Twitter (X)

Twitter Basics and Best Practices: Beginner Level

Erik Deckers — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 14:04:36 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Erik Deckers on 11/18/2019 2:04:36 PM

Twitter can be the best, most fun waste of time you can ever have. For authors, it can be one of the GREATEST tools you'll ever use for promoting your books and speaking engagements, networking with other writers, finding new readers for your work, and stalking your favorite authors. But, there's a right way and a wrong way to do Twitter, a good way and an ineffective way. Social media and personal branding expert Erik Deckers shares the best practices for starting and growing your Twitter network, how to use it properly, and the one big etiquette rule many authors accidentally break.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TwitterBasicsandBestPracticesBeginnerLevel.mp4

Here are the two handouts that go along with this presentation:

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Helpful-Links-for-Starting-Out-on-Twitter-_2800_Handout-1_2900_.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../How-to-create-a-Twitter-account-_2800_Handout-2_2900_.pdf

About the Presenter:
Erik Deckers is the president of Pro Blog Service, a content marketing agency with clients throughout the United States. He is also the co-author of Branding Yourself, No Bull**** Social Media, and The Owned Media Doctrine. Erik has been blogging since 1997, and a newspaper humor columnist since 1994. He has written several radio and stage plays, and numerous business articles. Erik was the Spring 2016 writer-in-residence at the Jack Kerouac House in Orlando, FL, and now serves on their board of directors.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Twitter Basics and Best Practices: Beginner Level

Erik Deckers — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 14:04:02 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Twitter (X) by Erik Deckers on 11/18/2019 2:04:02 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TwitterBasicsandBestPracticesBeginnerLevel.mp4

Here are the two handouts that go along with this presentation:

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Helpful-Links-for-Starting-Out-on-Twitter-_2800_Handout-1_2900_.pdf www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../How-to-create-a-Twitter-account-_2800_Handout-2_2900_.pdf

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Twitter Basics and Best Practices: Beginner Level

Erik Deckers — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 20:50:14 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Twitter (X) by Erik Deckers on 11/14/2019 8:50:14 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TwitterBasicsandBestPracticesBeginnerLevel.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Creating Communities on Twitter - article

Zac Workman — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 11:22:50 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Zac Workman on 4/17/2019 11:22:50 AM

When you’re ready to build up your Twitter community, the better you plan, the better the results. Follow these quick tips, tactics, and applications, and you’ll find being a self-published author on Twitter can be a very good thing. When it comes to gaining followers and creating relationships, Twitter can help point your career down the right path.

Create a user name that people looking for you can find and easily remember. This essentially will be the label with which you’re going to spend your time branding until two o’clock in the morning. Remember that the longer the name, the more space it will take up. In the Twitterverse longer is not better, especially with only 280 characters.

Familiarize yourself with the language like RT=ReTweet, @ symbol before a user name to reply, and DM=Direct Message or a message sent directly to someone specific. There is a ton more to learn and Twitter Watch Dog is a great place to learn it.

Find new people to follow. Use the search tool to find readers interested in your genre. If you want to supercharge your search, try Twellow.

Once your followers begin to swarm, be sure to give back a little. Take the opportunity to mention the new people who have recently began following you. Not only does this make you look considerate, but it will foster a sense of loyalty among all those you mention. Be sure to spend a little time each day retweeting a couple of things your followers post. Doing so will also help develop loyalty and increase the number of your followers.

Finally, you want to craft your tweets like the headlines of a popular magazine cover, but make sure you don't oversell. Instead, interject some everyday conversation into your daily tweets. This will allow the readers to see that you’re human. In addition, you should always be thinking value when you tweet.

The top value-added topics tweeted are:
• how to's
• breaking news
• warnings
• freebies and contests

A marketable name, knowing the lingo, seeking out targeted people to follow and to be followed by, and writing what's being read are all key elements to growing your own successful Twitter community.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Social Media: More About Twitter - article

Michael Esser — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 20:19:42 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Michael Esser on 4/16/2019 8:19:42 PM

In today’s society it’s common knowledge that Twitter is an enormously successful social medium. Honing one’s ability to function on that platform is becoming increasingly important, as its use expands. For an author, the ability to use tweets to increase the number of your readers and the quantity of book sales makes great business sense.

While you are becoming familiar with the fast-paced world of tweeting, certain obvious questions arise. One of the most-asked questions is how to increase your “following.”

