So, I've been reading a couple of social media books by Kristen Lamb. One is called Are You There Blog? It's Me Writer and the other is We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media. The WANA book is a couple of years old, so the My Space info is outdated, but the basic premise feels solid to. And a lot of the info from WANA is in the blog book, at least so far.
Anyway, one of the things she suggests is for authors to get Tweet Deck (free) and use it to track specific groups on Twitter. You can create columns for them. She has a group that uses the hashtag #MyWANA to bring people together who have read her book, read her blog or take her online classes.
I was thinking, we could create a hashtag for our group and use it to keep track of blog posts, retweet information and generally boost the genre's profile. I was wondering if a) Brigaders would be interested in this (once you get it set up, only takes about 15 minutes for me "do" twitter in the morning) and b) what hashtag would be the best?
#lovesciencefictionromance is really long, so it would limit tweets, but nice thing about tweetdeck, it auto shortens URLS for you. I have columns for hastags/people and also one so I can see when people respond to something I tweeted.
#loveSFR is nice and short, but would people know what it is?
#SFRlove
#SFRrocks
#blastoffw/SFR
I've only been trying this out for a couple of days, but have seen my twitter follows increasing and been able to interact with new people. I look for interesting tweets to retweet and for information the group might find interesting. Yesterday I ended up something called My WANA daily for an article link I tweeted.
What's also nice about it is that no one has to be "in charge" of it. You just need to remember to use the hashtag we choose when you tweet (and people in the group also tweet interesting personal information). Lamb suggests tweeting things that are personal/universal, something FOR someone else, and then something marketing. And if you get tweet deck and use it, it will make it a lot easier for you to keep track of the hashtag group. (She did mention another twitter manager. I can look it up if people don't like tweetdeck.)
I'm still working my way through both books, but I really like her approach and she hits on something I've vaguely felt in my years of promotion: that promoting books is different from other types of marketing.
Anyway, I'd be interested in your thoughts and your ideas for a hashtag if we decide to move forward with this.
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1 day ago
You can also do a similar thing through Hootsuite - set up streams for a specific hashtag. But don't we already have #sfr, and #sfrb for the Brigade? What about #lovescifirom?
ReplyDeletethat's the other one! hootsuite! members can choose which one to use. it won't affect the hashtag or how members use it. it's just a way to manage twitter so you can react better to comments, etc.
ReplyDeleteI like #lovescifirom! that's a good one.
What i'm proposing is a concerted effort to use a single hashtag to promote the group and the genre. To create a twitter "conversation" so to speak.
Well I already have Hootsuite so that's no hassle. My problem would be to remember to use the hashtag. :-/
ReplyDeleteSounds great! I would certainly be willing to help spread the news. I agree #lovescifirom is a good tag. On that note, if you don't already know this about me, I am a girl gamer. I just started playing Star Wars: The Old Republic (a brand new MMORPG) and must say the ability to romance your companion is the best part of the game. I squealed when my sidekick up and kissed me the other day! I am certain many, many other girl gamers feel the same way. Just think: if we could find a way to reach those girls to sell SFR! Hmm. I could try to cross tag. Post a note to #SWTOR with the #lovescifirom tag included. I'll wait till we settle on the tag we want to use.
ReplyDeleteI notice a lot of tweeters use more than one hashtag. has more to do with tweet length when people don't?
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea to cross promote, which is also what it is about!
while some of us may have similar followers, we don't all follow the same people, so when we retweet a message, it is seen by new people and new people, and on and on.
@ Pippa - that's my problem, too. Been leaving tweet deck up and I check it every now and then during the day. i have a column for #MyWANA and will add one for whatever hashtag we choose, which helps me remember to use them. I also think, before I use, if that group would be interested, of course!
ReplyDeleteToday I sent the linke to thinkgeek to the group, because it had office supplies (a bunch of authors) but they were fun office supplies.
I've been getting a pretty good response from my others. not on every tweet of course, but more than my usual. its a combo of personal contact and name recognition, according to Lamb.
Its not a good way to just promo blast, however. It does require thoughtful interaction.
We have a Twitter acct for the Brigade that tweets all the blog postss here and uses the #sfrb hashtag, and easy way for members to RT any posts they'd like. That hahstag is for anyone in the Brigade to use to follow any relavant SFRB tweets tagged w/ it. I also keep a column in TweetDeck that follows the #sfrb hashtag and RT info that uses the tag (that isn't a blog post already tweeted), tho I have been tied up recently I've had a few release overlap on each other. Just don't want to confuse people w/ too many offerings for a hashtag to collect things under for the group.
ReplyDeleteI have found the feed and am following it now!
ReplyDeleteno, you are right. we need to build one hashtag and be consistent about it. then people get used to seeing it.
I've read Lamb's blog and one of her books (I can't remember which one). I like her a lot. She's going to be presenting at a conference I'm going to in... March, I think. I'll let you know if I pick up any more tips.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the #sfrb tag. I'll add it to my tweetdeck account!
Very interesting, Paula. I need to read Lamb's book on blogs.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I like the #sfrb tag because it's short and I have a problem with making the Twitter length restrictions, but I can how it might not have a lot of meaning outside the group.
Maybe if we had two or three tags we could use as space allowed with #sfrb always used, then possibly #sfrlove (if room) and #sfrrocks (if room). Just an idea.
But I think if members would use the #sfrb when they tweet, that would be a good start in the right direction.
I have Tweet Deck already and love it. In addition to tracking hashtags, it's great when you want to tune into something major going on in the world (i.e. I followed tweets during the Japan Earthquake via #earthquake, etc.)
Thanks for sharing this info. :)
Another thing to do is make sure you post your blog links to google+. Those are starting to show up in google search and can bring your name to the first page of a search!
ReplyDeleteAlso helps if we +1 each others postings.Though I will confess I'm not yet sure how. LOL! But if you join the SFR circle, then its easier to share links and plus links.
There's an SFR circle?
ReplyDeleteThe problem I find with Google+ (aside from forgetting to go there) is that it nearly all seems to be people posting links and not much interaction. A lot of people I've spoken to re Google+ have said they waiting to see how it pans out - but if everyone does that, nothing will happen on there!
I created an SFR circle, Pippa. There might be more! LOL! and even if we don't do a lot yet, it still pulls our posts into google search, which is a good thing!
ReplyDeletei've been working on my SEO and found out my site wasn't indexed properly on google or bing, so been working on that--and noticed my google+ helped bring my name into first page. I'd also read an article about this happening.
I plus when and where I can when reading blogs!
@Pauline Will this help?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/2831-How-to-Install-the-Google-1-Button-on-Your-Site
and
http://www.google.com/webmasters/+1/button/
That's great, Heather! I know in blogger there is a share app that includes all the share buttons. I guess I need to add it to my website. Hmmm, wondering all pages or just home page. this SEO etc is tough!
ReplyDeleteI use the main twitter page, but I do add #SFRBrigade to relevant tweets. I'll switch to #sfrb since that's what's being used.
ReplyDeleteOne other thing to keep in mind is our facebook page. If you never visit, never "like" or comment, it will fade from your news feed. There is some algorithm that FB has. My daughter send me this article about FB:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.allfacebook.com/how-to-get-more-likes-and-comments-on-facebook-book-excerpt-2012-01
This explains why interaction is important for your group. One thing that might help boost our group profile is to post a link, then share that link from the group, so that each time it gets shared, there is a history that goes back to the group. Might help!