If you find yourself thinking in 140 characters or less, then you are a Twitter addict. The free online micro-blogging service, now five years old, is said to have nearly 200 million users worldwide, who generate more than 200 million tweets daily. Most Twitter users “tweet” only rarely, and instead turn to the Twittersphere for breaking news of all sorts – from sports and politics, to pop music, to the revolutions rolling across the Middle East.
For authors, publishers and their marketing consultants, Twitter – in theory, at least – presents the opportunity to reach new audiences with important messages about books and other media. Julie Blattberg, Director of Content Strategy and Author Services at HarperCollins Publishers, has recently tested the Twitter theory of marketing for books and has some reassuring results to share with CCC’s Chris Kenneally. Blattberg is responsible for the corporate social media profiles for HarperCollins (including on Twitter @harpercollins), as well as content and feature development for HarperCollins.com. Her column, “Twitter By the Numbers” recently appeared in Publishers Weekly.
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