So you are on twitter, what next?
It’s funny how things work sometimes…. Ashton Kutcher and Oprah get Twitter accounts and the world turns upside down while the masses stampede to be part of the action (or at least fake it and make believe they are).
Then I read this:
Most Twitter Users Bored After a Month
DUH!! They expect it to be some magical formula for instant success – Heck……if mainstream media and broadcast giants are doing it, and even celebs like Shaq and Britney Spears are tweeting, then it HAS to be good!
Some of us have been on Twitter for over 2 years and are sitting back laughing at the perceived notion from the masses and the most common question is:
“what do I do?”
DOs
- add to the conversation, you can interrupt and make intelligent contributions
- “@” people to let them know you are listening
- reply – it’s the way people know you are there, alive and human
- engage and be yourself
- retweet
- share (interesting articles, links, photos)
DON’Ts
- don’t just tweet away without engaging others (you can join conversations and “@” people to acknowledge you are a live human being that is trying to make a connection)
- don’t just post links as if you were a resource guide without ever trying to talk to people
- retweet away, but make sure you look at what you are retweeting
- don’t just send automated responses to everyone that follows (a lot will unfollow you, especially the veteran users)
- if you ask for a favor, pay it back!
- don’t just follow people for the hell of it (do you have something in common, can you benefit each other?) – think Quality before Quantity!
- don’t just broadcast – you will have a quick death (you are not Oprah or NBC)
TIPS
You don’t have to be in front of the computer to Tweet – there are so many applications for your iPhones and crackberries (tweetie for iPhone, twitterlator, twitterberry…..). You don’t have to use their web app either (twirl, tweetdeck, tweetie for mac, etc) – and you don’t have to sit there 24-7 servicing your tweets. But you do have to be consistent (as with everything related to social media, serious business and responsibility). Don’t create an account and visit it once a week expecting magic to occur.
**WARNING** if you are not a celebrity don’t just tweet away thinking people are listening, there is a huge chance that you will be talking to yourself -especially if you have used automated systems to get thousands of followers. If you don’t get any replies, then there’s a good chance no one is listening!
Early adopters HATE automated “thank for following” DM’s (Direct messages) and will unfollow you. They also hate – “thanks for following… take a look at my site and tell me what you think”.
The concept of social media is people wanting to do business with people and not businesses and they expect to hear a voice behind the company – if you are a robot and are not real, you may as well skip twitter, may as well stick with traditional media where businesses talk at the consumer, not with them. Don’t know how many times you have heard this, but please ENGAGE!!! (and expect to hear this again and again when it comes to new media)…..and for the record, I’m @ines …..just sayin’
Some Interesting articles:
Death of Twitter – Coach Deb
YEO – Why Twitter Follower Counts Mean Nothing
