Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account

By Rachel Thompson | Blog

Apr 26

People ask me lots of questions each day about how best to use Twitter for selling their books. vectorstock_83942

You can probably guess my answer: DON’T. The hard sell never works (and I know: I was a pharma rep and sales trainer for fifteen years).

Twitter is an excellent marketing tool, however, and the best way to use it to ‘sell’ is by establishing relationships with readers, being an expert in whatever it is that you know by providing blog posts, information, resources, etc., and interacting with people who could be potential buyers of your book (or whatever it is you are selling).

Let’s deconstruct.

 

TWEET BASICS

Tweet length. 140 is a fallacy. A tweet should be no more than 117 characters if it contains a link. Why? Simple. It’s far easier for us to RT (retweet) you if we don’t have to edit or shorten. Think of Twitter as someone snapping their fingers. If RTing you takes longer than a snap, forget it.

Promo tweets vs. Content tweets. I suggest a balance between links (promo) and no links (content). Regardless of whether your link goes to promote another author, a blog post, a New York Times article — doesn’t matter. Anything with a link is considered promotional. If it requires someone to click (i.e., a pic, a video, an article), it’s promotional. Lots of authors start to get defensive when I discuss this, but the bottom line is this: does it require a call to action? Are you asking someone to click? Then it’s promotional.

Many people have many rules for balancing promo to content: 80/20 for example. 80% content (no links), 20% promo (links), when in actuality, it’s usually the other way around. I’m not here to preach to you THE RULES. Do whatever works best for you. However, be conscious of asking people to do too much for you, particularly if you don’t give back (RT them).

Subjects. When people first start on Twitter (or really any social media), they think: My god, what on earth will I talk about? That’s a natural adult-learning reaction. Adults learn by doing, and Twitter seems intimidating with all the hashtags (#), rules, and whatnot. But it’s really not. Here’s what I suggest:

Use keywords or key phrases that interest you. This is your basic branding. So…what do I mean? On my author account, I tweet about social media, books, authors, love and relationships, and sexual abuse. These are the topics I write about or that interest me (okay, and Nutella — yes I gave it up but that doesn’t mean I still can’t write about it :). It’s important to establish quickly who you are and what you do, and you can establish that easily via keywords.

Attribution. If you’re going to quote someone or pull a line from an article, Twitter (and common sense) requires you to give attribution. Sadly, sometimes people see a funny line or quote a lyric or movie line, and use it as their own. Guess what? That’s plagiarism. Not good and can get you banned from Twitter. Always give attribution.

 

BIO, AVATAR, HEADER, and BACKGROUND 

Biography (aka Bio). I see lots of unbranded bios and it kills me because people are missing out on wonderful branding opportunities. We are branding, all of us, whether we intend to or not. If you tweet funny things, people will expect your book to be funny (which may or may not be the case). If you tweet about Nutella, people will expect a mention in your books (and yes, I discuss chocolate in my second book, The Mancode: Exposed). Branding is about managing expectations and we all do it, whether it’s a conscious effort or not.

So, to brand your bio, be sure to use at least two to three keywords we discussed above. Let’s take a look at my current author stream bio:

 

Rachel Thompson

@RachelintheOC

BROKEN PIECES inspires #sexuallyabused women. Founder @BadRedheadMedia #MondayBlogs. Rep’d by Booktrope. Not a guru. http://RachelintheOC.com 

#MondayBlogs on Mondays! · bitly.com/BROKENPIECES

There’s a lot going on here, but let’s break it down.

  • I have my real name and my Twitter handle (important to have your real name so people can search for you)
  • I have the title of my latest book, an award mention, and a keyword that discusses my topic.
  • I also mention my business handle (@BadRedheadMedia and by adding the @ sign, it creates a hyperlink to that stream).
  • I keyword #MondayBlogs, which is a blog meme I started a few months back to encourage bloggers and author to share their latest post and RT others (BTW, thousands participate each week so jump in anytime!) By using the # sign, I create a hyperlink here also.
  • Notice I have two URLs. You have 160 characters for you bio. Tip: Shorten a link to your website or book using bitly.com, so it fits into the 160 characters. Then add another link in the area that says WEBSITE. Two links — viola! Not only is this smart business, using bitly allows you to customize and track clicks!
  • For location, I don’t share where I live, mostly because of creepy stalker people, but as you can see, I created an opportunity for humor by putting ‘Searching for martinis.’

