Almost everyone is on Twitter, but many of us still struggle to understand and find ways to make full use of this social networking site, says Sheena Mathieson. Here are 10 ways that writers can use Twitter to their advantage:
- Test your creativity in no more than 140 characters. Writers know how it feels to have a sudden surge of creativity. Twitter is the perfect way to express it. Even better – test your creativity by the character limit. How do you compose an astounding message with just 140 characters? This is a challenge worth conquering.
- Engage with other authors. Engaging with famous authors was once just a dream, but with social networks like Twitter, it has become possible. A retweet, a reply or any engagement with a well-known author is a milestone you can share with your followers. Their followers may notice and follow you back.
- Engage with followers. Personally manage your Twitter account so that engagements with your followers are more authentic. Followers feel important when you notice them and this connection creates a bond that is valuable to both writers and their readers.
- Say thank you to your followers. Thank the person who shares your post or who mentions you. You may choose to follow that person too. Personal Twitter page management allows you to see who mentions you because of direct notifications.
- Engage in Twitter chats. Public Twitter chats help writers connect with members of their reading community. Promos and other activities often excite readers. Joining chats will acquaint writers with readers, authors and bloggers.
- Ask your followers questions. Questions are a good way to engage. Any comment or reaction is a good thing. It opens doors for writers when their followers also notice it.
- Be a resource for your followers. Make sure your followers read your tweets by sending informative or inspirational messages. Quotes from favourite books, relevant information and random trivia are a must-read for writers. You can also increase YouTube views by tweeting links to informative videos you made.
- Make links clickable. Twitter provides a friendly format for links. By composing a message and embedding a clickable link, writers can get readers to visit their blogs or YouTube channels.
- Hear your readers. Ask for opinions about the blog post or book you just published. Ask your followers to quote a favourite line. Ask them to tell you how your article helped them.
- Feel good. Twitter interactions with readers give writers a dose of inspiration. Reading positive things will always cheer you up.
There are different ways for writers to market books in the age of social media. Perhaps the perfect way to reach out to readers is in your Twitter feeds.
If you want to learn how to write for social media, email news@writerswrite.co.za for more information.
