Got Nothing to Say on Social Media? Check Out These Examples!

Many people are confused about what they should say on social media.

Feeling like you’re in the same situation? No worries. Just keep reading.

You may remember the 80/20 rule: 80 percent of the time, you promote your colleagues, other writers, and great posts, and 10 percent of the time, you can promote your books, blog posts, readings, and awards.

If you’re still feeling confused about how to best present the information you’ve curated, don’t worry. Keep reading and you’ll learn how to write the best social media updates.

Tweets Can Now Have 280 Characters

For about the past year, the character limit on Twitter has been 280, up for 140. However, it’s still best to keep your tweets to 100 characters if possible. Doing so, will increase your retweets according to SproutSocial.

Here are a variety of sample tweets from the indie author/publishing world:

You’re probably wondering what you as an author could say. Here are some additional examples that cover an array of genres. All you need to add to these tweets is a URL. If you are promoting a colleague, then add a URL and a Twitter username.

Love #Spain? Read this novel based in #Sevilla + link + name of the book
Are you a #hiker? 7 Tips on How to Find the Best Hiking Boots + link
Great story by +colleague’s username about overcoming #cancer
San Francisco #Writer’s #Conference is this February +link
Do you love reading Indie Authors? Visit http://www.indieauthornetwork.com#bibliophiles

The first tweet is a sample tweet from an author about his or her book. The second tweet would theoretically be for a writer who wrote a book about hiking or local hiking trails.

The third tweet is an example of how writers can help each other. The fourth tweet is presumably by a writer encouraging other authors to attend a conference. The fifth tweet introduces readers to other Indie authors. The hashtags in this example help readers and self-described bibliophiles to find great books to read.

You can also tweet images, quotes from your books, videos, book trailers, Amazon reviews, and information about your colleagues’ books. GIFs are super popular as well because then tend to stop people as they peruse their newsfeeds.

Nothing to Say on Facebook? Check out this examples

On Facebook, try to stand out with dazzling images.

Some users will post a long paragraph for an update and in a few rare cases this may trigger engagement with their fans and friends. However, it’s preferable to keep posts to about 40 to 80 characters. We all feel the effects of text overload these days and your fans are more likely to read short posts than long posts.

Here are some examples of short Facebook posts:

This week’s Monday blog is on 7 Great New Twitter applications. You may find the perfect one for you. + link
Here are three possible covers for my new book. Which one do you prefer? + 3 images
I’m trying to decide on a name for my blog. Which of the following examples do you like? + Potential Titles of Blog
Want to receive updates about my books and freebies? Sign up for my newsletter + link

You could also post an image with an uplifting or thought-provoking phrase or provide background information on the characters in your novel. If you want to make others smile, post something funny that won’t be construed as offensive.

If you wrote a travel book and just returned from Barcelona, share your best photos. If you wrote a gardening book, capture an image of your favorite rose bush or tree in the spring or summer.

Ask questions, seek engagement, return to your profiles (where your friends are) and pages (where your readers are) during the day to acknowledge comments, and make time to engage with your friends and fans by clicking on your Home tab and seeing what they have to say today. Yes, be sure to share your readers’ posts.

LinkedIn   Posts

LinkedIn posts generally contain a blog title and a link, although you could include about 600 characters of text, but shorter is better. The ideal length of a LinkedIn update is 100 characters. You’ll want to inform your connections and keep your posts professional. Discuss issues in self-publishing, share the name of your cover designer or webmaster, and don’t forget to promote your colleagues’ books and blogs.

Google+ Updates

Some people use Google+ as a blogging platform. You can definitely write long blocks of text here but again it’s preferable to write tighter posts.

Sample posts could include a blog title and link or a short statement with an image similar to the examples given for Facebook.

And share images. Google+ is a great platform for sharing landscape photographs.

Pinterest

Be sure to save images from your blog and other parts of your website. You can also upload images taken in the cities where the characters of your novel live.

Start pinboards on your favorite books, libraries, bookstores, your colleagues’ books, writer quotes, and other related topics. For ideas, see my Pinterest account.

What do you frequently post? I’d love to know!

Whether you’re setting up your social media for the first time or wanting to take it to the next level, get the newest edition of Social Media Just for Writers.


I would not limit this book to the audience of only writers, it’s a great resource for anyone that wants to take full advantage of the online platforms available. Janet Kinsella

 

Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She’s a regular speaker at the San Francisco Writers Conference and a contributing writer at TheBookDesigner.com. Frances wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.

Practical tips for marketing your books on the social web

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