In previous DIY social media blog posts, we have talked about how Twitterand Facebook are valuable resources that can aid in the promotion of your book.

This time, we are going to cover Google+ and offer tips on how you can maximize your presence on this valuable forum.

Before we start, if you don’t have one already, you will need to create a Google+ account.

Now, it’s time to add information about not only you, but about your book as well. A perfect place to do so is in the “About” section on your Google+ profile. In this section you can share basic information such as your name, some background information about yourself, and the name of your book and what it’s about. All of this will provide prospective readers with a better understanding of you, the author, and the book you have written.

As on many other social sites, the use of hashtags is a prevalent way to drive traffic to your page. Let’s say that you wrote a book about a famous athlete. When promoting your book, you should include hashtags that directly correlate with the athlete and his or her sport – #Olympics, #USAswimming or #basketball, for example. That way, if someone else is interested in one of these topics and searches for it within Google+, there will be a good chance that your post will appear in the search results.

Also, it’s wise to frequently share relevant posts that contain original information. Remember, every post counts, so make the most of each by adding interesting information – perhaps an excerpt from your book – or simply asking a question to help strike up a conversation. Doing so will help push your page up through the rankings of the Google search results.

Pictures are just as important as written content; eye-catching graphics can directly impact the click-through rates on your posts. Post a picture of your book’s cover, photos from book events, or perhaps even upload pictures that are relevant to your book’s topic, if you have the rights to do so. Images are an easy way to create a dynamic, interesting presence on Google+ and across all social media sites.

Lastly, be aware of trending topics. This information can be found in the trending box on your Google+ profile. By doing so, you will be able to keep your finger on the pulse of what is trending and craft posts about your book that align with this information. This will allow you to reach out to a broader scope of people.

These are only just a few of the ways you can maximize your presence on Google+. As always, remember to use your creativity and imagination to create content that will appeal to people who are interested in your book’s topic!