We’re talking about social media marketing all month long and the wonderful and ever-talented Harper Miller wrote us a little something about building up engagement on Twitter!

Social media is my jam, and it’s probably because I’m a social butterfly outside of the World Wide Web. It’s no secret I want to know all the people! Every author is told that to build a following, you need accounts on the Top Three Social Media Websites: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I have accounts on those platforms, and a few others, but sometimes those additional platforms can be tedious, so I barely use them. My Holy Grail of social media platforms is Twitter.

I spend more time on Twitter than any other platform because it’s fast-paced. For writers, this presents the right kind of challenge. It’s important we make sure our words are not only worthwhile but eye-catching.

Joining the social media fray is a necessity for anyone who’s looking to build a brand. A healthy online presence is the first step. Unfortunately, not everyone is savvy when it comes to engagement on Twitter. Take romance authors… Many of us log on once a week—and only once a week—for #RWChat. That hour on Sundays is all the action our timelines get. If you’re guilty of this, snap out of it! You’re missing out on some seriously fun stuff. We all want to gain more followers, but the best way to do that is by interacting with others. Not rocket science, I know, but it’s hard for some people to take those precious steps. Striking up conversations with strangers is difficult and even trickier online. So here are a few suggestions on how to build up the courage to become more active on Twitter outside of Romance Writer Chat:

 

Only Follow People You Want to Know More About

My First Rule for Twitter: Don’t click the follow button because someone followed you. Twitter’s algorithm is a lot friendlier than Facebook’s. Trust me on this, it is! The company saw a 91 million dollar profit last year, putting Twitter in the black for the first time in the five years since the company went public. How? They focused on user experience. Twitter execs want people to keep coming back, so they’re making sure users see more relevant content in their feeds.

If you follow people you have nothing in common with, you’re clogging your feed and making it more challenging for the good stuff to get through. If you follow people/companies/publications you like, Twitter will show you more of the same based on your interests. Easy peasy!

 

 Don’t Lurk

Engagement doesn’t have to be terrifying. It can be something as simple as a “Like.” If someone shares tons of fluffy animal stories from The Dodo or retweets jokes that make you laugh so hard you damn near pee your pants, like it! Tap the little heart icon and like the heck out of those tweets. By liking a tweet, it shows the user their posts are being seen and helps them to cultivate their content. Help them, help you! Feed the algorithmic machine.

 

Don’t Oversaturate Your Feed with Self-Promo

We all want to sell lots of books, but no one wants to see promo from you in their newsfeeds day in and day out. It’s okay to promote, but don’t make everything you tweet a hard sell. People may mute you or unfollow you altogether. Muting and/or unfollowing = lack of engagement.

Diversify your feed! Think of four things your brand stands for and tweet on topics relating to those four things. You can’t overdo it (except when it comes to self-promo). Think of your timeline as a news ticker. It’s always moving, and people are continuously scrolling. Something you post is bound to catch their eye. Varying your posts will help people get a sense of who you are and what you’re about if they’ve never read your work.

 

Share the Love

Romance writers are also romance readers. Come across a book you loved and want everyone else to read it? Tweet about it! Heck, tweet the author! I’m guilty of doing this. If a book made me feel good, I want others to have the same experience. I also want the author to know how much I appreciate their hard work. If me reaching out to say, “Hey, I love your writing!” puts a smile on their face, then it’s worth a few seconds out of my day. Patting someone on the back for a job well done is a great way to get engagement going. I’ve done this with a few authors, and we not only follow each other on Twitter but other social media platforms as well. I’ve even established great in-person friendships with people I met on Twitter via book discussions!

When venturing onto Twitter, take baby steps to ensure you don’t get overwhelmed. Your user experience is what you make it, and while Sunday evenings are great because of #RWChat, there’s a whole world waiting to be explored the other six days of the week. Give it a go and reap the rewards!

 

If you have tips or questions about engaging on Twitter, make sure to join us for RWchat on Sunday, March 11th, at 7pm EST/4pm PST.

 

Harper Miller is a thirty-something native New Yorker. She’s traveled the world and lived in a variety of places but always finds her way back to the Big Apple. A lackluster love life leaves time to explore new interests; for Harper it is writing. The Sweetest Taboo: An Unconventional Romance is her debut novel. In her mind, the perfect Alpha male possesses intellect, humor, and a kinky streak that rivals the size of California.

When she isn’t writing, Harper Miller utilizes her graduate degree in the field of medical research. She enjoys fitness-related activities, drinking copious amounts of wine, and going on bad dates.

For more information about Harper’s work visit www.authorharpermiller.com. On her website, you can sign up for her newsletter and gain access to information regarding ARC opportunities, new releases, and giveaways. You can also find Harper on Twitter @authorharpmill.