Facebook has millions of followers, but as you’ve probably noticed, it’s hard to get engagement on an author’s Facebook page. In fact, in the last 18 months, engagement with Facebook posts are down 18 percent. What’s an author to do?

I have some answers for you.

I wrote an ebook on 25 Powerful Ways to Get Engagement on Facebook, and the techniques continue to work, but they will work even better if you have a private Facebook group that you monitor rather than a page. Increasingly, people want more privacy on social media and to feel they are a part of a group that won’t veer off into incivility. A group can be public, secret, or closed. Closed groups will be discoverable on Facebook but people can’t join without the moderator’s permission.

As a result of this change, while I will continue to host my Facebook page for aspiring authors, called Nancy Peske Literary Editor, I am also announcing a new private Facebook group for Nonfiction Authors that you might wish to join. I’ll make short posts there and alert you to any articles, blog posts, or special offers you might be interested in. I’ll continue to use my newsletter (sign up through the pop up on this blog) as a tool for outreach, too. Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I’m so busy working with my clients and doing professional development that I’m not going to be posting five times a day or sending you a newsletter every week, and that I’m always happy to answer a quick query from an aspiring author. I hope you’ll find my Facebook closed group a great way to keep in touch with me and pick up some tips on all aspects of getting your transformational nonfiction book written, pu

As an author, you might have heard that using video on your Facebook page is going to get you more engagement than using an image and a link or post. That turns out not to be true anymore, so feel free to use an image that shows automatically when you post a link or use a stock photo from a free photo site such as Pixabay.com to illustrate your post and grab people’s attention visually. Use your own photos, too.

Keep in mind, too, that people want to engage in a conversation with you and your other followers. Post often and ask questions. Offer free advice and help to followers who post on your Facebook page. Run specials on your books or your services, share news your followers might be interested in (for example, I like to share info on writing, publishing, and marketing nonfiction books).

Even so, authors, do try to be on top of responding to people who interact with you on other social media accounts as well. Consider, too, having discussion forums on your page and a contact form or at least a contact page. Invite people to follow you on your active social media accounts, including your Facebook group dedicated to your work, your brand, and your message.

Social media is constantly changing, so don’t forget to always keep an email subscriber list to be sure you are able to stay in contact with the people who have expressed interest in you!