I don't have the gift of gab, (I knew I should have kissed that Blarney Stone) so I'm not on Twitter as much as I’d like to be, although I'm getting better. I get a little tongue-tied when it comes to figuring out what to Twitter about so here are a few Twitter tips I've picked up.
I try to use the water cooler analogy and think of twitter as taking a break with a few friends, so what would I say when I'm with friends on a break? Somehow, live conversation seems a bit easier but I try to go with it and think about how to get a conversation started, so let's start with the famous Twitter question "What are you doing?" Ok, so here goes…
Great weather we're having!
Sure wish it were Friday, how 'bout you?
Just took a 2 mile walk.
Going to shovel snow now
I need another cup of coffee, can't wake up!
Oh my gosh, who would care? I feel like I'm just talking to myself, OK I am, but I’m thinking there’s got to be a better way, arrggghhh!
In an effort to make better use of my Twitter account and get people interested in what I might have to say and make me feel better about what I'm putting out there, I did a little snooping around.
Here's what I found that I think may help me, at least I might feel more like I'm making worthwhile social contributions and possibly make some friends at the same time…
Make use of the @reply function. If someone says something interesting to you, reply back to them. Some people will ignore you, don't be offended, it's just the nature of the beast, but others might follow you and strike up a conversation, it's how friendships start. …Ok, sounds good to me!
Here are a few small talk ideas that will keep within 140 characters…
- Ask a question where people can talk about themselves. Give them the opportunity to speak and let them know you are listening; it's an opportunity to make a favorable impression.
- Find a host of interesting quotes and submit an inspiring quote now and then.
- If you happen to make a comment about how you went skiing and had a great time, follow it with a link to a few photos or a video of your trip. It makes it a lot more interesting and folks are much more likely to comment or respond back.
- Ask for quick and easy advice. For example, if I was looking to find out how much a root canal costs, Twitter would be a great place to ask, someone is likely to respond.
- Say “Thanks!” when others share information that you found useful or helpful.
- Share links you found interesting or share ideas that all of a sudden pop into your head. Think of twitter as your cubicle mate at work, if you'd pop over there with a comment, you can pop on Twitter just the same.
- Don’t be afraid to say what you think. A good opinion on something will almost always get replied to or retweeted.
- Compliment a fellow tweeter. Make a comment about their site or a blog post, show your interest.
Using Retweets
If you read a tweet that links to a blog post that you found interesting, try retweeting it, this is a great way to make a friend but it also adds to the conversation.
Along those same lines, if you follow the links of people's tweets to a blog, make a comment on that blog; it may even prompt a comment on your blog. Ahhh …social marketing at its best.
Keep the tweets consistent. Make a point of getting on Twitter first thing in the morning, maybe a couple of times during the day and once at night, also don't forget the occasional tweet on the weekend. One thing that I noticed was I seem to get more feedback and interest in what I say on the off hours, for example, after 8pm and on the weekends.
Oh, and be careful how much time you spend at the water cooler. Once you actually get the hang of it, it can be addicting!
Related posts:
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
A very informative article and very useful.