So I realize that I have not been tweeting as much as I should be and even more so I have not been reading other peoples tweets as much as I should be. To be honest, the whole Twitter world is rather overwhelming. I feel that many people are joining just because everyone else is, but there not using it to their advantage because they don’t know how. I have been knee deep in twitter for the last several months and I am still trying to figure it all out. So if your just starting out and you feel like your lost in a labyrinth, don’t worry your not alone.
Since the world of Social Media, especially Twitter, is all about communicating, connecting and helping; I figured I would share what I have learned so far and help all of you beginners out there get started. Hopefully my Ten Tips for Twitter will bring you a little sanity in a rather insane world.
TEN TIPS FOR TWITTER:
1. Get a twitter background. This will make your twitter account standout. Whether your profile is for business or personal it will add that special touch. You can do this by going here : Twitter Backgrounds
2. When tweeting make sure you shorten any links to articles or posts that you want to share by using a url shortening application. There are literally dozens out there, but for simplicity we are just going to recommend one bit.ly. You have probably seen these letters all over twitter or other letters similar to it. The purpose for shortening is so that the link is small enough to fit inside the 140 character maximum. Also using this will allow you to track who clicks on your link and how much traffic you receive. Its pretty awesome.
3. This one may seem obvious, but you won’t believe the hundreds of people who don’t have a twitter
profile picture. Too often I see a brown box with little circles. Please upload a picture already, the whole point of Social Media is to connect with PEOPLE.
4. Read other tweets. I know I am guilty of tweeting over and over again without giving other peoples tweets the time of day. So give them the time of day. I am sure it will come back to you in some way, think Karma : )
5. Don’t let Twitter run your life. Set aside some time each morning say 30 minutes when your still sipping on that latte from Starbucks and tweet something useful, interesting and inspiring. Then spend the next 25 minutes reading other peoples tweets. Once your 30 minutes is up, just STOP.
6. Re-tweet. This simply means to re-tweet something someone else said because you liked it. It helps spread their tweet to hundreds of more people each time. Re-tweeting says, “Hey, I am paying attention and I like what you have to say.” It means your getting involved.
7. Find someone new to follow each day. The only way your connections will grow is if you continue to 
connect. Don’t connect with just anybody, unless you are just looking for random friends. Instead do a friend search for either people or companies you want to support or follow. Throw in some people or companies you don’t support as well for good measure. This just broadens your horizons on whats being tweeted and gets you out of your bubble.
8. Participate in #followfriday. This is where you tweet a recommendation for others to follow on Friday. Basically your Tweet will look something like this … ” Happy #followfriday, I recommend @coreimpactinc for all of their great insight into the world of social media” … simple enough right? Watch out for other peoples #followfriday tweets and make sure you follow someone else’s recommendation. You can make a more direct tweet by visiting the #followfriday website.
9. For those serious about Twitter, join Tweetdeck. This is an all encompassing site that basically brings Twitter to a whole new level of crazy. However, once you get the hang of it you will become a Twitter pro in a matter of minutes.
10. Do you own an iphone, blackberry or pda? Then download the appropriate Twitter app for your cell phone. This makes tweeting a breeze. You can do it at the grocery store, on the way to the gym or while you get your hair done. Since you never leave home without your cell, now you’ll never leave home without Twitter. This makes those random, thought-provoking ideas come to life. Instead of writing them down on receipt you found on the floor of your car that probably has old gum stuck inside, tweet it out for the whole world to read.
At this point your probably thinking… how did we ever survive without Twitter?
Happy Tweeting
Written by Melissa Perea
