tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post6821836382211616541..comments2024-03-26T23:41:10.319+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: SWEET TWEETS & BARGAIN EBOOKS! THE GREAT TWITTER EXPERIMENT REPORT by Valerie LawsKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-9130801694174968212014-09-02T17:03:15.864+01:002014-09-02T17:03:15.864+01:00An important post, Lydia, and very well done. Twit...An important post, Lydia, and very well done. Twitter gets a bad rap from clodhoppers who do nothing but hawk their own wares. Claude Bouchard, with over half a million followers, maintains an admirable balance of touts and shout-outs for others, along with classy quipping. Readers may be more likely to check out a book by an entertaining Tweeter than constant huckster. But Twitter is very useful for occasional postings sales and new arrivals. glitter noirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11728649916344336118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-77766658305069238822014-09-01T11:48:36.257+01:002014-09-01T11:48:36.257+01:00Thank you Val. For years now I've had the fact...Thank you Val. For years now I've had the fact of not being a tweeter clinging to the inside of my mind like a tumour. A sort of rotting spot if you like. I was just psyching myself up into doing something about it but thank God you've killed the urge stone dead. I must find some more congenial way to increase my miniscule sales figures. Dennis Hamleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781139870037634374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-80125885618466479782014-09-01T11:38:45.149+01:002014-09-01T11:38:45.149+01:00Very interesting! I tend to ignore tweets that are...Very interesting! I tend to ignore tweets that are obviously just people plugging books, though sometimes click on those advertising free books or limited price reductions... so I can see how a reduction in price might produce a spike, if the book has a good cover or other obvious CLICK HERE message.<br /><br />Also interesting that my best-seller in print does virtually nothing on Kindle, whereas the book that publishers gave up on in print and had a really rocky road to publication via bookstores is consistently my best-seller despite being priced higher than the others. I'm pretty sure nothing I do in social media actually sells my own books, it's what others do on your behalf that counts. So all those RT's maybe?Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-73317803345359908522014-09-01T11:28:05.472+01:002014-09-01T11:28:05.472+01:00it could be that people tweet in order to feel lik...it could be that people tweet in order to feel like they are 'doing something' to market their books. We are under such pressure. On Facebook I don't have an author page just my timeline and virtually all my posts over time are social in various ways, with news about my books plays installations etc on there as it happens. I know fb does sell books though not in huge numbers. Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-48379118388955484902014-09-01T11:12:07.619+01:002014-09-01T11:12:07.619+01:00Very interesting. I've always been a little sc...Very interesting. I've always been a little sceptical about tweeting as a marketing tool, and it's good to see my instincts confirmed! Personally, I tend to switch off and lose interest when I see obvious self-promotion on Twitter, and I expect a lot of others do likewise. I do tweet, but not consistently, and I don't take it particularly seriously. At least now I know I don't have to worry about that...Mari Biellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14221256993468150226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-20067180371806200982014-09-01T10:59:29.498+01:002014-09-01T10:59:29.498+01:00Add my thanks to all the others, Lydia. As I began...Add my thanks to all the others, Lydia. As I began reading I thought 'Oh *$%@@! I'm going to have to do all these tweeting things that I've been avoiding for so long'. But then came your very welcome test results.<br />My recent Twitter experience has been a huge spike in RTs as a result of interviewing an Australian and a Canadian author on my blog, both writer-friends and both with lots of followers. It doesn't seem to have made any difference to sales but at least I know I exist now.Bill Kirtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345949773423764808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-6480539098284516062014-09-01T10:47:02.242+01:002014-09-01T10:47:02.242+01:00Hi Valerie, I used to be an avid tweeter mainly fo...Hi Valerie, I used to be an avid tweeter mainly for social contact with writers. (How sad am I!) But As soon as I started using it more mechanistically I had so many people on my timeline I lost interest and had the feeling people lost interest inme :( however I often buy books on special offer via twitter or fb posts so I assume others will do the same. Up to now I've had no say in price of my novel but that could be changing soon. I feel a price reduction coming on! Thanks for a v. Useful post.AliBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611113709872287863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-32965410695095112472014-09-01T10:42:16.397+01:002014-09-01T10:42:16.397+01:00Thanks for the very specific results. Every guide ...Thanks for the very specific results. Every guide I'd read about using social media had warned me *not* to market my books but rather to establish some kind of presence or identity and then do it surreptitiously. That is actually market my books but sub rosa almost. Which seems almost more work than you were doing in a way. I think we're all quietly being driven mad by this latest "answer" to the eternal conundrum: what will put our books over. Nobody really knew in 1990 when I published my first book, and nobody knows now. The book of mine that's sold over 300,000 copies hasn't rely on any of this hoo-hah. BTW, Lev Raphaelhttp://www.levraphael.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-65034546579332286142014-09-01T10:27:18.908+01:002014-09-01T10:27:18.908+01:00thanks so much for comments folks, and for the sal...thanks so much for comments folks, and for the sales spike at 99p/99c info, I shall try the up and down approach to prices!<br />Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-69413148314354172732014-09-01T10:01:31.296+01:002014-09-01T10:01:31.296+01:00Thanks for this, Valerie - fascinating. Like Linda...Thanks for this, Valerie - fascinating. Like Linda, I think the occasional 99p deal gives me a spike in sales - and it lasts beyond the point where I raise the price again. I use Twitter quite sparingly, and tend not to use it to promote books since I so routinely ignore book promotions myself - but I know I could do more 'around' the books and the background to them. Lots of food for thought here. Catherine Czerkawskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14554969254207924049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-79134185645153192662014-09-01T09:49:07.532+01:002014-09-01T09:49:07.532+01:00When I was on Twitter (I've long since deleted...When I was on Twitter (I've long since deleted my account, and let me tell you it FELT GOOD), I would occasionally follow an author who then did nothing except tweet about their latest book. So I would swiftly Unfollow.<br /><br />Some self-promo is fine and expected, but beware those who just treat Twitter like a car with a loudhailer. It's like sitting next to a bore who won't shut up.Nick Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08191176209084540085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-60693953123712688602014-09-01T09:45:50.350+01:002014-09-01T09:45:50.350+01:00thanks for that, and all the hard work. i'll d...thanks for that, and all the hard work. i'll do some thinking.Jan Needlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823078224282953782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-54055042724410926092014-09-01T08:49:53.192+01:002014-09-01T08:49:53.192+01:00So glad you've done this. I mess about on twit...So glad you've done this. I mess about on twitter, but it eats time - will carry using it at playtime, but not mistake it for serious marketing (whatever that is!)JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-59010745101170846202014-09-01T08:48:06.306+01:002014-09-01T08:48:06.306+01:00Thanks for relieving me of the need to fret about ...Thanks for relieving me of the need to fret about Twitter (which I've ignored ever since someone introduced me to a tweetdeck.) I always knew in my bones Twitter didn't sell books, but it's really helpful to see someone take a scientific approach.<br /><br />I've found the best way to boost sales is to regularly put the prices of books down to 99p/99c. As soon as you do that, they are picked up by numerous sites trawling for bargain/free books and for a few days, you will see a sales spike. After a week or so I'll put the book back up to its normal price and take another down to 99p/99c and it all happens again.<br /><br />I wonder if there's a way to prove that the best way to boost sales of the backlist is to publish a new book? I'm convinced this is true which is why I focus on writing, not social networking.Linda Gillardhttp://www.lindagillard.co.uknoreply@blogger.com