13 tips to help writers tame twitter

April 2016
I decided it was time to update my post from a year ago about Taming Twitter.  I've come a long way in 12 months.  Still learning and swatting those dazzling fireflies, though. - Cat

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As a Kid Lit Indie author, I'm on social media for hours daily, but Twitter is the one platform that bedevils me.  

Being on Twitter feels like having a gazillion lovely fireflies buzzing around my head.  There are so many, I can't decide where to focus. And when I finally select one, it connects me to other fascinating fireflies.  If I’m not careful, an entire morning can vanish as Twitter pulls me into its evil time-suck vortex.

Then there's all those analytics to figure out about when to tweet and who to follow/unfollow daily.  I have a hard time feeling warm and fuzzy about a platform that pushes users 'unfollow' people and find the 'right' Tweeps to follow.  That feels downright unfriendly and exclusive to me.  

Despite all, I see Twitter's benefit as a fast way to reach large audiences.  This post shares my coping strategies for using micro-blogging and offers a resource list compiled from social media folk in the know.   Although aimed at writers, anyone on a Twitter journey can have a read and learn more.

What I Learned About Taming Twitter

1.  Start slow  

• Research best practices online.  
• Study influencers and others in your field by using key word searches on twitter.  For instance if you're a writer,  Expert Editor and Global English Editing highlights 50 Twitter Accounts All Writers Should Follow.  Those accounts, listed in no particular order, are broken down into five categories for easy reference with a brief description of each site's merits.
• Apps like Flipboard parse out tweets in a magazine format and are  much easier for me absorb.  Flipboard is also a great newsfeed for finding content.  
• Build an awesome Twitter profile page as outlined by CNET, and be sure to link your sell site and website.  I use a template from Canva, a free software design app, to create my Twitter profile.  Canva also has templates sized with exact dimensions for adding images to  tweets.  (You'll want to add images and video clips because they boost engagement and clicks., but you likely know that already, right?) 

Twitter profile designed with Canva's template

2. Learn Twitter culture

• Because Twitter posts are fast and fleeting, use hashtags (#amwriting #amreading, etc.) to make it easy to follow topics and help others find yours.  But don't over-do hashtags.  Studies recommend 1-3 hashtags per tweet.  Any more and engagement drops.  Caitlin Muir has lists 44 Essential Twitter Hashtags Every Author Should Know
• Learn about trending topics by checking your Twitter profile page.  Then create content that relates to your interests around that topic.  For instance as a writer, it was spot on to tweet about how much I loved Harper Lee and was excited to read To Set A Watchman.
• Schedule your content to coincide with specialized Twitter days like Monday Blogs and Follow Fridays.
• Use direct messaging (DM) sparingly.  Initially, I thought DM was a great way to make personal connections. However, I learned few people check them and many considered DMs to be the online equivalent of rummaging through someone’s sock drawer.
• Pin your top tweet to your profile.  It showcases your most important tweets, and it's an easy way for Tweeps to find best  content to retweet. 
• Make the most of your 140 characters:
  * Learn and use Twitter acronmyns
  * Shorten links through a service like the Google url shortener.  I like Google's goo.gly because when you create an account, you can use its analytics to track the number of views from specific sites, their countries of origin, etc.  

3.  Set time limits

• Set specific times to be on Twitter and stick to those limits.  I’m on for 10 minutes daily during the work week.  I try stand down from social media on weekends to catch a breath and keep my sanity.
• Beware of excess participation in those cute pictures, tweep group hugs, and multi-person shout outs.  They’re fun, but they cut into work time.
• Instead of thanking individuals for retweets or likes, I reciprocate with retweeting a pinned posts from the home page (see #2 above) as a fast way of supporting important content and showing my appreciation.

4.  Work smarter with tech tools​

• Create Twitter lists to follow people by common interests. For me those are categories like Kid Lit, illustrators, readers, librarians, etc. You have the option of making these lists private or public.
• Use tools, like Tweet Deck, Hootsuite and Buffer, to schedule tweets in advance, segregate lists, follow trending topics, etc.
• Use scheduling tools, found on twitter management dashboards, to schedule tweets for the week. This is a huge timesaver.  Many writers sit down for an hour to 

5.  Support and share.  Limit 'buy my book' tweets.

• I don't have time to retweet everything I'd like to, but I do RT time-sensitive posts like promotions and giveaways, and I acknowledge milestones and successes whenever possible
• As with all social media, I limit self-promotion to 20% and balance my Tweets by supporting others and sharing personal or niche interests.

Learn More: A Resource List

The links below from savvy folk help me tame Twitter.  You’ll find time-saving tips to notch up your Tweets and find Tweeps.

6.  Mashable's Beginner's Guide to Twitter is a great starting point that walks you through the basics.  

7.  Sandra Beckworth, publicist and marketer, shares her resource list of Twitter Strategies for Authors.

8. Debbie Ridpath Ohi sets out a definite list of Twitter FAQs in her Twitter Guide for Writers and Illustrators Pick and choose from this smorgasbord of Twitter topics to find exactly what you need.

9.  Kristen Oliphant spells out a perfect daily structure for you to engage audiences on twitter in 15 minutes a day on Jane Friedman's blog.

10.  Computerhope.com posts a Top 10 Favorite Twitter Tips and Tricks to make Twitter more enjoyable and increase followers.  

11.  There are a gazillion free analytics to help you tweet more effectively.  Many make my eyes glaze over, as I a not a data person, so for me, a little bit of data goes a long way.  Check out Frances Caballo's Top 9 Twitter Tools and Apps ....she breaks them down for you.

12.   Molly Greene's twitterquette for authors -12 things NOT to do on Twitter - are tongue-in-cheek suggestions from a writer’s perspective.

13.  I love Buffer Social’s 7 Counter-intuitive Tips for Twitter, especially its list of the 20 most retweeted words (you, please and Twitter are its top three...who knew?!?!) and advice to retweet your top content just by changing up the format.

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Good luck building your Twitter platform, you hard-working Tweeps.  It's a lot to learn at once, but you'll get there.  Please let me know how it goes.  You'll find me on Twitter at @catmichaelsbook I'm still learning my way and would love to connect with you  ....  #Gratitude!

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Your turn......
What's your best tip for taming Twitter?

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