Social Media Monday—How to Use Twitter Lists Effectively

By Edie Melson +Edie Melson 

Twitter lists are truly valuable

Many people have heard the mention of Twitter lists, but don’t know how to use them effectively. They also may not realize how truly valuable they can be. Today I’m going to give you some information about how to utilize them, then show you step-by-step how to set the up.

Why have separate Twitter lists?

• I have separate lists because I have different interests. I follow lists of writers, lists of editors, lists of publishers, lists of social media enthusiasts. And that’s just with my career.

• I’m also interested in things to do with the military, because of my book, Fighting Fear: Winning theWar at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle. I follow people who help families of deployed military, things for veterans, things to do with veterans with disabilities.

• I also have hobbies. I follow a list about crafting, and several about knitting, even one about jewelry. 

This means, I follow all these varied people and profiles on Twitter. Can you imagine what my twitter stream looks like when I try to make sense out of it without lists?!? Trust me, it’s not pretty.

And this is just one reason to have varied Twitter lists. Let’s go into all them, in one place.

Twitter Lists

1. Lists that represent your varied interests. I don’t have to explain that since I went into it in the previous paragraphs.

2. Lists of people who mention you on Twitter. A mention is when someone promotes you in a Tweet. Here’s one that came through yesterday from @JaneLark 

@EdieMelson Cheers for following Edie :)

I have to say this is one of the nicest I’ve ever received. Thank you, Jane!

The reason to keep a list of people who mention you on Twitter is so that you can repay the favor. You can do that with just a plain shout-out. Or you can utilize the #FF designation – Follow Friday. Many times on a Friday you’ll see people say something like:

#FF: @EdieMelson @RebaJHoffman @BethVogt @RachaelHauck @LisaJordan @Melissa_Tagg @MichellLim24 @SusanMayWarren - Great folks to follow!

3. Lists of your customers. If you sell anything, from services, to books, to a product, build a list of customers. For a romance writer the list would include bloggers who review romance books, places and people who promote romance books, magazines that are geared to either romance readers  or romance novelists, etc. You get the idea.

How to Set Up a Twitter List

In Twitter:

Go to your profile and click on LISTS. (see arrow in screenshot below)

Then click on NEW LIST. (see arrow in screenshot below)

After clicking CREATE LIST, you’ll see a pop-up window (in the screenshot below). Here you can name your list and describe it. You can also set it as public or private. Most of my lists are public and that’s good because other people can follow them. Some, like my list of those who mention me are private, because truthfully, only I need that information.

When you click SAVE LIST, you’ll go to another page where you can add people to your list. (see screenshot below)

In Hootsuite:

You create lists through the ADD STREAM window (see screenshot below).

After you click ADD STREAM you'll see a pop-up window with lots of options. You want to choose LISTS from the options across the top of the window.

Then choose your PROFILE. Since this is a Twitter list, choose your Twitter profile.

Now click CREATE NEW LIST and type the name of the list in the box provided.

Now type in the description of the new list.

Finally, decide whether it's to be a PUBLIC or PRIVATE list and 

click ADD STREAM. All of this is highlighted in the screenshot below.

Hang in there with me, we're almost through! As soon as you click ADD STREAM Hootsuite will take you to your new stream. Don't panic, it's supposed to be completely empty, now we're going to add people into it. Click on the ARROW at the top of the stream and choose PREFERENCES. The pop-up window in the screenshot below will appear. Follow the directions to choose the people you want to add to the list. (see screenshot below)

Subscribe to Lists

You don't have to always develop your own lists, you can subscribe to lists that others have developed. One of my favorite Twitter lists is curated by Alton Gansky. He has a list of publishers that I subscribe to. It's a public list, so you can subscribe too. Just visit his Twitter page, @AltonGansky FOLLOW him, then click on LISTS and click on PUBLISHERS. This will take you to his Twitter List page and here you can click on SUBSCRIBE.

I've covered a lot of info today, so if you have questions about twitter lists or a suggestion of a valuable list to develop or follow, please leave a comment in the section below.

Don't forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains ChristianWriters Conference and the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy. She’s also the Military Family Blogger at Guideposts. Com, Social Media Director for SouthernWriters Magazine and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Don't miss her new book from Worthy Inspired, WHILE MY SOLDIER SERVES.

Social Media Monday—Top 10 Ways to Get More Twitter Followers

By Edie Melson +Edie Melson 

Social Media Tips

I do a lot of teaching about social media online and at conferences all around the country. One of the things I’m asked about the most is how to increase my Twitter followers. I haven’t run into many people who don’t want to increase their numbers, so today I’m going to give you my top 10 ways to get more Twitter followers.

Why do I want more Twitter followers?

• It gives me credibility
• It increases my reach, and makes it easier to spread the word, no matter what my message.

