Twitter, at its bare bones, is a relatively simple concept. You follow your buddies, and then type 140-character messages that broadcast to the world about what you’re up to. Easy, right? This method works fine if you’re only using Twitter for personal reasons, like if you wanted to document your daily activities for future reference. But this makes you boring in the Twitter world. No one will want to follow you! So how do you become a better tweeter? Here are 3 steps:
1. Make your tweets useful: Twitter’s signature prompt is, “What are you doing?” It’s tempting to answer this question and to tweet about the random things you’re doing during the day, but here’s my advice: Don’t take this question literally. Avoid mundane details and think about how you could make ordinary tweets more useful. For example, don’t tweet something like “Commuting sucks!” Instead, you can say, “Heading to a client meeting. Think there’s an accident at Culver. Avoid!” Or, say you had some great sashimi at local sushi joint. Don’t tweet, “This yellowtail is to die for!” Instead, say something like “Yellowtail sashimi at Sagami in Irvine is amazing. A must try for sushi lovers!” See what a difference that makes?
2. Share Content: Did you come across an interesting article, blog, video or website? Share it with your followers! Sharing content gives your tweets value, and also helps to spark conversation between you and your followers. Better yet, try to find the creator of what you’re sharing on Twitter, and mention his or her username in your tweet. You’ll have a chance to connect and develop a relationship with this person. You can also share your own content. Turn your blog posts into tweets and schedule them out. Remember, never be sales-y and always try to provide value to your audience.
3. Ask lots of questions: If you’ve got questions, turn to your Twitter followers. It doesn’t matter what you’re asking about, as long as you’re being genuine. Asking thoughtful questions will elicit answers, which will lead to conversation. Remember, the key to Twitter is to be engaged. You want to build relationships, and what better way to establish rapport than through genuine conversation with others?
Easy, right? Which step will you start off with to become a better tweeter? Let us know on our Facebook page!
