Twitter Basics

Social Media can be a mysterious and intimidating space for many of us. These thoughts are intended for the user that is new to, or contemplating, more activity with Twitter and Facebook.

Twitter 'tweets' and Facebook 'status updates' have the highest potential to fall flat, in my opinion. What do my virtual fellow-travelers and followers really care to hear? After watching Twouble with Twitters, I felt even less inclined to hop in the game and start sharing... This vid is hilarious, but points to the many pitfalls of twitter use (or abuse, depending on how you look at it).

I am relatively new to the twitter game. I have had an account for a couple months now. The first thing I did when I set up my account was to sit back and ask, now what? What does the twittersphere care about? Then, an SEO collegue broke it down for me... when it comes to the social network, consider this progression:

1) Listen

2) Participate

3) Lead

After seeing the light with this simple 3 step program, I searched around twitter for interesting people and organizations to 'follow'. I observed what they shared. What was valuable? What was annoying? I took lots of mental notes.

More and more, I have started throwing some tweets/updates out there (in fact with TweetDeck, I can make one comment and have it syndicate to twitter and facebook! More to come on useful tools surrounding the social media world in coming posts.). I then observe some more. What garnered responses? Were they desirable? Some things I learned...

• Its easy to recommend a good restaurant, painter, mechanic or brewpub. If you have a good experience, throw it out there.
• The flip side is true as well. If you are in need of a good resource or tip, ask your followers. As your list of followers grows, its amazing what responses will come back.
• Take a stand. Share your thoughts on current events. Let your people know position on issues.
• Pictures. They say a 1,000 words.

Some suggestions on what not to share...

• Don't tell people you are out of town. Its a great way to make yourself a victim of a home break-in. And if that sounds like useless paranoia, another reason not to promote your time away from home is that it reminds the rest of us that we are not on vacation.
• Avoid commenting on only yourself. Its a big world out there.

In time, you'll likely find a topic or general approach that seems to work well for you. Depending on whether your twitter account is personal or business/non-profit/subject-matter specific, the topic may be focused or broad.

The key is variety of content and steady contributions. Social networking is about participation... You must give and not just take.