Written by What am I talking about? Well, the way I approach #Twitter is simply to have fun., just like DJ’ing. I could never figure it out at the start and no one ‘followed me’. I felt like the kid at school who was picked last by one of two cocky, reluctant captains, in the school playground….. I secretly celebrated getting one follower a day, or even a week (how sad). Until I changed my old school tune and treated #Twitter as vinyl.
I mix it up a lot (don’t be boring, provide varied interesting posts and updates) and scratch a little (‘Retweet’ other interesting posts in your field of expertise). I keep the music rolling, but I never go on ‘pause’ (consistent tweeting gets you followers, lull’s of more than 1 week don’t). I spread my best tunes, save some for later, or drop one which is ‘trending’ from time to time, but I never bang them out all at once (back to back ‘binge tweeting’ is just not cool and makes you look like you have no life whatsoever outside of #Twitter!). I also try to combine what i’m mixing with what’s trending, to stay ahead of the game and keep the party rolling. This could be a specific date in the calendar or literally a reaction to the latest trending news and topics. (As an example for the former, in the New Year, I linked up generic #resolutions with more specific #sharedservices resolutions for the year).
I also make sure I big up my peers and mentors (Retweets), and strike up conversations with them at the party (reach out to people – @namehere). I definitely respond to all of them if they approach me first. I sometimes use another deck for these activities too, ‘Tweetdeck.’ But you should also check #Twitter Feed, Twhirl, Tweetie, HootSuite and #Twitter Reach, amongst hundreds of other internal and external apps! (See http://bit.ly/6qs4 for more).
But let’s get back to basics: I throw in keywords into my bio, and carefully craft the words to exude my experience and interests. Some sort of ‘expert’, ‘author’, ‘founder’ or anything ‘official’. The dancers can only see my face, busy hands and headphones, but I like to make it easy for them to know where i’m coming from (customise your background to include a branded look/feel, plus extra info about yourself with links to yours or other relevant websites and social networks etc.)
Following & Followers: They come to me, but I also search for other interesting peers and mentors, through #Twitter’s ‘Find People’ feature and ‘#Twitter Search’ tool, plus the new ‘Recommend to follow’, which helps me do the work I used to have to do.
Tweeting: I endeavour to make music I play unique, engaging and emotional. (content). Sounds like a New Years Resolution hey? Bit late for that…
Despite what you might have heard, I’ve found no harm in offering my followers (and non followers alike), compelling #Twitter only, time driven deals to access my music and be the first of many to spread the news (Ask for Retweets, unleash compelling discounts/offers), once in a while. Let me rewind a little: Once in a while! And finally I often cut my track (ow.ly, bit.ly) to get in as many beats as possible.
So what can I do better? (There’s always room for improvement on #Twitter, especially as they keep updating the damn thing!)
Think more. Test more.Andcontinue any momentum that I worked hard to create, plus aim to be followed by more than I follow, so eventually I’ll feel like the kid who gets picked first by the smug captain (credibility). I also have a default, budget background graphic., so not cool. Can someone, anyone help?!
So how should I wrap this party up? Well from my experience, the test for your #Twitter social media effort is whether people find what you post so fascinating that they Retweet it. The sincerest form of flattery is Retweeting. ‘Liking’ a photo on Facebook is easy, but getting a ‘Retweet’ on #Twitter takes more time, thought, integrity and commitment. #Twitter offers a quick and easy way to get into social media, allowing you to promote your content (be it yours or others’ latest news, PR, offers, articles etc.). I would definitely refrain from the ordinary, “I’m in the airport waiting for a plane to Hong Kong”, and try to be a little more atypical. It might work on Facebook (just) but COMMON, get a grip, you’re not a celeb, so no one cares! The exception to this rule is if you’ve just crashed landed into the Hudson River, or been in a riot in Tehran, now that works!
Plugging in: I check in at least once a day (5-10 mins in the morning and 5-10 mins in the evening to cover my global audience), sometimes shorter or longer, but that’s all it takes. EVERYDAY. Well I lie, at least every ‘other’ day 😉 Get into this habit for 2011 and you’ll notice more Followers, Retweets and ultimately better marketing results. You’ve probably heard this maxim a thousand times, but it’s true for getting traction on #Twitter too: Be yourself and don’t try and be something your not. Integrity goes a long way on #Twitter.
So there you have it, the beginning of what promises to be a long journey in my sad, lonely existence as a #Twitter DJ – thanks for tuning in. If you have any #Twitter related questions (I’ve actually never mixed 2 vinyl’s correctly in my life), feel free to ask @jameswight or @ssonetwork
James Wight – IQPC