I was inspired by Bryan Person’s post Are your Twitter posts only and always about you to write this quick list of my personal Twitter pet peeves. When I’m deciding whether to follow somebody, these are the things I usually look for, and try to avoid myself.
Disclaimer: We don’t all use Twitter the same way, or for the same reasons. Take lightly and salted.
- Twitter is about networking, community, interaction. That said, be conscious of @ reply usage. If your @ replies are only meaningful to their recipient, you are diminishing value for the rest of your followers. Limit these, or explain them, or DM.
- Twitter asks “what are you doing now?”. Don’t take this too literally. Reporting your ongoing experience at a conference is great; giving a play-by-play of your daily commute is not. Balance the volume of tweets and their “about me/not about me” ratio.
- Make sure your Twitter bio clearly conveys who you are. If you are a web/media/marketing professional, or an artist, or a dabbler, let the Twittersphere know! Don’t make me guess who you are, or have to visit your website to find out. Your bio should be a hook.
- Only swear very occasionally. It’s a turnoff. If you must emphasize a point, try to use asterisks and your followers will still get it.
- And the golden rule: focus on adding value for your followers, while still letting your personality emerge. I follow people to build connections and tap into their unique insights and experiences. Make sure your tweets provide something useful or helpful.
What are your Twitter Do’s and Don’ts?
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