Will You Tweet? Thoughts shared on Twitter

The answer is probably not if you have to look up the meaning of that title. The site that one CNN reporter incorrectly described as “a place where teenagers were posting what they were doing throughout the day, from the cereal they were eating to the movies they were watching” has evolved into a Twitosophere of over a million subscribers.

So, explain Twitter to me. In a word, it combines an instant messaging service and microblogging platform where users update their statuses by typing a response to the “What are you doing?” in precisely 140 characters. I figured I might as well give this a shot if I was going to try out Facebook. And anyway, many of the companies I knew were already using Twitter.

You sleep, you lose, especially in today’s instantaneous information culture.
Like many others in the corporate world, I had heard a lot about Twitter but was curious about what it was actually for. What, yet another distraction? Yet another place for uninterested teenagers to socialize online. As more coworkers signed up, I wondered, “When do they find the time?”

Not long after I signed up for Facebook, I joined Twitter and made my first hesitant posts. I was shocked at first and then a little terrified. It was a little unsettling to see the number of followers I was gaining so quickly; surely I’m not that intriguing! I, like many others who don’t use Twitter, have said things like, “I just don’t have the time,” “I’ve got better things to do,” and “Any potential clients will think I’m a time waster if I’m constantly on Twitter.”

I researched, went to some sites, checked the content my followers shared, and dabbled in posting a few times. I didn’t even realize I was leaving!

“Twitter is a powerful tool if you only use it to stay connected with clients,” writes Deborah Micek, author of the Twitter Handbook and Secrets of Online Persuasion. Aside from luring new customers and strengthening existing relationships, it may be used in various other ways to improve your professional life.

So far, I’m enjoying the ride, and after the first month, I’ve picked up some insights that could benefit others. Here are some things I’ve noticed about Twitter that might be helpful for new users and, who knows, maybe even seasoned Tweeters.

To better manage your own and other people’s tweets, try using an application like Twhirl or TweetDeck or an Outlook add-in like TwInbox. These time-saving and effective desktop tools are excellent for organizing and conducting searches.
Don’t just share URLs to the resources you use for work.
Don’t send free download links via direct message unless the recipient specifically requests them. You will be labeled as a spammer very fast.
The query “What are you doing?” isn’t always required of you.
Feel at a loss for words? You can promote your blog posts by linking to them. Send out a tweet with a link to a fascinating article. Check out the tweets of others and RT the ones you agree with. Take a peek at the tweets of your peers to get inspired for your own.
Don’t just tweet about your lunch if you plan on using Twitter for professional purposes. Include helpful advice and information, not only from your site or products but from elsewhere. Since it is common knowledge that “people do business with people they know and like,” it is acceptable to sprinkle in some personal tweets to give followers a sense of who you are. However, this should be done with moderation.
Don’t brag; instead, offer assistance.

Recognize the new people who have followed you. An excellent way to show appreciation is by tweeting something like “Good tweeps to follow: @execva [a few others] #followfriday” on Fridays. Your fans love that you’re highlighting them and getting them more exposure.
Personalization is at the heart of Twitter, so never send a pre-written direct message (DM) to thank someone for following you. The clear impersonality of an automated message is readily apparent.

You are under no obligation to follow anyone who follows you back. Look at their profile and tweet history when you receive new followers to understand who they are and what they’re about.
You can search for people to follow based on shared interests, occupation, or geographical location.
Check out who your followers are following to discover fascinating new accounts to follow.

Take it to direct message when your tweet replies become a back-and-forth with another Tweep. Even if followers’ comments are only one word, it’s unpleasant when they miss out on the other half of the dialogue. Remember that you and your Tweep may not share the same fan base. It’s not required that you constantly tweet in response.

Stop using the Twitter Facebook app or turn it off. Your Facebook friends will be highly irritated by your constant barrage of meaningless or, to them, boring tweets and retweets.
When someone takes the time to direct message you or answer your query, respond to them. It would be best to focus on connecting with others rather than following your tweets.
Keep in mind that everyone is in a different time zone. A tweet may get a response in the morning, but it will be pretty low on the priority list. Searching your name or Twitter ID will help you find tweets to which you should answer or be aware of this situation.
Do not attempt to read the 300 tweets that you receive. Anyone can get by with just the first ten or so. Once again, desktop programs like Twhirl and TweetDeck’s search features are handy here.
People with tens of thousands of followers may follow you back but are likely only interested in promoting themselves. Note (‘popularity contest’)
Many only use Twitter to “hear the sound of their tweet” to send out messages without caring much about the feedback they receive. The identities of these Tweeps become rapidly apparent to you.

It’s simple to mistake Twitter for a popularity contest, where the quantity of your followers is more important than the quality of your tweets. That they only follow back 49,900 of their 50,000+ followers demonstrates this. Do these folks genuinely read all 49,900 tweets a day that they receive? Doubtful. Tweets like “Hey, check out my ranking on twitterholic.com” reveal the typical Twitter habits of Tweeps. Prioritize quality over quantity when utilizing Twitter for professional purposes. (Twitter’s higher-ups have lately opted to cap mass followers at 1000 per day; perhaps they’ve come to terms with the fact that the platform has evolved into a legitimate business networking resource.)

Schedule some time each day or week to tweet. With an app like Twhirl running in the background (in my system tray), I get pop-up notifications of tweets and can quickly see if anything is topical and exciting. Therefore, I’ve found once a day is best.
An example of a hashtag is “#followfriday.” It’s a factor in Twitter’s ability to identify “trending topics.” Just type “hashtags” on Google to learn more.
Twitter is an excellent platform for establishing meaningful relationships. It’s not just for teenagers to talk about their food and outfits in real-time. Get more done with the aid of Twitter’s available tools. Twitter is rapidly emerging as the next big thing, and for a good reason: it’s tons of fun!

VAcertified.com recognizes Lyn Prowse-Bishop as Australia’s first Master Virtual Assistant (MVA). Owner of Executive Stress Office Support (SOS), a virtual assistance company that focuses on digital transcription, document production, internet-related marketing activities, and executive personal assistant services for clients all over the world; winner of the 2007 Business Achiever’s Award (Professional Services); nominee for the 2006 Thomas Leonard International VA of Distinction Award.

Lyn, one of Queensland’s most renowned VAs, founded the Australian Virtual Business Network (http://www.avbn.com.au/), has spoken at the annual Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) for the past three years, and represents Australia on two international committees examining VA industry standards and certification.

You can contact her at lyn@execstress.com or check out her website.

linda