I love Twitter.  A lot.  It’s my favorite topic and from many chats, I find most people fall into one of these groups.

Twitter Demon:  They’re having a ball, making connections, building relationships.  They get Twitter and may be borderline addicts. 

Twitter Account Created:  And was abandoned because schedule was far too hectic.  It’s one more thing or chore to do.

Minimal Twitterer:  This well-intentioned person has an account and is unsure how to make Twitter work for them.

The Skeptic:  These folks gleefully bash Twitter.  And I enjoy hearing the rant.  I was quite the cynic before my conversion.

Wherever you are, the bottom line is this:  Twitter is a fantastic way to build connections and brand awareness, so it’s time to join in.  Besides, it’s fun.  

A few a few tips to get rolling.  

  • It takes a bit of time to adapt and understand the Twitterverse, to connect with people and build those relationships.  Be patient.  It takes time to get comfortable and find your Twitter voice.   
  • Use your time wisely.  Get into the swing by popping in to Twitter for five minutes, a few times a day.  It’s a nice break.
  • If you’re brand new to Twitter, try lurking around a bit to see what’s being said, get the feel.  Join the conversation in a couple of days. 
  • Tweet daily.   Bang out at least three to five tweets a day.   
  • Don’t know what to tweet about?  Tweet and share information, articles or relevant links.  Offer support, ask a question, ask for a resource, share a job opportunity, do a tip of the day.  Share a laugh.  Have some fun.  Show your personality.  It’s a social network.
  • Self-promotion is a no-no:  Spamming is the quickest way to annoy your followers and get unfollowed .  Spammers contribute zero.  Resist the constant self-promotion; moderation is key.
  • Know who to follow and build relationships:   Find and follow people with similar interests.  Use the search function to search for keywords or phrases.  The results show the most recent tweets with your phrase or keyword.  Let’s say you enjoy playing the triangle, so you type “play triangle” into the search box.  You’ll see the people who have tweeted “play triangle” in their tweets.  Another option is to search for users with “play triangle” in their profile too. 
  • Your followers:  All kinds of people will follow you, which is part of the Twitter fun.  But be strategic about who you follow back.  It’s not necessary to automatically follow someone back.  Use Social Oomph to vet your followers. 
  • Twitter etiquette:  If you bump into a tweet you like, show some Twitter love by retweeting those tweets. If someone retweets you, thank them.

The power of Twitter is in the ability to connect and build relationships.  If you stick with it, it could be the most powerful social networking tool in your marketing arsenal. 

Warning:  Twitter may be habit forming.