Twitter Tip O' THe Day

by Dana_W
23 replies
When you join Twitter, your goal is to get a lot of people to follow you - because every person who follows you can see your Tweets and therefore they are a potential customer.

There are a few things you should do before you start following people in the hopes that they will follow you back:

Have your website up and running and have samples of whatever it is that you are trying to sell, ready to view on your site. I have my writing samples on a wordpress blog, and it has worked very well for me. This may sound obvious, but I'm amazed at how many Twitterers don't do this.

Upload a picture of yourself or at least an icon; otherwise Twitter will use an ugly little brown box with two zeros and a dash and you will look like an amateur.

And before you sign up to start following people, post half a dozen or so interesting Tweets.

Why?

Because if you sign up to follow people, and they go to your Twitter home page, this is about the must unappealing thing that they can see and gives them NO reason to follow you: a Twitter home page with zero tweets on it, an ugly little brown Twitter box instead of a picture, and no link to a home page. Who are you? Why should anyone waste a precious follow on you?

Those are my "pimp your Twitter" tips. Anyone elses? Any major turnoffs when you go check a Twitter home page to decide if you want to follow the person?
#day #tip #twitter
  • Profile picture of the author Frank Bruno
    Ugly brown avatars are very unappealing, even if you don't have your own photo at least put a screen grab or avatar in place.

    On another note about avatars....

    If you're going to use an avatar don't use something that looks childish or cheesy.

    I've seen some of these avatars and they're a big turn off to me because it gives me the impression that your a goof off, childish, or not a serious person.

    Frank Bruno
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  • Profile picture of the author writergirlk
    Someone friend requested me and the entire twitter page was focused on their bowel movements. This dude tweeted after he went to the bathroom and described it. I'd say that's a major don't!

    My avatar is a flower - I didn't have a picture of myself to upload when I started my account over a year ago. Now I am reluctant to change it. What do you think about changing your avatar after you have it up for over a year?

    The flower pic was taken by me in front of a pension in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dana_W
      Originally Posted by kohuether View Post

      Someone friend requested me and the entire twitter page was focused on their bowel movements. This dude tweeted after he went to the bathroom and described it. I'd say that's a major don't!
      Nooooo! That's the worst I've heard of. Actually, funny thing - one person who followed me had, at the top of his Twitter page, "Why the f- are people unfollowing me?" except he used the 4-letter word...and further down the page he said "I'm in the mood to get (happy) this weekend if there are any ladies in the (deleted) area interested..." He was so charming, I don't know how I resisted following.

      P.S. The word wasn't really happy. Let your imagination run wild.
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    • Profile picture of the author Pete Egeler
      Don't get me wrong.. I love Twitter. BUT, this morning I found something that I think will be even better!

      Check out http://friendfeed.com/pegeler

      Let me know what you think about it. It has a lot more bells & whistles than Twitter does.

      Pete
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Mayhew
      Originally Posted by kohuether View Post

      Someone friend requested me and the entire twitter page was focused on their bowel movements. This dude tweeted after he went to the bathroom and described it. I'd say that's a major don't!
      LMAO!!! I believe that's the funniest Twitter story I've heard to date
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      IMO Partnership. A National Insurance Marketing Alliance.
      http://www.imopartnership.com/

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  • Profile picture of the author Devin T
    "Someone friend requested me and the entire twitter page was focused on their bowel movements. This dude tweeted after he went to the bathroom and described it. I'd say that's a major don't!"

    I'm trying not to laugh my ass of right now in the office. This is probably one of the funniest things I have heard in a loong time and will probably keep me smiling all day long. Thanks for sharing this unpleasant experience!
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    Coolproducts.com - Community Suggested Products
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  • Profile picture of the author lakshaybehl
    Dana, I think that with Twitter, like all the other Social networks, the idea is not to have a ginormous number of followers as much as it is abut having a personal, quality synergetic relationship with your followers. So that you can market to them. So that you can learn from them. So that you can build a list of "friends" on Twitter.

    I do not log into twitter very often, but whenever I do, I make sure I get in touch with one or two marketers at a time and hold an interesting conversation with them which I carry over to Skype, and then try to get a JV deal or recommend somehting they might be interested in.

    -Lakshay

    P.S. This is my opinion. Yours might be different. And its OK.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana_W
    Pete, the link didn't work.

    Lakshay, I know different people take a different approach. I personally like to build up as many followers as I can for a number of reasons - bigger potential customer base, credibility for me - when people see that you have a lot of followers, they assume that there must be a reason - etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author writergirlk
      If you're interested, I actually remember the twitter page to that person. I forwarded it to a few people because I couldn't stop laughing.

      An extreme example of branding, I guess? We can learn many lessons from that one!
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      • Profile picture of the author Dana_W
        Originally Posted by kohuether View Post

        If you're interested, I actually remember the twitter page to that person. I forwarded it to a few people because I couldn't stop laughing.

        An extreme example of branding, I guess? We can learn many lessons from that one!
        I'd love the link! Branding - unless he works for charmin, I can't see how it would help him any...
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        • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
          I take exception to the view that your 'goal' on Twitter is to get as many people following you as possible so you have a big audience to sell to.

          Twitter, like all social networking sites, isn't there to give us a market to sell to - that's just a side effect that we Internet marketers like to exploit.

          In fact, to keep with the somewhat fundamental tone of this thread, people who sell on Twitter all the time are a royal pain in the a$$!

          I wrote a piece in my newsletter today that talks about Twitter, and the various 'most annoying' types that we all end up following - at least for a while. You may enjoy it:

          As you may know, I've delved into the dark place that is Twitter
          - my Twitter name is Kickstart_Twips if you feel like following
          me.

