Twitter Tips For Beginners That Will Get You Tweeting Like the Pro’s
September 8, 2010
I’m fairly confident that if my husband still doesn’t know what Twitter is then there has to be dozens in the same boat as him. As a matter of fact I can’t say whether or not he even knows what Facebook and LinkedIN are. Surprised? Me too. There are countless numbers of people world wide that are oblivious to the leverage that social media holds, but in his range of duty I can understand why he avoids social media like the plague so I don’t hold it against him.
As a certified social media consultant and virtual assistant I have tips up the yin-yang that I can throw out there but for now let’s focus on basic Twitter tips for beginners that will get you tweeting like the professionals.
First things first, setting up your profile. Your profile should be organized. What do I mean by this?
Your Background: If you are going to have a custom background make sure it’s not cluttered and bombarding the twitterverse with pictures, font, and other nonsense. Twitter has some basic designs to get you going in the meantime. Stick with something simple. Ask for advise once your profile has been created if necessary. Make sure the colors blend well together rather then straining the eyes (Example: yellow backgrounds with pastel font, ouch). One the side bar put information such as other social networks you can be found on, a small picture, and maybe a line or two about you. Feel free to use @VAsolutionsNOW as an example for things to put on your sidebar.
Your Bio: Twitter allots you 160 characters, choose them wisely. Your bio should be simple, sweet, and to the point. A good example of a bio is a little bit about you and your business / hobbies. If you are looking to have people avoid you, make your bio a sales pitch. Try to make it attractive as possible without scaring people away.
Your Followers: In order to get followers, you need to start following. Find your target audience and others in your niche to follow and engage with by using tools like Twellow, Mr.Tweet, Twubble, and Nearby Tweets. These tools can assist you with finding quality people to connect with.
Your Content: Make your 140 characters count by writing each work like it matters, because it really does. Share links, quotes, ideas, provide great content and ask questions. After all that’s what engaging is all about right? Tweet about things that matter.. not just about what you ate for breakfast. Always add value to your stream! Once you find your equal medium between being professional and personable you’re on the right track to Twitter success. You’d be surprised how much respect you can gain and loose with only 140 characters.
Another thing to remember is every tweet has it’s own URL. In other wards anything you tweet about is not erasable, you might be able to delete it off your profile but it’s indexed on the net forever. Think before you tweet. A formula that I like to remind people of is Twitter + Alcohol = Epic Fail. Spare yourself the embarrassment and humiliation and never mix the two components together, ever.
Your Greeting: No auto DM, no spam, no problem. If you are going to greet a new follower please do so by personalizing your hello and welcome message. To DM or Not to DM.. That is the Question! Earlier I conducted a poll asking followers if they prefer a direct message at all, whether or not it’s automated. With over 100 responses, the majority of answers expressing that they would rather no direct messages. Send a friendly welcome message by tweeting their @TheirUsername followed by your message.
For more tips on socializing using the internet visit: Tips for Social Networking
If you have any questions about Twitter or how to network using social media shoot me an email at Sica@VAsolutionsNOW.com or tweet me @VAsolutionsNOW
