Hey, Don’t U Post About Ur Book W/out A Hashtag! #RRBC

Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, but I really wanted to stop  you before you sent out another promo tweet on your book without using a hashtag!  Many don’t know the power of using hashtags on Twitter.  Hashtags are a great way to bring attention to your book or anything else you’re promoting.  When folks head to Twitter, they use the Twitter search box just as they would a Google Search.  For instance, if they are looking for inspirational quotes, they will enter #InspirationalQuotes into the Twitter Search box and every inspirational quote that someone has posted using that hashtag, will populate!  If someone were to enter #RaveReviewsBookClub or #RRBC, they would find thousands upon thousands of tweets of the club’s members, promoting their books using those hashtags, and also, any and everything else that has been shared using the hashtags.

Now, when I’m supporting books, whether my own, or if I’m creating specialized tweets for the books of others, I always create a hashtag for said books.  It’s like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for many to come behind you and follow.  For example, if you were to enter #SugarcoatinIsForCandy… which is one of my books, then you’d find that trail of breadcrumbs, leading all the way back to the very first tweet I sent out about it using the hashtag.  The use of hashtags, will enable you to find tweets you didn’t even know had been sent out on your book by others, just by performing a Twitter search of the hashtag.

I want you to be aware, that when you have a common name for your book title or if your book title can be used as some kind of phrase, when a search is performed using your title, there is the possibility that there will be others hashtagging a phrase, which could turn out to be the same title as your book.

Author, Bruce A. Borders has written a book entitled “OVER MY DEAD BODY.”

Yes, another common title so Bruce shouldn’t be surprised to find some hashtag phrasing going on with the title of his book.  What if there was some kind of turf war going on (I have no idea what that means, but I think I’ve heard it somewhere before, so I’m going to use it as if I know exactly what I’m talking about) and one side heads to Twitter to send a message to the other side (you all know how these kids do things today), including  in the tweet, the threat, “overmydeadbody.”  I’m sure we would all know that this seemingly real-life drama has nothing at all to do with Bruce’ book…at least we would hope not.  (But go on and read this book, because it is so good, you’ll think it truly was REAL-LIFE DRAMA!)  Here’s a real-life tweet using this hashtag:  “I was raised by my big sister. She made my formative years hell, she ain’t messing with my old age #overmydeadbody.”

One final example here… Author, John Fioravanti has written a book called “A PERSONAL JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF TEACHING.”

When I started a hashtag for this book, I simply used #APersonalJourney.  If you were to perform a Twitter search using this hashtag, you’d find many tweets where the phrase #apersonaljourney has been included, and they have nothing at all to do with John’s book.  Here’s a real-life tweet using this hashtag:  “I survived squash #apersonaljourney”

Some might call this a drawback to the hashtag creation of a book.  I call it even more marketing power!  Just imagine all those people, going on Twitter, looking to find out about the personal journey of others, and then stumbling upon John’s book!  And, they just might run out to purchase it! Now, how awesome would that be?

Using hashtags also comes in handy when you’re in the mood to just sit and re-tweet.  You know, those times when we super-supporters just don’t have time (or the inclination) to be creative for others and ourselves.  Following those trails of breadcrumbs really comes in handy then, as you can sit and re-tweet, and re-tweet, and re-tweet the tweets of others, to your little heart’s content.

One last very good thing about using hashtags in your book promos, is that when so many people are tweeting and re-tweeting about your book, with the hashtag included, you could start trending on Twitter!  Not sure what that means?  Well, per hashtags.org, a trend on Twitter refers to a hashtag-driven topic that is immediately popular at a particular time. A hashtag is a keyword or phrase that is preceded with a pound (#) sign, as with #NBAFinals or #USElections.  I’m OK with that explanation of trending.  Hashtags.org goes on to say:  “A trending topic does not just signify popularity.  It also translates into a win for whoever is the subject of the trend. For example, if the TV series #GameofThrones is trending, it gives the show’s producers leverage against advertisers, allowing them to command a higher price for advertising slots during the show.”  Now, that’s power!

Why don’t you head to Twitter now and start your very own hashtag for your book.  If your book title is much too long, just as my “Sugarcoatin Is for Candy & Pacifyin’ Is For Kids” book, shorten it.  This is how I shortened Sugarcoatin’…  #SugarcoatinIsForCandy… and then I include the link to Amazon in the tweet which will take all interested parties directly to my book!

That’s all I have for today, guys.  It has been on my heart to share this with you for a while, simply because I see so many tweets going out on books without their own hashtags.  You are passing on sales and attention to your books when you don’t take the time to create and include a hashtag for your book, in every tweet you send out, so do it today!

Have you created hashtags for your books?  If not, will you start to do so now?  We’d love to hear your thoughts, so chime in below!  Also, if you liked this post, please don’t leave without hitting the LIKE button!  It loves the attention!

Thanks for stopping by today, and remember, DON’T SEND OUT ANOTHER BOOK PROMO TWEET WITHOUT INCLUDING YOUR SPECIALLY CREATED #HASHTAG!

 

 

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• Tagged: Amazon, Blogs, Bruce A. Borders, hashtags, John Fioravanti, Nonnie Jules, Rave Reviews Book Club, RRBC, Support, Twitter