10 Tips to Get More Twitter Followers

How do I get more Twitter followers?

1. Be sure to follow people back. It’s considered good manners to follow people back who follow you. This doesn’t mean you have to follow people who make you uncomfortable or who are trying to sell you 10,000 followers. Use common sense, but unless there’s a good reason be nice and follow people back.

2. Don’t PROTECT YOUR TWEETS. On your Twitter profile there’s the option to protect your tweets. This locks your account and doesn’t let people follow you unless you approve them. If you feel the need to protect your tweets, you really shouldn’t be on Twitter. This social media platform is a place to get found, not lurk.

3. Make sure your 160 character ABOUT ME gives a good picture of who you are. You don’t want to over use hashtags here, but you do want to cover all the things you might tweet about. Here’s what I have as my description: Writer, Editor, Wonderer—with a passion for life's stories and God's path. Author, repped by Jessica Kirkland, #militaryfamilies #vets #SciFi #mystery

Show Your Face!

4. Show your face. Always use a picture of YOURSELF as your Twitter icon. The evidence is overwhelming. People respond to a head shot where you can see the person’s smile. The only exception is if you have a business account. Then you can use your company’s logo.

5. Have a regular presence on Twitter. I Tweet a lot more now than I did when I started out. More first goal was to Tweet four to six times each day, four or five days a week. I use Hootsuite to schedule my Tweets throughout the day. Here's a post I wrote on How to use Hootsuite to help you get started. Do NOT send out all your tweets at once. This is called hogging the stream and is the height of bad manners!

 6. BE CONSISTENT with the subject of your tweets. I tweet about social media, writing, some books, and issues important to military families. Occasionally, I’ll find something that I just want to share outside of those topics, but that’s an exception, not the norm.

7. Make sure you’re sharing valuable content with your Twitter updates. Don’t make your Tweets all about you. Instead, promote others who have something valuable to say to your followers. I know it’s counter intuitive, but it works every time!

Look for Strategic People to Follow

8. Look for strategic people to follow. Here’s what I mean. I’m working on a science fiction manuscript and trying to grow my Twitter followers for that specific market. To find new people to follow, I visit some of my favorite science fiction author’s profiles. Then I click on their followers. This does two things.

1. It gives me people to follow who are interested in following a scifi author.

2. It gives me a good chance of them following me back because they’re already good about following back.

9. Reply to others publically. Twitter is a public medium and people like to be mentioned. If someone says something nice about you, or mentions you, be sure to reply publically to thank them. I also keep a list of people who regularly mention me and try to find something they do that I can mention. Here's a post I wrote on the Ways to Utilize Twitter Lists. 

10. Don’t use an auto responder. You may think you’re being polite, but what you’re really being is irritating. Auto responders are obvious and no one likes messages from a computer clogging up their timeline.

What NOT to do!

What NOT to do

There are several things that may seem tempting for short cuts to Twitter followers. I cannot urge you strongly enough not to try them. This is one of these times when if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

• Do NOT buy Twitter followers.
• Do NOT use ANY automatic programs to increase your followers on Twitter.

Twitter has very strict policies against these practices and I’ve known several people who have had their Twitter accounts suspended because of this.

Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains ChristianWriters Conference and the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy. She’s also the Military Family Blogger at Guideposts. Com, Social Media Director for SouthernWriters Magazine and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Don't miss her new book from Worthy Inspired, WHILE MY SOLDIER SERVES.

Popular Hashtags and How to Use Them Effectively

by Edie Melson
 

Hashtags can be a confusing concept

Hashtags can be a confusing concept, so today I’m sharing a list of popular hashtags and how to use them effectively.

First, lets back up and evaluate the reason we’re all working at building an online presence. We are looking to deepen existing relationships and build new ones. But building new ones can be difficult if the only people we interact with are those we already know, either online or in person.

We can get a little bit of exposure to new folks by our existing connections introducing us, but that’s a time consuming way to go about it.

What if there was a way for someone to search a given social media network by topic and find new, interesting people to interact with? That would be a great way to grow our connections.

THAT, in the simplest of terms, is the purpose of using hashtags.

When you compose a social media update that includes one or two hashtags that summarize the topic, you are giving folks a way to find you.

For example, I’m working on a new series of Steampunk novels. Because of that, targeting a specific type of reader—one who reads Steampunk. I find those readers within the larger group of people who read science fiction (ABA – secular) or speculative fiction (CBA – Christian).

Twitter started the Hashtag revolution

Here’s a sample tweet I might send out, targeted at those specific readers: 

Step-by-step instructions to help you turn a plain top hat into a #Steampunk masterpiece! Via @EdieMelson http://bit.ly/HoGs3w #Specfic

Let’s break down how I composed this update. I know that the Steampunk community loves to create costumes. So I’m giving them information they’d find useful and interesting.

