Let’s face it: Twitter is a bit addicting. Even as a former Twitter-hater, I’ve gotten somewhat swept up in the RTs, the #FF and that special feeling of being listed.
Every article you see has the “How to Act on Twitter” and “What You’re REALLY saying in 140 characters.” But the truth is this, my friends:
Sometimes, you’ve got to step away from the Tweet. Sometimes, real life intervenes.
As a person who recently took a (forced) hiatus from Twitter (in our business, deadlines are killer) I learned a few things about how to leave your Twitter account in a state that still works for you. Here are my tips:
1. Your last Tweet is like your “Away Message”
Away messages, remember those? Come on, you know you secretly miss Instant Messaging. When you walk away from your screen, people are (hopefully) still going to check out your account.
Make sure the last Tweet (and for that matter, blog post) you’ve left leaves a lasting, positive impression of what people can hope to get from following your account. Make it count, and keep away from ending on a personal conversational note. Seriously, no one else is in on that joke.
Good idea: A link to your latest blog post or inspiring article. Bad idea: “HAHA @RANDOMDUDE.”
2. Get alerts sent to your email.
OK, so maybe people aren’t pounding on your door, er, Twitter feed, for a response, but when you’re spoken to, people expect that you’re at least listening. The whole point of these feeds is to start a conversation, offer your expertise and find ways to insert yourself into that conversation (subtly).
If you don’t have the time to monitor your Twitter account minute-by-minute, make sure you’ve got Google Alerts set up to your email so that when people @mention you, you get a little notice popping up in your inbox.
3. Set up a few failsafe Tweets
Sure you’re busy. I know all about busy. But I do know that even at my busiest I took that two minutes while my coffee was starting and my Pop Tarts (don’t judge me) were toasting to set up three somewhat memorable Tweets. I used the platform Hootsuite, which is a social media newbie’s best friend. I set one up for the morning, one for the afternoon and one for just before I would leave the office. Then, to get rid of distractions, I (gasp) x’ed out of my Twitter feed and Hootsuite … and got to work.
4. Say hi to new followers
At the end of the day, check your count. Have you gotten new followers? If so, take a minute while you’re winding down and the office is nearly empty to browse their feed. And yes, force yourself to stay on their feed. Find something you can respond to, and go for it. It’s a good last impression to leave—shows you care about your followers and also, that you’re worth talking to.
Make sure (see tip No. 1) that your “response” has a purpose. Say they had a great blog post on a new shop that opened up. You can compliment them and then pose a question, or bounce back with your own link that reflects their topic.
5. Get your follow count up
This one’s super easy: Open Twitter. Click “Who To Follow.” Pick a few people based off of their info (do not go to their feed, that’s where distractions happen!). When you get back in the game, you’ll have a slew of new ideas and people to feed off of, without even realizing it.
Yes, silence is golden, but a few witty remarks are far more likely to earn you recognition. Even if you don’t have the time, you can still make your precious few moments count.
Related articles
- Five Ways Twitter Can Improve Your Marketing (entrepreneur.com)
- How To Schedule Tweets To Be Posted On Twitter Using Hootsuite (marketingconversation.com)
[Image: nscaletti]