Avatar (aka Avi). Use a real picture of you or, if you’re tweeting about a company, use the company logo. This is not a hard and fast rule, simply a guideline. Many people choose to remain anonymous on Twitter so they use a stock photo. Whichever you choose, make sure it’s a high-resolution photo, so it doesn’t appear pixelated if someone clicks on it.

 

Header. Last year, Twitter introduced headers. If you have a Facebook or Google+ profile, you already know what this is. If not, take a look at Twitter’s Help Section here. Here’s an example from NBC’s 30 Rock, which is instantly recognizable and fun, while still being branded.

30 rock header image 

Background. There are millions of backgrounds for Twitter. There’s NO reason whatsoever to have just that basic light ‘Twitter blue’ background except laziness. In your account options, click DESIGN. Pick a premade theme (sigh, if you must), click on Themeleon (just below the premades) or upload your own background (ie, something you’ve had designed).

Take a look at my @RachelintheOC header, photo, and background here.

 

Next post I’ll look more closely at targeting readers and ways to go about that. I welcome your questions and comments below!

 

Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my blog and you’ll never miss my weekly posts! Just enter your email address over on the right hand side of this page >>>>. It’s easy, and I won’t share your email address with anyone. Redhead’s honor. 

Need personalized help? Check out my BadRedheadMedia.com services page.

 

If you’d like to read Broken Pieces, click for a free sample on Amazon (no Kindle required – they have free apps for any smartphone, computer, or tablet). Thank you!

 

Related articles
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Follow

About the Author

Rachel Thompson is the author of newly released BadRedhead Media 30-Day Book Marketing Challenge: How to energize your book sales in a month - created to help authors market their book. She is also the author of Broken Places (one of IndieReader's "Best of 2015" top books and 2015 Honorable Mention Winner in the San Francisco Book Festival), and the multi award-winning Broken Pieces, as well as two additional humor books, A Walk In The Snark and Mancode: Exposed. She owns BadRedhead Media, creating effective social media and book marketing campaigns for authors. Her articles appear regularly in The Huffington Post,  IndieReader.com, The San Francisco Book Review (BadRedhead Says…), 12Most.com, BookPromotion.com, and Self-Publishers Monthly. Not just an advocate for sexual abuse survivors, Rachel is the creator and founder of the hashtag phenomenon #MondayBlogs and two live Twitter chats: #BookMarketingChat (co-hosted with TheRuralVA, Emilie Rabitoy) and #SexAbuseChat, co-hosted with C. Streetlights and Judith Staff. She hates walks in the rain, running out of coffee, and coconut. She lives in California with her family.

Related Posts

How Much Money is Enough to Make from Your Writing? by guest @colleen_m_story

Top 5 Twitter Tips to Powerfully Market Your Books

How To Share Your Blog Posts For Maximum Visibility

Bestselling Author @JennyMilchman on The Keys to Success

Leave a Comment:

(39) comments

Devesh Sharma (@devesh) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/8dJaWViEmQ via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Julia R Barrett (@JuliaRBarrett) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/dBU71vcZeS via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
RachelintheOC (@RomPromoCentral) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic #Twitter Account http://t.co/X58cOjwBYI Not sure how to use Twitter for your books? Read this.

Reply
(D) Kai Wilson-Viola (@Kaiberie) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/vULNe2drB3 via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Rob Distaffen (@rdistaffen) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/apDUV6D5PU via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Cindy Brown (@hiyacynthia) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/dxwIr349UP via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Andy Rane (@andyraneauthor) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/GvJfmwEpPt via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Benjamin Wallace (@BenMWallace) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/v8XmFR92hX via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Simon Hay (@SimonHayHealer) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/SK0yJo7Gmw via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Becky Gaylord (@BeckyGaylord) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/mRqhkuseTn via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Sandy Appleyard (@SandyAppleyard) April 26, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/sa2HtQw0da via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Amber JeromeNorrgard (@AmberNorrgard) April 27, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/wqENUmvqPQ via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Leslie Anneliese (@LeslieAnneliese) April 27, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/xuLH4SpFwJ via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Daniel Sharkov (@DanielSharkov) April 27, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/QJsBOhzKnf via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
deena remiel (@deenaremiel) April 27, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/x2qWRcYHGW via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Pandora Poikilos (@PandoraPoikilos) April 27, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/v7UjKC45jp via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
Catherine Taibi (@WesWrites) April 27, 2013

