If you think your Twitter strategy could use some re-thinking, a good first step would be to make sure you’re aren’t overusing the 3 Twitter tactics we’ve listed below. Too often, we see people on Twitter use these exclusively. They end up sounding like a broken record, or someone who really doesn’t care that much about his or her followers. Here are Twitter strategies that will end up wasting your time and your followers’ time (that is, if you can hang on to any):
1. Posting nothing but quotes. Sure, quotes are fine every now and then. But you won’t gain followers on Twitter by rehashing things other people said.
2. Too much self promotion. Stop selling whatever you’re selling and try to be interesting. If your Twitter stream is an unending sales message, then no one will want to follow you. Most people are fine with a little self-promotion, but save it for really important moments, like when you’ll be giving a speech, or when you’re online store is having a sale.
3. Linking to news stories and blog posts. A lot of us find interesting links on Twitter, and those usually come from Twitter users we follow. Why do we follow them? It’s not because they link to every story in the Wall Street Journal every day. It’s because they take time to select only the best, most interesting, most valuable news stories and blog posts. And, if they have room, they let us know why it’s interesting. Linking to good content is part of being an active and engaged Twitter user. But let us know why you care about these links.
The truth is, a mix of those three tweeting tactics can work, but only if they’re interspersed with what are still the most valuable tweets. These are:
1. Tweeting about yourself. Go ahead. Talk about yourself. People on Twitter want to see a real person behind the tweets. And that includes tweets by companies. All businesses and companies have a personality. And successful ones let that show in their tweets. Just check out successful Twitter feeds like Dunkin’ Donuts and Zappos. Those two companies thrive on fun. But of course, some businesses need to project a sober, serious and competent brand image. That doesn’t mean they can’t use Twitter. Just look at Bank of America’s Twitter feed, or Citigroup’s. Any institution dealing with credit or money must appear trustworthy and competent. But BoA and Citi have been able to develop popular Twitter feeds that don’t go against that image.
2. Direct messaging other Twitter users. Twitter claims that it lets users tell others about what they are doing. But there’s already another hugely popular service that lets people do that, too. It’s called Facebook. But what Twitter can do that Facebook can’t is let people communicate with each other quickly and easily—even if they’re total strangers. That’s the power of direct messaging. Think of it this way: Facebook is for staying in touch with people you already know. Twitter is for reaching out and meeting new people.
If you search for keywords that are important to you and your industry, then you’ll probably be able to find hundreds, maybe thousands of people to connect with. Sure, you could choose to follow them. Maybe they’ll follow you back, maybe they won’t. But if you send them a direct message, you immediately open a new, potentially valuable channel of communication. That’s how relationships that matter get established, and that’s the value of Twitter.
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