Twitter Nuances – 12 Tips You Aren’t Told Upfront

A friend of mine called me last weekend to ask if I can help her to better understand Twitter, why people love to buy youtube subscribers cheapest way and more specifically, what she can do to gain more followers. She said she never really paid close attention to this venue in the past and regarded it as something “silly” and time-wasting. She has, however, changed her mind as her new employer has encouraged her to use social media as a business development tool and to do that, strike out into these unchartered waters. As we were going through the basics of Twitter, it occurred to me how much there really is to know. Not so much on the functional side of things, but more on the nuances. So after a quick run-down of Twitter 101, we jumped right into the things someone is told either 

1. beforehand by someone who learned the hard way; 
2. learns by trial and error. For the purposes of her tutorial, I chose to focus on the first option.

Here are some of those nuances we discussed:

1. Interaction is essential. People will not follow an absentee Twitter handle.
2. Show consistency with your use. If you have a preference for certain types of information deemed important to you, tweet about those items.
3. Participate in a chat. It’s like a virtual meet-up. Generally, the people who participate in a particular chat share a common interest in the subject matter of that chat, so rest assured you will be conversing with people who will appreciate and acknowledge your comments.
4. Be sure to have a well-developed bio. Most people do not have an interest in others who have a blank bio or Twitter egg for a photo. A well-written bio is one of the best ways for other people to find you in the Twitter sphere and to learn more about whom you are, where you are, what you like/dislike, your occupation, background, hobbies, and viewpoints. It’s like meeting a stranger for the first time. If you were at a party and someone asked you what you like to do in your spare time, of course you would share that in your response. As in most situations, including social media, a first impression (well-developed bio) can make or break the inevitability of a relationship being forged.
5. You do not need to follow back everyone who follows you. In actuality, there are people who do not put their best foot forward (you need to use personal interpretation here) and are not individuals you will want to acknowledge.
6. Thank people who repost (RT) your tweets. This is plain old common courtesy that applies even in a social media venue like Twitter.
7. Reciprocate by reposting other tweets you liked and even put in a short comment about why you like the tweet so other people understand why they should read it.
8. A not-so-well-known fact is that anytime you modify someone else’s tweet (maybe it’s too long to comment on before you repost), please note that you are reposting a “modified” retweet or MRT.
9. If you post something that has a URL, please check it before you hit “enter.” I have experienced many tweets which had a broken or non-functioning link. This makes the post, regardless of how interesting it sounds to read, appear spam-ish.
10. Do not solicit fervently on Twitter. If the only posts you share are considered blatantly sales driven, people may un-follow you or choose not to follow you at all.
11. Be a resource to people. Offer to introduce someone to another person in your network, or help a job seeker get connected. People recognize others who pay it forward.
12. Look at the followers of the people in your network. If you see people there that you find interesting, follow them. It’s a great and fast way to begin building out your network.

Bottom line boys!

There are many other nuances that exist, but not wanting to overwhelm or discourage my friend, I told her to start with this list and we’ll regroup later down the road after she has entered her comfort zone and ready for Twitter 202.