• I used #Steampunk so that anyone searching Twitter for others who are interested in this genre can find me.
• I also included @EdieMelson, because on Twitter, that is a clickable link that takes them directly to my Twitter page.
• Finally I used #specfic, because that’s the hashtag for speculative fiction to pull in readers who might find this interesting.
• If I was targeting the general market reader, instead of #specfic, I would have used #scifi.

NOTE: Use # (hashtags) to denote a subject, and use @ (at sign) to denote a person or organization. With organizations, you’ll find some that hashtag their names and others use the @ sign.

Twitter isn’t the only social media network that has hashtags. You can use hashtags in the same manner on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. There may be other networks that also use them, but those are the main ones.

Hashtag Etiquette

Don't use more than 2 (occasionally 3) Hashtags per update

Try to never use more than three hashtags in any one tweet. If you can make it two that’s even better. Otherwise you end up looking like a used car sales man. If you’re trying to reach more groups, schedule multiple tweets, at different times, about the same subject and target your groups two at a time.

Always research your hashtag before you use it. Never assume it’s the correct one. For example, I was targeting military families with tweets about my devotional for military families and I thought #military would be the logical hashtag. No, turns out that hashtag is frequently used by those trying to date someone in the military. Not really the demographic I was trying to reach. The hashtag I wanted was #militaryfamily and #deployment. The best place to research hashtags is also the easiest, just type it into Google or the search engine of your choice.

Now, I’m going to give you an updated list of popular hashtags. 

This list is extensive, but by no means exhaustive

For readers, the most popular hashtag right now is:

#amreading

For writers, there are two popular hashtags right now:

#amwriting

#write

If you’re editing something:

#amediting

If you’re quoting a literary agent:

#askagent

#author


#authors

#Christian


#Christfic Christian fiction

#devo Christian devotion

#devotion Christian devotion

#ebooks

#editing

#editmark


#fictionfriday


#flashfic flash fiction

#freebooks

#freelancelife

#freelancewriter

#fridayflash  flash fiction on a Friday


#Goodreads

#Indiauthor self-publishing

#Indiepub self-publishing

#Kindlebooks

#kindlefree

#Kindle_promo

#JesusTweeters from believers
#MBTWriMo My Book Therapy NaNoWriMo 

#microfiction
#MyBookTherapy writing community

#nano national novel writing month

#nanowrimo  national novel writing month


#novels


#novelists


#poem


#poet


#poets


#poetry


#pubtip  publication tips


#publishing


#reading

#scifi


#selfpublishing


#socialmedia

#socialnetworking

#specfic

#suspense

#twitter

#vss   very short story


#webfic  web fiction


#weblit   web literature


#wip   work in progress


#womensfic

#womensfiction

#wordcount


#writegoal


#writequote


#writer


#writers

#writetip  writing advice


#writing


#writingtips  writing advice

#wrotetoday


All of these should help you find the hashtags best suited to your situation.

I’d love to hear from you now. Twitter is ever-changing and hashtags come and they go. What are some of your favorites? Also, if you still have hashtag questions, post them below in the comments section.

Don’t forget to join the conversation,

Blessings,

Edie

Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains ChristianWriters Conference and the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy. She’s also the Military Family Blogger at Guideposts. Com, Social Media Director for SouthernWriters Magazine and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Don't miss her new book from Worthy Inspired, WHILE MY SOLDIER SERVES.

Twitter ABCs

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Sometimes we tend to overcomplicate social media, especially Twitter. Today I'd like to share the basics with the ABCs of Twitter.

A is for Accessibility. It’s important to be easy to find on Twitter. This means your twitter handle needs to be as close to your own name as possible, and your avatar (picture) is recognizable as you.

B is for Bio. Even though your Twitter bio is only 160 characters long, it’s prime real estate. It tells your audience what to expect from your tweets. You can include hashtags, but don’t make them the only thing you list.

C is for Connections. The point of Twitter is to connect with other people with similar interests. It’s not your private station to broadcast commercials from. Keep self-promotion to a minimum and you’ll find some valuable relationships through this social media platform.

D is for Discipline. Small consistent steps will result in a strong Twitter platform. It’s not enough to share updates several days a month. Instead, set a goal for 4 – 6 updates on 3 – 4 days a week. It won’t take much time, but it will pay huge dividends in visibility and reach.

E is for Evaluate. Evaluate what you’re sharing on Twitter. Is it valuable to your audience or are you just adding to the noise? I share one of four types of updates:

• An inspiring quote or Bible verse.
• A thought provoking question.
• Something funny.
• A link to something I (and hopefully my audience) finds helpful.

