Ten Twitter Marketing Tips for Authors
Twitter is a fantastic tool for authors to connect with their readers, promote their books, and build a loyal fan base. With 396.5 million monthly active users as of February 2023, Twitter is one of the world’s most popular social media platforms. So, if you’re an author and you’re not already using Twitter to market and sell your books, you’re missing out!
By following and interacting with people in the book industry (authors, book reviewers, publishers, cover designers, etc.), you can build relationships and gain insights into what readers want in a book. This can help you better target your marketing efforts and increase the chances of readers picking your book up. As a book editor, I have landed several clients because I connected with them on Twitter and discovered many books I enjoyed reading that I wouldn’t have if I wasn’t using Twitter.
Let’s review ten ways authors can use Twitter to market and sell their books.
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Build an author brand: Twitter is an excellent platform for building an author brand. By consistently tweeting about your book, your writing process, and other related topics, you can establish yourself as an expert in your genre and attract a following. Use a professional profile picture and header image, and ensure your bio accurately reflects your writing and interests and contains the link to your website or your books where they can be purchased.
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Connect with readers and other authors: Twitter is a great place to connect with readers and other authors. Follow other authors in your genre, and engage in conversations with them. Respond to tweets from readers talking about your book or other books in your genre. This can help you build relationships with them, which can lead to more book sales.
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Share book-related content: Twitter is a great place to share book-related content. For example, you can share quotes from your book or others, behind-the-scenes photos and videos of your writing process, upcoming signing events, and other interesting tidbits about your book (like where you might have travelled for research). You can also use Twitter to share reviews and testimonials from readers, which can help build excitement and credibility for your book and make readers more likely to buy it.
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Use hashtags: Twitter uses hashtags to make it easier for people to find tweets about a specific topic. For example, when you tweet about your book, use relevant hashtags, such as the title or genre it falls under. It will be easier for people to find your tweets and can help you reach a wider audience. You can also use the hashtags #WritingCommunity or #PoetryCommunity to attract members of those Twitter communities.
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Connect with literary agents and publishers: Another great thing about Twitter is that it’s a great way to connect with literary agents and publishers. By following agents and publishers in your genre, you can stay updated on what they’re looking for in a book and find out when they are looking for new submissions.
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Run giveaways and contests: Twitter is a great place to run giveaways and contests. You can give away copies of your book or offer other prizes, such as a signed bookplate or a Skype/Zoom call with you. This can help you build buzz for your book and attract new readers.
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Get more reviews with book swaps: Connect with authors and readers who enjoy the genre of your book(s) and suggest a book swap with them for an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads. It’s easy to send them a Kindle ePub file.
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Utilize Twitter Ads: Twitter offers a range of ad options that can be tailored to your specific audience and goals, such as promoted tweets and promoted accounts. These ads can help you reach a wider audience and drive more book sales.
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Be consistent: Twitter is a fast-paced platform, and getting lost in the noise is easy. To be effective, you need to be consistent in your tweeting. Tweet regularly, at least a few times a day (if you can), and make sure your tweets are interesting and engaging.
- Consider hiring Bodacious Copy: Christine Bode of Bodacious Copy can assist you with a customized, strategic Twitter marketing plan, writing content, and helping you to manage your account and grow your following.
In conclusion, Twitter is a powerful tool for authors to market and sell their books. By connecting with readers, building a community, promoting your book, connecting with the book industry, using hashtags, running giveaways and contests, being consistent, and hiring a professional like Bodacious Copy to help you, Twitter can help you to market your books to the best audience for them, and put you on the path to the next level of your writing career. So, start tweeting and talking to people, and watch your book sales increase!