Thoughts on Facebook

[Jorge Vega]

Anyone using Facebook Pages to spread the word on their books and/or communicate with readers? I've been using it with Gunplay and, in comparison to MySpace, it's a much better way to develop a kind of grassroots campaign for your book. It just seems a lot less... chaotic. Any one else experimented with this?

[L Jamal]

Facebook is definitely less chaotic and has more ways of pushing content, but I see no reason not to utilize both.

[Jorge Vega]

Oh, I agree. No reason not to use both. I've just found the response to postings on Facebook to be way more immediate. I also love the tools you can add to your Facebook Page, everything from stat and demographic tracking to personalized games built off your content.

[Gav Heryng]

I've not started using Facebook as it doesn't appear as beneficial for networking as MySpace.

I've only really seen people use it effectively for personal stuff.

Dis

[Screeny]

The inabilty to view profiles outside of your 'friends' pool make Facebook limiting in terms of networking.

[TonyLee]

No, you can create a facebook 'Group'. I've seen it done with several books including Hope Falls, Phonogram and Suburban Glamour.

[JamieRoberts]

Really? I'll sign up to the Hope Falls group now.

[Paul Sanderson]

I use both, but I prefer Facebook myself.

[Jorge Vega]

Originally Posted by Screeny

The inabilty to view profiles outside of your 'friends' pool make Facebook limiting in terms of networking.

Actually, I've found quite the opposite. As someone else mentioned, I'm not talking about a personal profile but a Facebook Page (groups are similar but not as powerful). Pages are completely open to anyone who looks them up. So what I've found interesting about Facebook is that starting with my initial core group of "real world friends"-- folks I know from highschool, college, previous employers, etc --a 2nd level network emerges. You see that first group isn't necessarily interested in the comic. They're just trying to be supportive because, well, they know you. But what happens next is those people, your friends, start telling their friends who ARE comic fans about your page and then they join in. There's a domino effect that happens and, unlike MySpace, it's not some random collage of electronic ghosts.

I don't know... it's probably not for everyone. I also have the benefit of having been a teacher for the last eleven years and working in highschools. I had a small army of former students networked and voting via Facebook during the Comic Book Challenge. A good portion of those folks and their comic loving friends now represent the core of my Facebook Page "fans".

[Nick Pitarra]

I don' tuse either as I'm in the dark ages regarding cpu's, but I will say your book looks awesome...and I love the guitar on the home page. Cool stuff and I can't wait to see it.

~nick

[Crestmere]

I have facebook but I usually use Myspace.

I check facebook maybe every other month.

[Jorge Vega]

Originally Posted by npitarra

... but I will say your book looks awesome...and I love the guitar on the home page. Cool stuff and I can't wait to see it.

~nick

Thanks, Nick. I'm assuming you're talking about the music on our MySpace page. The guitarist is Tom Smith who, coincidentally, I met through a mutual Facebook connection.

Tom's providing the musical score that will be accompanying the Gunplay... oh, can't quite say that. Still under wraps.

[Screeny]

Originally Posted by Jorge Vega

Actually, I've found quite the opposite. As someone else mentioned, I'm not talking about a personal profile but a Facebook Page (groups are similar but not as powerful). Pages are completely open to anyone who looks them up. So what I've found interesting about Facebook is that starting with my initial core group of "real world friends"-- folks I know from highschool, college, previous employers, etc --a 2nd level network emerges. You see that first group isn't necessarily interested in the comic. They're just trying to be supportive because, well, they know you. But what happens next is those people, your friends, start telling their friends who ARE comic fans about your page and then they join in. There's a domino effect that happens and, unlike MySpace, it's not some random collage of electronic ghosts.

I don't know... it's probably not for everyone. I also have the benefit of having been a teacher for the last eleven years and working in highschools. I had a small army of former students networked and voting via Facebook during the Comic Book Challenge. A good portion of those folks and their comic loving friends now represent the core of my Facebook Page "fans".

Ah, I stand corrected - but to be honest, I've not delved that deeply into Facebook primarily because I found the whole interface cluttered, not particularly intuitive and over-run with gimmicky 'add-ons' that leave some people with pages crammed full of inane rubbish. It is, however, interesting to hear that it can work as a networking tool via the groups as you mentioned but I can't help but get a sense that it is geared more to high school kids looking for a way to keep in touch with each other.

[Gav Heryng]

**Dismas sent Screeny a bong hit @ 18:52.**

Dis

[josephrey]

what's wrong with high school girls?