The initial answer is for you to follow more people. Every day you should make searches, using keywords that pertain to you as an author or to fields addressed in the works you write. Then, “follow” those users found by your searches. They are potential readers. They are individuals that have shown, through their Twitter profiles, that they are interested in the subjects you searched. Those whom you’ve followed will probably, in turn, check you out. When they see you're an author of a genre they like, they will choose to follow you. It's sort of an unspoken rule on Twitter for followers to reciprocate interest in each other.

After only a short period of such reciprocal “following,” the number of your followers should grow. Then, if you run an online contest, the number of your followers should “go viral.”

Okay, so you've got your follower counts building up, but now the question is how to market to those followers.

In the realm we call Twitter, the limit of a marketing message is 280 characters. This limit is actually a good thing, because nobody is reading long-winded sales pitches anymore. In any event, your tweets should never read like sale pitches, otherwise they'll just be ignored as spam. Instead, you need to use the best copy-writing skills you have, to grab the attention of those receiving your tweets. You need something like the cover of a magazine or Readers Digest. Catchy tweets that link to content on your website or blog, along with giveaway contests, get the best results.

In addition, you shouldn't focus all of your tweeting within a small block of time. With the ever-rolling out of tweet feeds, your messages can soon be lost. Instead, you should go online and tweet every morning and every night. If time allots, pop in midday. Such regular visits to Twitter will ensure you are seen by more followers, regardless of their schedules for visiting Twitter.

Aside from contests and catchy copy with links to your website or blog, it’s also a good idea to come up with some “top ten” lists. Tweet them out one list at a time.

One last tip on what should write in your tweets on a regular basis, is to add a personal touch. Tell your recipients how you’re feeling about your writing, your next project, your last project, or what you felt about a restaurant, or even, simply how your day has gone. No matter what you choose to share, a personal note will add to your mix and give your tweets a human element.

Happy tweeting.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Creating Communities on Twitter - article

Zac Workman — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 20:14:24 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Twitter (X) by Zac Workman on 4/16/2019 8:14:24 PM

Find new people to follow. Use the search tool to find readers interested in your genre. If you want to supercharge your search, try Twellow.

The top value-added topics tweeted are:
• how to's
• breaking news
• warnings
• freebies and contests

A marketable name, knowing the lingo, seeking out targeted people to follow and to be followed by, and writing what's being read are all key elements to growing your own successful Twitter community.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Are you practicing Safe Tweeting? - article

Author Learning Center — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 20:13:18 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Author Learning Center on 4/16/2019 8:13:18 PM

If you are one of the nearly 200 million people who already use or are thinking of using twitter, then you have probably already heard of many twitter debacles. However, many of them could have been avoided very easily.

5 tips for you to consider when tweeting:

1. No redos on twitter. Consider what you are posting before you take the dive and send out your 280 character short story about how upset you are by @soandso and remember there is no effective means of recalling public tweets. Once they are out there, they are part of the public domain and sure to be scrutinized and reflect upon your brand.

2. Your tweets are owned by you. Once tweeted, your posts are public domain and indexed for searches and linked back to you. Don’t share anything you don’t want to be public information. Save this for direct messages if absolutely necessary and remember that even direct messages can be retweeted.

3. Tweet what is relevant to your brand. As an individual you represent a brand and that brand can be YOU, your employer, your cause or any other number of things. Make sure to keep this in mind when tweeting and keep your tweets relevant. The last thing you want to do is destroy your personal brand because of what you have decided to tweet in the heat of a twitter war or lapse of judgment.

4. Twitter is not Facebook. Don’t use twitter like you use facebook. Twitter is used to connect with people and to follow people of interest so you can stay in the conversation. It is not simply a status update. To be effective you have to use references and acknowledge individuals on a regular basis. This may be a retweet, reply, use of hash tags (#) or simply posting relevant content.

5. Twitter is best utilized via Twitter clients, such as HootSuite, which allows users to manage multiple accounts from one system while staying connected and engaged. These clients also provide analytics and allow you to shorten URLs and easily schedule your tweets.

Twitter is a highway of information and hopefully this will help you to more effectively consume and contribute to the vast amount of relevant information out there. Safe tweeting.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Tweet Spot: Promoting Yourself 280 Character at a Time - article

Michael Esser — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 20:11:25 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Michael Esser on 4/16/2019 8:11:25 PM

So you’re looking to engage in the popular world of social media, but need some ideas on how to do so effectively? The social interface known as Twitter offers an opportunity to not only promote your book and build author recognition, but to create connections.

