I love how the term “expert” is being thrown around these days. There are indeed a few experts who know their way around social media and Twitter, but it isn’t very hard to navigate your brand around Twitter if you use your noggin and watch how others integrate the tool. With that being said, I am not an “expert” on Twitter, but I have watched my brand grow by leaps in bounds in less than a year, all due to Twitter. About 65% of my traffic is derived from Twitter daily, and I use my Twitter pages wisely in order to pique interest in my blog and my projects.
Here are 10 mistakes people make on Twitter from an un-expert (ME):
- No engagement: There are plenty of tweets but not enough conversation/engagement with others. Always engage on Twitter in order to get people to engage you back.
- Mixing personal and professional: I see this a lot. In one sentence they are touting their business. In the next sentence they are cursing someone out. Professional much?
- Twitter snobbery: No one on Twitter is better than anyone else. This includes celebs. Stop putting others on so-called pedestals and for the ones who think they are elite, if you are only your Twitter count, then you need more people.
- Caring about follower count: It doesn’t matter how many Twitter followers you have. It is about what you do with the followers you do have. Number count has nothing to do with influence. Be an influencer, not a Twitter follower count statistician. Oh, and NEVER beg for followers as well.
- Robotic: If your Twitter stream is mostly tweets of links to your blog or website, you are not using Twitter to its fullest. Again, engage and tweet to others. Do not just tweet your links. Businesses will continue to follow you but people will get bored of your endless tweeting of links. Be human.
- Automatic what?: Automatic DMs, no matter who tells you they are hot, are not. I despise them and so do most people. Please nix the auto DMs and refer to #5.
- Have fun: Please DO NOT take yourself too seriously on Twitter. Have fun and allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them.
- Getting too personal: Don’t get too personal on Twitter. We don’t need to know everything about you. Save something for your blog!
- RT’ing useless stuff: If someone comments to you and says, “Hey, I am coming over…” unless it is President Obama, why do you need to RT this? I see so many RTs that should not be RT’d. If you need to be validated that much, please seek therapy. We know you have friends. The RT makes us o_O you!
- Text offline: Number 10 is very important. Please do not use Twitter as a texting service. Most wireless companies offer affordable unlimited text options. Or send an email. Even use DM if necessary!
Those are the 10 mistakes I see most on Twitter. Feel free to add yours below. Happy tweeting!
Alovelydai says
#8 is a big one for me. I don’t care for any online beefs on FB, comment sections, & especially twitter. I love a great conversation and a smart debate. Senseless mean spirited rhetoric does more e-harm than good.
The Cubicle Chick says
Alovelydai:
Some people like to hide behind a computer screen and be e-thugs. The stuff you see on Twitter! LOL
Forrest says
I truly enjoy the unlimited flow of information I can get thru a well constructed Twitter account. If I want to gather info about a certain topic I can follow accounts who Tweet about that topic. I personally have multiple Twitter accounts for the same reason I have more than one cable channel. Sports for sports, news for news, fun for fun, techie for tech. I can then RT the info, talk about it or do nothing. I also have a general account I can peruse and chat about and share what I like. Twitter me this…? PS I love SPAM Tweets gives me an excuse to engage the SPAMMER head on in marketing and sales debate and they can’t complain about it because they SPAMMED me.
The Cubicle Chick says
Forrest:
You may love spammers but I deplore them. LOL. Thanks for commenting.
Maryline says
Great list, I could not agree more.
Another one is to RT always the same people, it’s important to expand your universe. If you stick to the same 10 Tweeps, you are boring your other followers and definitely missing out.
#10 is very true, some people have a hard time drawing the line…
Thanks for posting!
The Cubicle Chick says
Maryline, I like your suggestion about expanding beyond your base and RT’ing new people. I try to do that but I don’t do it enough. Thanks for commenting.
Martin Mareš says
Most people I unfollow on twitter violated rule #8 … I’m not interested in personal problems, I expect on Twitter to more relevant information.
Jamie says
*claps hands* great list!
afreshmusic says
Great list! I’m sure I break most of those rules…want to know why? I’m the greatest tweeter in the world (in my head).lol
I am my brand. I’m like Oprah.lol JK
PBG says
This is a great list, CC. I’m especially applauding and co-signing point #5.