Twitter Tips for Authors

Twitter logo bird

Over the past several weeks we have been exploring and sharing tips for how to use various social platforms to increase engagement with your friends and followers, and ultimately to sell more books.

This week we are focusing on Twitter. Twitter can be a great way for authors to not only connect with their readers to build their platform, but to also connect with media that might do a story with them. Here are some tips on how to use Twitter more effectively:

1. Use hashtags to reach a wider audience.
Hashtags are a great way to connect with people who are interested in the same topics as you. When you use relevant hashtags, your tweets are more likely to be seen by people who are interested in what you have to say.

2. Engage with other users.
Twitter is all about engagement. Follow other authors and readers who interest you and join in on their conversations. Retweet, like, and reply to their tweets so that you are then on their radar screens. The more you engage with others, the more likely they are to notice and follow you back.

3. Do tag other users.
Tagging other users in your tweets is a great way to get their attention. When you tag someone in a tweet, they will receive a notification letting them know that you mentioned them. This is a great way to start a conversation with someone or to get their attention if you have something important to say. Make sure it’s something they would want to be tagged in. You don’t want to run the risk of annoying the very person you want to connect with. You’ll have to use your best judgment for this. There are no hard and fast rules.

4. Share interesting content.
Your followers will appreciate it if you share interesting and relevant content that they can enjoy and learn from. In addition to your own blog posts and articles, be sure to share other people’s content that you think your followers will enjoy. This is sharing the love with everyone.

5. Use images and videos.
Adding images and videos to your tweets can make them more eye-catching and engaging. People are more likely to stop and take a look at a tweet that includes an image or video than one that is just text.

6. Host a Twitter chat.
Twitter chats are a great way to connect with other authors and readers in real-time. Choose a topic that would be of interest to your followers and host a chat using a hashtag. Then, simply jump in and start tweeting! If you’re still unsure, find someone conducting a Twitter chat and follow along. It’s amazing what you will learn just watching what others do.

Here are some Twitter don’ts.

1. Don’t be spammy.
Follow other users and engage with them, but don’t go overboard with the selling or promoting. No one wants to be bombarded with sales pitches and advertisements, so keep it low-key.

2. Don’t overdo it with the hashtags. 
Hashtags are a great way to reach a wider audience, but using too many of them can be off-putting. Limit yourself to 1-2 hashtags per tweet so you don’t come across as spammy. Keep in mind that every platform has its own etiquette. With Instagram, for example, the more hashtags the better.

3. Don’t forget to proofread. 
Nothing will make you look unprofessional faster than tweets that are full of spelling and grammar errors. Always proofread your tweets before you hit the send button.

4. Don’t be negative. 
Social media is a great place to connect with others and build relationships, but it’s not the place to vent your frustrations. However, if you do decide to vent, just make sure to keep the ratio more positive. No one wants to hear someone continuously being negative.

5. Don’t be afraid to experiment. 
As is the case with all platforms, Twitter is constantly changing, so it’s important to experiment and see what works best for you and your audience. Try out new strategies and see what gets the best results. Don’t be afraid to do this. Experimenting is an important way to learn.

Bottom line

Twitter can help you to reach a wider audience, engage with your followers, connect with media, and sell more books. Go forth and tweet!

To your success!

Joanne

P.S. Twitter – the Musical. Things do evolve. It began with 140 characters but that eventually doubled to 280. Makes it a lot easier to tag and hashtag.

#Twitter

#twitterthemusical

#bookmarketing

#bookpublicity

 


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