This micro-blogging giant connects people in a unique, limited way using only 280 characters or less for each posting.

How can a writer use Twitter? What are some author-specific tips for promoting yourself on Twitter?

Your goal is to increase the number of your followers; so when you have a message to broadcast, you’ll cast the widest possible net.

To build up the number of your “followers,” first you need to “follow.” Use the Twitter search function to find anyone with an interest in your genre or topic. Feel free to get creative with your search as results from creative searches might yield promising contacts.

In the Twitterverse it’s not uncommon to follow people you don’t know. Part of the process is reciprocating an initial “follow” with a “follow.” Not everyone adheres to this protocol, but many do, especially if you have something in common with them.

While seeking to increase the number of your followers, you should run a contest. A Twitter contest is easy to run. All you have to do is tweet! In the contest, pledge to give away a copy of your eBook to anyone who retweets one of your messages.

For this type of value-added tweet, there is a time and place that might be considered a “tweet spot” according to DanZarrella.com. Studies show that if you follow a few simple tips, your tweets will get a much better response than if you just blast blasting them out randomly.

Some tips, not just for contests, but for any of your tweets:

If you want people to retweet your message, use the magic word, “Please!” Research done by copyblogger.com shows that the occurrence of the word “please” in successful retweets far outnumbered that of other tweets. So the call to action is “Please retweet.”

Research also shows that if you tweet your message Monday through Wednesday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., you’ll get more retweets. This pattern or spike in retweets seems to reflect what happens when the public returns to work after the weekend, eager to check in and connect.

Finally, other than finding those interested in your genre, there is another cool use for the twitter search tool. Search for relevant conversations into which you can interject an opinion. An author will be seen as an expert if he fields and answers questions related to his book

Then, just throw in a few personal, entertaining off-the-wall anecdotes, and you’ve got the complete package, regardless of your style.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Tweet Spot: Promoting Yourself 280 Character at a Time - article

Michael Esser — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 20:07:16 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Twitter (X) by Michael Esser on 4/16/2019 8:07:16 PM

This micro-blogging giant connects people in a unique, limited way using only 280 characters or less for each posting.

How can a writer use Twitter? What are some author-specific tips for promoting yourself on Twitter?

Your goal is to increase the number of your followers; so when you have a message to broadcast, you’ll cast the widest possible net.

Some tips, not just for contests, but for any of your tweets:

Keep your tweets under 115 characters, including the ever important link. When the message is retweeted, it won’t be altered or shortened and instead will remain as you originally intended it.

Then, just throw in a few personal, entertaining off-the-wall anecdotes, and you’ve got the complete package, regardless of your style.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Using Twitter Effectively: What to Tweet About - podcast

Kyle Lacy — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 15:42:09 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Kyle Lacy on 11/30/2018 3:42:09 PM

Building a following is key to leveraging the power of Twitter. Social media expert Kyle Lacy shares specific tips on how to build a strong social network and make good use of it. Most of it is common sense and simple. For example, the best way to get followers is to follow people. Now, there are a lot of particulars with that. Following too many people too fast can get you kicked off twitter. It matters who you follow and why you follow them. Finally, it matters how you engage with people. Lacy teaches a three minute crash course in how to master twitter.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../ALCPodcastKyleLacyUsingTwitterEffectivelyWhattoTweetAbout.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

Using Twitter Effectively: Building a Following - video

Kyle Lacy — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 15:41:33 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Kyle Lacy on 11/30/2018 3:41:33 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../ALCATEKyleLacyUsingTwitterEffectivelyBuildingaFollowing.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

What is Literary Dispatch? - podcast

Vicki Hudson — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 20:35:12 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Vicki Hudson on 11/15/2018 8:35:12 PM

Bookstores don’t rarely literary magazines anymore, which makes it very difficult for writers to publish their material. Literary magazines are being published, but how do we find them? Author of "No Red Pen," Vicki Hudson, explains Literary Dispatch, a Paper.li creation she shares every 24 hours via twitter. Literary Dispatch is a significant literary account that is attempting to provide a resource for all those interested in literary magazines. Listen to the clip below to find out more about Hudson’s work with literary magazines and making them accessible to everyone.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../VickiHudsonWhatisLiteraryDispatchALCWebinars003.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

What is Literary Dispatch? - video

Vicki Hudson — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 20:34:07 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Vicki Hudson on 11/15/2018 8:34:07 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../VickiHudsonWhatisLiteraryDispatchALCWebinars003.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

