Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
–Kurt Vonnegut
You may want to check out the rest of Kurt Vonnegut’s advice for writers, but this kernel of wisdom lies at the heart of making the most of Twitter. When you start, many of your followers will be strangers, who have followed you back. You probably share an interest, and if you follow Vonnegut’s advice, this follower will eventually change from being a stranger to being an online acquaintance, friend, or even a Tweep.
Engage your audience. Share an interesting link, video or picture. Tell a (good) joke. Ask a question. Listen. Answer a question. Amuse. Engage. Activate. Report. Opine. Above all, remember it’s a two-way medium; think of Twitter as a massive world-wide cocktail party.
More tips for Twitter success
- Be yourself
- Be sincere
- Be conversational
- Be generous (80 give/20 take)
- Tweet at peak times
- Find a niche for your Tweets (remember you can have multiple accounts).
Traps to avoid
- Don’t spam (don’t just Tweet about your own content)
- Be present. If you have to post via a bot, or a shared platform (Facebook, Hootsuite), be aware that your content will be read in two places at once.
- Don’t Tweet what you’re doing, unless it’s at least as interesting as:
- defusing a bomb in a hail of bullets
- launching yourself into space with surgical tubing and a y-shaped tree
- reporting about someone doing either of those things.
Download The Pixel Guild Twitter cheat sheet here. [pdf]