5 Helpful Tips for Authors New to Twitter

If you were to ask someone unfamiliar with Twitter to describe it, what do you think they would say?

“It’s that thing that uses those hashtag things, isn’t it?”

“You’re supposed to send tweets but I don’t know what a tweet is!”

At DigiWriting, we often work with authors or publishers who are new to Twitter, but have yet to fully leverage its potential as they do not understand the platform’s intricacies. While many have a “big picture” understanding of the platform, including the ability to use it for professional and personal use, missing just one important key element can mean the difference between “good” and “awesome” engagement.

As we want to help authors and publishers with their social media, we have assembled our top 5 Twitter tips that will elevate your tweets and increase engagement.

1) Use Keywords

If you are targeting a specific audience with your book(s), include discoverable keywords with links to great content or to sites that sell your book. As explained by Twitter, “keyword targeting allows you to connect with users based on words and phrases they’ve recently tweeted or searched for on Twitter.” This will enable you to connect with your audience at the most relevant times.

2) Use Hashtags

A hashtag (expressed by the pound symbol

[#] followed by a word or phrase) is a way to categorize content on social media. By using hashtags, you’re ensuring that your content is discoverable and will reach interested users.

3) Create Lists

A list is a curated group of Twitter users based on like-minded interests or professions. You can create your own lists or subscribe to lists created by others. Lists are a great way to keep your Twitter followers organized, as they allow you to see updates from a very specific group of people.

4) Use Images and Video

According to a recent Twitter study, tweets that include images or video receive 313% more engagement than those that do not. This alone is reason enough to include images in your tweets!

5) Post Frequently and Consistently

On Twitter, it’s perfectly fine to tweet 5-10 times per day as long as you’re not spamming your followers. If, for example, you’re attending a book signing, do not be afraid to live tweet the event, including posting pictures with fans.

If you’re still not sure about “this whole Twitter thing,” don’t worry! Simply schedule a consultation with one of our book marketing experts and we’d be happy to explain it in more detail. Also, be sure to read our blog on 5 Tips for Writing the Best Tweets!

Publisher’s Perspective:

While these Twitter tips apply to publishers, you can also reference them during author evaluation when signing a publication deal. Evaluating an author’s social media platform is a key component to knowing how much they’ll support your marketing efforts when launching and publicizing a new book.