          My 'style' of posting is to tweet a concise tip (or twip as I've
          cunningly named them for Twitter) interspersed with a very few
          replies to people I follow or general life observations.

          Now that I follow quite a few people myself, though, I've seen
          that there are some very different styles of tweeting.

          There are some people who are irritating beyond words. They
          appear to suffer from a 21st century malaise called twittohorrea.

          These people are not content with posting an occasional message.
          No, they gush endless messages all at the same time - taking up a
          page or two of your screen all to themselves. That wouldn't be SO
          bad if their tweets were useful, but mostly they appear to me to
          be incoherent ramblings, blatant business advertisements or
          incessant replies to others.

          My only solution to these Tweethogs is to unfollow them as fast
          as I can.

          Another group are those who see Twitter as an advertising
          opportunity pure and simple. These folks include their business
          link in every tweet, and use every opportunity to promote their
          latest product or WSO.

          I can see the point in what they do - Twitter does seem to offer
          a way to reach a willing audience very efficiently - but surely
          balance is the key here? I don't mind you promoting stuff to me,
          but if that is ALL you do (or appear to do) I'll soon get tired
          of it and block you.

          A third group go entirely the other way. Their tweets are banal
          to the point of making your eyes water and your brain turn to
          mush! Life is way too short to waste it on their drivel. I don't
          need to know that you are about to eat lunch. I'm not interested
          that you just got back from a walk. The minutiae of you private
          life should, it seems to me, be private. By all means share your
          ideas, thoughts, insights, opinions, observations and annoyances,
          but surely you, as a functioning human being, have more to offer
          than 'watching tv...'?

          Of course, everyone - even me - posts the occasional
          inconsequential tweet. Even the glittering Stephen Fry (whom I
          started following the other day) has a tendency to intersperse
          interesting stuff with shallow emptiness. It is the balance that
          matters.

          If puff is all you post, you will very deservedly end up being
          blown out with the rest of the cobwebs.

          I only follow a hundred or so people so far, but already the
          noise to signal ratio is way too loud for me. But a cursory
          analysis suggests that the three really annoying groups I've so
          far identified account for the vast majority of the noise, but
          are only a really few people in absolute numbers.

          When you weed out the ones that drown everyone else out, what is
          left is a mostly fascinating community of well-meaning souls.

          I'm coming to like Twitter, but have learned that it takes a
          while before you can adjust it to your own needs.
          Martin
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          Martin Avis publishes Kickstart Newsletter - Subscribe free at http://kickstartnewsletter.com
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    • Profile picture of the author lakshaybehl
      Originally Posted by Dana_W View Post

      Lakshay, I know different people take a different approach. I personally like to build up as many followers as I can for a number of reasons - bigger potential customer base, credibility for me - when people see that you have a lot of followers, they assume that there must be a reason - etc.
      Well, there are two sides to any coin. But I guess the best idea would be getting a lot of followers if you are marketing actively on Twitter.

      but I use the blessed thing for meeting new people as I have said, so my approach is definitely different.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pete Egeler
    Fixed it Dana. Sorry.

    PS: If ya want to join, just go to http://friendfeed.com (Without my name)
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana_W
    I'm not advising people to post nothing but a list of affiliate links or even post endless links to their latest blog posts. When I say I sell on Twitter - most of my posts are social, but I still get most of my business from Twitter. When people get to know you, they are more likely to do business with you.
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    • Profile picture of the author writergirlk
      Originally Posted by Dana_W View Post

      I'm not advising people to post nothing but a list of affiliate links or even post endless links to their latest blog posts. When I say I sell on Twitter - most of my posts are social, but I still get most of my business from Twitter. When people get to know you, they are more likely to do business with you.
      Agreed! I enjoy your tweets.
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  • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
    Yes Martin, the key here is balance..

    But when Dana said her goal was to get as many followers as possible, you made an assumption about her actions that were wrong....people may aim to get as many followers as possible in order to have a bigger audience, but that doesn't mean they abuse that with over promotion..

    Peace

    Jay

    p.s. Only I aim to promote like crazy on twitter...mruhahahaha
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    Bare Murkage.........

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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
      Apologies to Diana - I wasn't really attacking, just venting my frustration at a few people I follow (or used to) who seem to think that every tweet they make has to sell something.

      No offense intended.

      Martin
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      Martin Avis publishes Kickstart Newsletter - Subscribe free at http://kickstartnewsletter.com
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana_W
    Actually that is another tip I should have posted: If someone follows me, and I go to their home page, and I see mostly Tweets full of links or all Tweets full of links, I don't follow them.

    I used to follow a lot more indiscriminately, but all I got out of that was a lot of Twitter junk postings crowding out the good posts.

    Thank you, Jay and K!
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Lockwood
    Originally Posted by Dana_W View Post

    otherwise Twitter will use an ugly little brown box with two zeros and a dash and you will look like an amateur.
    I thought that default pic was supposed to be a pair of glasses (or maybe eyes).
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana_W
    But the o's are two different sizes. One little one big. So they would be lopsided glasses. o_0
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    • Profile picture of the author Chris Lockwood
      Originally Posted by Dana_W View Post

      But the o's are two different sizes. One little one big. So they would be lopsided glasses. o_0
      No, the person is looking off to the left, so the right side of the glasses appears larger since it is closer to you.
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      • Profile picture of the author Peter Bestel
        It's a matter of perspective
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      • Profile picture of the author Dana_W
        Originally Posted by Chris Lockwood View Post

        No, the person is looking off to the left, so the right side of the glasses appears larger since it is closer to you.
        Or...it represents a person using either a monocle or opera style monoculars.
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