F is for Focus. Even though I vary the types of updates I share on Twitter, I keep my message (and my Twitter personality) consistent. People who follow me know I post about writing, social media and things for military families.

G is for Grandmother. I’m convinced that my grandmother would have enjoyed social media. It’s a digital neighborhood that she would have understood. There’s a give and take here, and a willingness to courteous and helpful.

H is for Hashtags. Hashtags are one of the best things about Twitter. Do your best to limit yourself to no more than two (at the very most three) per update. And take time to do a quick search on Google for the best hashtag for the topic you’re tweeting about.

I is for Irritating. Yes, there are some people on Twitter who are irritating. And if they waste my time, I don’t hesitate to unfollow them. I encourage you to do the same.

J is for Jump. Don’t be afraid to jump into the Twitter universe. The easiest way to get started it to dive right in and learn as you go.

K is for Keep On. Don’t expect instant results. Like anything worth doing, growing a Twitter platform takes time (and don’t forget consistency). Don’t get discouraged and give up.

L is for Less is More. Even though Twitter updates can be up to 140 characters long, stop at least 20 characters early. This leaves room for retweets and comments.

M is for Myself. It’s critical that we're honest and genuine on social media. We don’t have to over-share but we do need to be authentic.

N is for Nice. Nice a word that is—in my opinion—underrated. I have never in my life regretted being nice, even when the other person didn’t treat me the same way.

O is for having an Open Door Policy. Make yourself accessible and visible on Twitter. Don’t protect your tweets, require followers to be approved and refuse to engage in conversations.

P is for Promotion. Promote others ahead of yourself and you’ll find your Twitter popularity exploding. Promote yourself ahead of others and you’ll always struggle to grow your platform.

Q is for Questions. Asking questions in your Tweets is a great way to get the conversation started. Don’t neglect these types of Twitter updates when you’re planning your social media interactions.

R is for Reciprocate. Twitter etiquette leans heavily on reciprocal relationships. If someone follows me, it’s proper etiquette for me to follow them back. The only reason I don’t is if the appear to be spammers or share updates that I consider inappropriate. Just because they seem to share updates that are far from my topic isn’t reason enough to not follow them back. I’ve found a lot of good connections because I took a chance and followed someone back who appeared—at first—to not share similar interests.

S is for Schedule. Make sure you schedule your daily Tweets. Don’t send them all out at once, but spread them out throughout the day so you reach more of your audience.

T is for Time. Watch the clock when you’re on social media. There’s a law of diminishing returns that comes into play after about thirty minutes on any social media network—Twitter included. Spend no more than thirty minutes a day and you’ll get the most return on your time investment.

U is for Update. Learn which type of Twitter update to send for each situation.

• A Tweet is for something you want to share on Twitter.
• A Retweet is when you repeat what someone else said. It’s not the best etiquette to Retweet a post that mentions you. It’s better to Favorite the Tweet or Reply and say thank you.
• A Reply is when you answer or comment on a Tweet. It’s proper etiquette to Reply and say thank you when someone mentions you on Twitter.
• A Direct Message is private message sent to someone through Twitter.

V is for Vacation. Don’t try to work Twitter (or any social media) seven days a week. Instead, give yourself regular breaks. Your tweets will stay fresh and you aren’t as likely to suffer from burnout and overload.

W is for Wisdom. Be wise online. Don’t share your vacation plans in advance or while you’re gone. Don’t make yourself a target by sharing your location when you’re out. And most of all, make certain any photos you share don’t have embedded geocodes, especially if they’re pictures of children. There are people out there who are looking for such carelessness and by not being wise you are raising the risk of becoming a victim. 

X is for X-ray. Learn the bones of a good Twitter update and you’ll never lack for something to say. I use headline writing techniques to compose my tweets and it’s the perfect way to connect with your audience in short bursts of information.

Y is for Yelling. Writing a Twitter update in all caps is LIKE YELLING. I reserve my use of all caps for the title of a book (since it isn’t possible to italicize in an update).

Z is for Zoo. Yes, at first glance Twitter can seem like a zoo. It can be mistaken for  a series of unrelated updates that make no sense to anyone. But take time to get to know your way around and you’ll find a gold mine of relationships and connections waiting for you.

This is my Twitter alphabet, I'd love to know what you'd add to it. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

TWEETABLES
Don't make #Twitter complicated #SocialMedia expert @EdieMelson shares Twitter ABCs (Click to Tweet)

Don't let #Twitter confuse you, #SocialMedia expert @EdieMelson shares Twitter ABCs (Click to Tweet)

Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains ChristianWriters Conference and the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy. She’s also the Military Family Blogger at Guideposts. Com, Social Media Director for SouthernWriters Magazine and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Don't miss her new book from Worthy Inspired, WHILE MY SOLDIER SERVES.