Tips to have the top Twitter 🙂 http://t.co/JEQiVSe3AC

Reply
@terrylancaster April 27, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/ZkXJGMqTQx via @BadRedheadMedia

Reply
@SnappySocial April 27, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account from author Rachel Thompson.
http://t.co/IKcb1qZ3yC

Reply
Monday Blogs (@MondayBlogs) April 29, 2013

#MondayBlogs Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic #Twitter Account http://t.co/lEzmnPBAuh Not sure how to set up Twitter for your books? Read

Reply
RachelintheOC (@RomPromoCentral) April 29, 2013

#MondayBlogs Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic #Twitter Account http://t.co/xFRs3Q3P9L Not sure how to set up Twitter for your books? Read

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@BadRedheadMedia) April 29, 2013

#MondayBlogs Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic #Twitter Account http://t.co/g5uQ8TS4ER Not sure how to set up Twitter for your books? Read

Reply
Monday Blogs (@MondayBlogs) April 29, 2013

#MondayBlogs Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic #Twitter Account http://t.co/CvIkj6kEMD #amreading #amwriting #TwitterTips

Reply
Rachel Thompson (@RachelintheOC) April 29, 2013

#MondayBlogs Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic #Twitter Account http://t.co/OX3bynPmgQ #amreading #amwriting #TwitterTips

Reply
@AngelaHoy April 30, 2013

Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account http://t.co/AxLvui9SSV @RachelintheOC

Reply
cibelesishtar (@cibelesishtar) May 2, 2013

Top #Tips To Creating A Dynamic #Twitter Account http://t.co/4kKBGcCGGk #socialmedia #selfpub Not sure how Twitter works exactly? Read…

Reply
News of the Nation » Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account May 4, 2013

[…] article originally appeared on Bad Redhead Media and has been republished with […]

Reply
Sexual Abuse Is Not A Competition May 13, 2013

[…] Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account […]

Reply
What's the 3-Step Process to Marketing Your Book? May 16, 2013

[…] social media is for building relationships, not spamming repeated, duplicate links BUY MY BOOK! LIKE MY BOOK PAGE! ME, ME, ME!!! Annoying, […]

Reply
What Is #MondayBlogs and Does It Work? May 20, 2013

[…] Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account Why All Authors Need Target Practice […]

Reply
Who Wants Free eBooks? Check It Out! May 23, 2013

[…] Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account […]

Reply
Before You Take Something Personally On Social Media, Read this! February 20, 2014

[…] Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account […]

Reply
How Do You Build An Audience Before You Have A Product? August 21, 2014

[…] Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account […]

Reply
#MondayBlogs Giveaway September 2014 @RachelintheOC September 9, 2014

[…] Top Tips To Creating A Dynamic Twitter Account […]

Reply
How to Schedule Meaningful Content When You’re Away from Your Social Media by Laura Hedgecock : Business Info Guide: Small Business, Internet Marketing, Entrepreneur Interviews & Resources May 29, 2016

[…] With tools like HootSuite or TweetDeck, it’s easy to publicize new blog posts and schedule promos. The challenge becomes how to balance those posts with meaningful content for followers. I didn’t want my Twitter feed to be only about me. I wanted to add some do’s, re’s fa’s, etc. (Read why this matters.) https://badredheadmedia.com/2013/04/26/top-tips-to-create-a-dynamic-twitter-account/ […]

Reply
Add Your Reply

Leave a Comment:

Previous Post Interview with @LornaSuzuki, Indie Author of Movie-Optioned ‘The Imago Chronicles’ Next Post What Is #MondayBlogs and Does It Work?
>