With over 700,000 new books released just this year, the pool of authors is becoming more of an ocean. But, the good news is readers are ready and eager to dive in. This is due largely in part to the impact social media has had on the book industry. Authors are no longer unattainable beings only connected to their readers by words on a page. Social media platforms have not only enabled authors to connect to their established readers, but also expand their readership with practically free PR.  Twitter’s easy to use 140 character platform and massive collection of users has made it one of the most valuable marketing tools for authors available today, if used correctly.

Here are 6 Do’s and Dont’s of Twitter to help you use this platform to your full advantage:

Do: Think about the time of day you send out tweets

Understanding the heavy traffic times for social media can be crucial in getting your tweets maximum exposure. The three best times of day to send out your tweets are relatively easy to remember: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. By that we mean, the majority of people are checking social media on their morning commutes, lunch hour, and around 6pm (as they get home from work). So, click the send button with every meal and share your content with the world.

Don’t: Send automatic direct messages

An automatic “thank you” DM can seem impersonal to a new follower, and be a real turn-off. If you really want to express your gratitude, send a personal DM yourself. It will allow you to connect more with your followers and appear truly engaged.

Do: Follow users with similar interests

It is important to build your following around people who share your likes and interests because those are the people most likely to be interested in your book. A large audience is important, but following random users in the hopes of a return follow will not give you the quality audience you want. Plus, you could be labeled as a “follow-spammer” which will decrease your credibility.

Don’t: Become solely self promoting

Twitter is a “give and take relationship” with a community (see below). If your tweets are constant promotions of your work, people will get bored and unfollow. Although, they can be great marketing tools, also use your tweets to express your personality and allow readers to get to know you better.

Do: Interact consistently

Twitter is about satisfying that need for human interaction and communication. By delving into conversations about other users’ works and projects, you build a rapport encouraging others to contribute to your work. Also, keep this up consistently. If your followers do not see regular tweets weekly, even daily, they may assume your account is inactive.

Don’t: Allow your followers to be filled with fake accounts

There is nothing more discouraging then finding out that 75% of your hundreds of followers are not even real users. In fact, more than half of the accounts that follow the President of the United States are fake. Use this Fake Follower Check to find out which accounts are real, and also see who is actively engaged on Twitter. This will give you a better understanding of how to increase your marketability.

Need help finding great people to follow on Twitter? Check out our list of @AmbassadorIntl authors on Twitter!

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