible), has a link to the others. Maybe you’re on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. One of your readers has a Twitter account only. But you’ve just listed your Facebook account on your website.
So now they can’t follow you because they don’t know you’re on twitter (again, this can occur if you are on Twitter under a handle that’s not easy to search).
Why is this rant on Marketing Monday?
Marketing is about getting your product/service and brand out in front of people. Reaching your readers, connecting with customers. You can’t do that if no one can find you.
It’s a simple enough thing. Check your Gravatar Profile, check your ‘About.Me‘ profile, check your blog/website and other social media.
Are you showing links to each of the others? Are you giving yourself the best chance to get found?
~ ☆ ~ ☆ ~ ☆ ~
Hope you enjoyed this. I am having so much fun with my Monday Marketing posts! Check back on Wednesday for a new guest post and I’ll see you all on Friday with my own post.
If you like what you read, please consider following this blog. Also, a big thanks to all my new followers, to all the faves and comments. Much appreciated guys. You make blogging awesome!
Happy writing
Author Ari Meghlen Official Website 
I hadn’t realised I could link my website, I assumed that was automatic. Thanks for the great advice.
Glad you found it useful 🙂
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I am still learning the ropes and I know the second I post this I will double check my Gravatar page. I have a facebook author page that I have yet to take seriously. I know I need to and I will. Surprisingly twitter seems to be my thing.
When I signed up on twitter the smartest thing I did was surround myself with writers only. My beer drinking/football buddies are nowhere near my twitter site and that is fine with me. I want a certain crowd where I can discuss the craft and not have to explain. Plus, writers are incredibly smart and I like smart people.
As time goes on I will work out the bugs and hopefully get my name and my book known more than it is now.
Excellent article. Thank you.
Hi Bryan, thanks for the comment. One quick thing, when I went to click your website (from this comment) it didn’t take me to your website.
When I checked the url it has “com” before .com – when I removed the first “com” I found your website. Just something you might want to check on. 😉
I think blogging is a constant learning process. I started mine back in 2013 I think, looking back it’s almost a miracle anyone ever found me or stuck around! lol
I am still up in the air about Facebook – I never liked it when it first started and I was a late adopter to it. Now I hear they are messing with their algorithm again so it faves “groups” and not “pages”. I think I might end up dumping it.
Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest work better for me anyway.
Yes, Twitter is great for finding writers and I have to say I’ve started to enjoy it a lot more. It’s way more active and engaging than Facebook.
Good luck with your blog and your writing 🙂
It is shocking when someone states they are a blogger but then they don’t have a link on their gravatar page. I just don’t understand why they don’t. They don’t know how?
It is sad because these people are losing on on new readers, new fans, for want of a simple link or two. I have come across people who have uploaded several photos but no links. 😕
What I’m guilty of is no “about me”. Just can’t seem to tackle writing my bio.
I can understand that. On my About me page on my blog, I have like 3 lines and then just photos because I wanted something more visual. 😊
I guess I’m okay. I clicked on my Gravatar image and I do have a one-line bio and a link to my website. I did need to change the “bio” to say “author of The Can Be Mysteries series . . .” 😉
Reblogged this on Viv Drewa – The Owl Lady.
Thanks for the reblog Viv.
Excellent post, Ari. When people comment on my blog posts, I like to address them by name when I reply. If I don’t know them and their name isn’t their gravatar handle, I’ll hop over to their gravatar page. Unfortunately, most people don’t list or tell you their name; and like you said, many don’t provide links to their blogs and social network pages. This is such a waste of time that I’ve stopped doing it. I really appreciate those who sign their name after a comment, in order to identify themselves if they’re new to me. By the way, is there a reason your blog isn’t linked to Twitter? 🙂
Hi Tina, thanks so much for your comment. Glad you like my article. It is such a small thing to add those links and yet so many people don’t add any. What a shame.
Do you mean linked to Twitter so it auto publishes on my Twitter feed? If so, thanks for the reminder. I tried to link to Twitter and Facebook months ago but it kept coming up with errors. I was meant to recheck but totally forgot! So I’ve gone and done it now,. Thanks 😊
Welcome, Ari, and glad you’re all linked up now! 🙂 ❤
Thanks, Ari!
Reblogged this on When Angels Fly.
Thanks for the reblog
Most welcome!
Reblogged this on Claire Plaisted – Indie Author and commented:
I must check mine out.
Thanks so much for the reblog, Claire
Thanks for some great tips, Ari! I don’t know if I even HAVE anything on my Gravitar profile. I suppose I should see if I can even find myself!!
Thanks for the comment, so glad you liked it. If you go to your profile on WordPress, there is a section there to add links/sites…these pull through to your Gravatar.
Ps: Anne, would you be interested in doing a guest post in my blog?
Got it! And sure- I’d love to! Just send me an e-mail and we can figure it out 😀
Great informative post with good ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your comment, I’m so pleased you found it useful.
Having only recently discovered how to do what this post explains in an easy-to-follow and friendly way, I think your article is marvelous! May it help other writers not to make the same mistake I spent a year making. Thank you on behalf of all of us who (shall we be kind and say) are a little slow off the starting blocks!
Thank you so much for your kind words. I too hope this helps others. I love finding new writers and blogs.
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
AUTHORS and BLOGGERS PLEASE NOTE Ari’s recommendations, then action them if you want to be found.
Thanks so much for the reblog. Much appreciated
Thank YOU for the great post – it’s a topic that comes up a lot, and bears reinforcing,Ari 😃
Yes, have experienced that a few times now, I click on it and that takes me to a Gravatar page and it I can’t find any of their posts. Good post!
Thank so much. Glad to know I’m not the only one. This post came from finding 5 Gravatar accounts each with no links. So frustrating.
Another excellent post!
Thanks Andrew. I’m glad you liked it
You’re welcome.