Want to crack the code on social media sharing but hit a brick wall?
It’s true that each social media network has its own culture. What works on Facebook doesn’t always work on Twitter. And it’s easy to commit the faux pax that will get you banned as a spammer or worse.
After reading this guest post from writer and blogger, Sacha Black, you’ll know why some writers get so many retweets. So here’s how to get noticed on Twitter.
Take it away, Sacha!
It’s common knowledge that if you’re serious about being a writer, you need a social media presence. But how do you grow an audience?
Hashtags are one of the fastest ways to engage with the twittersphere. To get results, you just need the right ones.
Wait, What’s a Hashtag?
A hashtag is basically a keyword with a pound sign (#) in front of it. That pound sign tells Twitter to group your tweet with other tweets that use that keyword.
Hashtags make it easy for people to find what they like. Want to find people on Twitter who are into writing? Use a writing hashtag in your tweet. Anyone browsing through tweets with that hashtag will find your tweet, even if they don’t follow you.
How Twitter Hashtags Increase Retweets and Blog Traffic
Take my Twitter account as a case study. I increased my activity on Twitter six weeks ago. I had just 180 followers. After six weeks of using hashtags I am a whisker under 1600 followers. In the first 10-11 days of using specific hashtags I saw a 400% increase in followers. My Retweets (RTs) have gone from just one or two a day to over 70.
Not only am I getting huge shares on Twitter, but it’s driving traffic to my website too. On a hashtag day, Twitter is my primary referrer, easily overtaking Pinterest and Facebook.
Still not convinced? How about these facts.
- Tweets that include hashtags receive 2x more engagement than those without
- Engagement is 21% higher if your tweet has two hashtags in it BUT
- Don’t use more than two hashtags because engagement drops by 17%
The Best Performing Hashtags for Writers
#MondayBlogs is simply fantastic. It is by far my busiest day on Twitter. Be warned. If you participate – take a phone charger to work. The first day I used the hashtag, my phone battery died by lunchtime, which meant game over for me and Twitter RTs!
A few more hashtags for writers favorites:
- #SundayBlogShare
- #ArchiveDay
- #wwwblogs
- #amwriting
- #amblogging
- #wordpress (for Wordpress users)
- #IARTG (Indie Author Retweet Group)
- #FWRT (Freelance Writer Retweet)
This all sounds ideal, and it will increase your traffic, but there are rules and etiquette to this twitterage. It’s important to follow the rules, because the success of hashtags is based on the generosity of others retweeting you. Other tweeters will quickly catch on and not bother sharing your tweets if you don’t follow the rules.
Here are a few of those rules.
Don’t Get Kicked Out of The Fun: Rules & Etiquette for These Top Writing Hashtags
#1 Rules and Etiquette for #MondayBlogs
- Publish a blog post on Monday.
- Use the hashtag only on Monday.
- Tweet a link to your post using the #MondayBlogs hashtag.
- This is the most important rule: tweet, RT and favourite other bloggers’ tweets who have used the hashtag. You can do this by going to your search bar and searching for #MondayBlogs.
- If you have time, it’s worth tweeting directly from someone’s post. Your tweet will show it’s not a RT but a direct tweet from their site. This helps you to establish new networking connections and make friends who are happy to reciprocate the effort.
#2 Rules and Etiquette for #SundayBlogShare
- Same rules apply. Except you don’t have to post on Sunday. You can share any post from your blog history.
- You’re also not restricted to just one post. People often share half a dozen or so. Do make sure you follow rule four above though.
#3 Rules and Etiquette for #ArchiveDay
- Same rules, different hashtag.
- This hashtag is used on Saturdays.
- Posts should be from your blog archive and not recent.
#4 Rules and Etiquette for #wwwblogs
This hashtag stands for, Women Writers Wednesday Blogs. It’s for women’s interest topics and Wednesdays only.
#5 Bonus Tip for Writers on Twitter
When someone follows me on Twitter, I respond by thanking them and politely pointing them in the direction of my website. This has helped to drive a lot of traffic my way, and I have connected with lots of new and interesting writers.
Writer Hashtags Resource List
There are literally hundreds of hashtags for writers. Try a few of these resources to drive traffic to your site and build a Twitter following.
- 100 hashtags for writers from Aerogramme Writer’s Stuido
- Register your own hashtags on Hashtags, Twubs, and Tagdef
- 50 Tweetable Twitter Tips, Tricks and Facts from SocialBro for what to do, and what not to do, on Twitter
See you on Twitter!
More from Social Media Training for Writers
Try this Guide To Using Pinterest for Writers (Infographic) for writing tips, inspiration, writerly organization, and ways to increase your Pinterest followers.
Then check out 5 Ways To Increase Your Blog’s Traffic by 250% Using Pinterest: A Case Study for powerful techniques to increase your author site or blog’s traffic using Pinterest.
Shawn Whitten says
Thanks for sharing.
Kristen says
Ooh, thank you so much for this article, Sacha (and Mandy for hosting it!).
I loved learning about the popular post-sharing hashtags and the etiquette that goes along with them. I mostly just use #amwriting and #writetip so it will be great to branch out into new territory. I can’t wait to see what others tweet there, as well!
Thanks again for an awesome and informative post 🙂
Mandy Wallace says
Sacha gets great results from Twitter. I’m still trying to figure it out and follow in her footsteps. Let’s not even mention Facebook. She shares great writing tips and author interviews on Twitter too. Give her a follow so you’ll know when they’re out.