Book in a Year: Twitter Basics and Best Practices

Erik Deckers — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:04:35 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Erik Deckers on 7/11/2018 6:04:35 PM

Twitter can be the best, most fun waste of time you can ever have. For authors, it can be one of the GREATEST tools you'll ever use for promoting your books and speaking engagements, networking with other writers, finding new readers for your work, and stalking your favorite authors. But, there's a right way and a wrong way to do Twitter, a good way and an ineffective way. Social media and personal branding expert Erik Deckers will show you the best practices for starting and growing your Twitter network, how to use it properly, and the one big etiquette rule many authors accidentally break.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../BIYPlaceholder.mp4

Erik Deckers is the president of Pro Blog Service, a content marketing agency with clients throughout the United States. He is also the co-author of Branding Yourself, No Bull**** Social Media, and The Owned Media Doctrine. Erik has been blogging since 1997, and a newspaper humor columnist since 1994. He has written several radio and stage plays, and numerous business articles. Erik was the Spring 2016 writer-in-residence at the Jack Kerouac House in Orlando, FL, and now serves on their board of directors.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Comedy Writer James Breakwell on His Experience Going Viral on Social Media

James Breakwell — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 14:17:00 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by James Breakwell on 3/22/2018 2:17:00 PM

James Breakwell has learned that internet fame is quite different from traditional fame or celebrity. When the comedy writer's Twitter account (@XplodingUnicorn) went viral due to a Buzzfeed article in 2016, Breakwell already had a solid writing routine and brand of humor in place. Being an internet sensation with over one million followers hasn't changed his day-to-day responsibilities with work and family, but it has opened doors to new opportunities. Going viral on social media led to global media attention, inquiries from agents and publishers, and ultimately, a book deal. Combining his years of comedy writing, parenting experience, and web comics, author James Breakwell created his critically acclaimed debut book, Only Dead on the Inside: A Parent's Guide to Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse. The key to building a large following on social media, he says, is focusing on one thing and doing it really well. Breakwell attributes his success on Twitter to finding his niche with his upbeat, but pessimistic (and hilarious) views on parenting, and sticking with it.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Comedy-Writer-James-Breakwell-on-His-Experience-Going-Viral-on-Social-Media.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

The Power of Social Media for Self-Promotion and Building Awareness for Causes - podcast

Richard Marx — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 19:30:03 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Richard Marx on 12/20/2017 7:30:03 PM

Using social media for marketing and self-promotion is crucial in almost any industry these days. For musicians, social media has replaced other forms of promotion such as club gigs and merchandise sales. Chart-topping, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Richard Marx admits he has a love-hate relationship with social media. He currently manages his own social platforms, which he sometimes finds challenging, but he sees unique communication opportunities with platforms such as Twitter. Marx also enjoys using his social media to champion other people's great ideas or to bring awareness to the causes that he is passionate about. At the end of the day, his goal is to keep it fun, not only for himself, but for his followers.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../The-Power-of-Social-Media-for-Self_2D00_Promotion-and-Building-Awareness-for-Causes.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

The Power of Social Media for Self-Promotion and Building Awareness for Causes - video

Richard Marx — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 19:30:00 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Richard Marx on 12/20/2017 7:30:00 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../The-Power-of-Social-Media-for-Self_2D00_Promotion-and-Building-Awareness-for-Causes.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

Twitter 101: The Beginning and Driving Sales - podcast

Kyle Lacy — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:13:55 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Kyle Lacy on 3/17/2017 10:13:55 AM

Learn how to use social media to find your audience and start driving your book sales. Author of "Twitter Marketing for Dummies," Kyle Lacy, teaches you how to use Twitter features such as mentions, advanced search, lists, hashtags, and retweets to connect with potential readers that will advocate for you as an author, your brand, and your book.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../PodcastKyleLacyTwitter101TheBeginningandDrivingSales.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, podcast

Twitter 101: The Beginning and Driving Sales - video

Kyle Lacy — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:13:46 GMT

Current Revision posted to Twitter (X) by Kyle Lacy on 3/17/2017 10:13:46 AM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../WebinarKyleLacyTwitter101TheBeginningandDrivingSales042513REDONEW.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Twitter 101: The Beginning and Driving Sales - video

Kyle Lacy — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 10:13:11 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Twitter (X) by Kyle Lacy on 3/17/2017 10:13:11 AM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../WebinarKyleLacyTwitter101TheBeginningandDrivingSales042513REDONEW.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video