Once you enter into the Twittersphere you will hear a lot about people who “get it” on Twitter and people who don’t. To a certain extent, these are arbitrary, made-up norms that are used to separate the newbies from the veteran users. But, just as you don’t walk into an elevator and face the wall or sit directly next to a stranger in an open movie theater, if you want to join the community you have to play by their rules.

• Interaction, interaction, interaction. It is called a social network for a reason. And nothing will make me stop following you quicker than if all you use it for is to push out your information and you never initiate a conversation. This applies to business accounts as well as personal.
• Do not have a protected account. Twitter is different than Facebook in that it was not designed to be a private profile for only you and your friends. It is meant to be a public stream for people to get insight into your business, personality and daily life.
• Keep it even. Keep the number of people who are following you and the number of people you follow relatively close. If I go to check out a new follower’s page, and I see they are following 500 people, but only have 100 followers, I will assume they don’t know what they’re doing.
• Mix it up. Don’t stick to one kind of tweet. If all I ever get from you is links to health care news, even if it is interesting health care news, eventually I’m going to get bored and tune you out.
• Mix it up (2). Switch between @-replying with someone and sending a DM. People want to know you are interested in forming a connection with them personally. Not just using them to grow your popularity.
• Download a desktop application. If you really want to be successful on Twitter you have to tweet frequently. A desktop application such as TweetDeck and Seesmic help make this more manageable. Mobile applications also help you to keep up and tweet on-the-go.
• Don’t ask me to re-tweet your information. Now, this is something that many seasoned tweeters still do, so it may be more of a personal pet-peeve. If I like the comment, I will re-tweet it. You asking me to do so will not make me more inclined to re-tweet your content. If anything, it will make me less.
• Don’t give up. I have gone through stages where I am overwhelmed, frustrated or just plain bored with Twitter. But, it always manages to suck me back in because to put it simply, it’s awesome. If you do a good enough job building your network, you will end up with this group of amazing people who can provide you with an answer to any question, give you advice on how to become a better professional, keep you up-to-date on the latest breaking news and make you laugh at any  time of the day.
• Never stop developing your network. Eventually, a day will come that you will find yourself thinking in Tweets, and you will know you’re officially hooked. Now is the time to stop hiding behind your icon and meet your network IRL (in real life). Set up a coffee meeting with one of your tweeps or attend a networking event such as SMBMSP or YPCTC.

Strait from the Twittersphere – I asked my network if they had tips they would give  a Twitter newbie and Gregg Litman came back with these gems.

• Keep Tweets under 120 characters for easy retweeting. – You want people to retweet your content, right? Make it easy for them to add “RT @yourtwitterhandle”.
• Use a URL shortner – If you’re posting a long link use a URL shortner such as bit.ly or TinyURL. If you register for a bit.ly account, you will receive insights into how many people have clicked on the link.

Again, if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments and come back again for part 3: measuring your impact. Likewise, if you’re well-versed in Twitter rules (you’re probably not still reading), but if you are and I’ve missed any, please let me know in the comments section.

Photo credit: Cambodia4kidsorg on Flickr

I have recently noticed that a lot of friends are expanding their social networks, going beyond Facebook and joining Twitter, LinkedIn and others. To help those of you who are new to the Twittersphere, I’ve created an instruction manual on the basics of successful tweeting.

Joining a new social network can be a daunting task, especially when you hope to use it as a professional tool. The concept of connecting with strangers and forging a beneficial relationship online can feel strange and unnatural.

The most important thing to remember is that there is not one right way to use a social network. At the end of 2009, there were 18 million people on Twitter, each using it in their own unique way. That being said, like any community, it has its own lingo and norms to follow if you want to be successful.

Twanguage, a.k.a Twitter language (yes, I made that word up)

All those @’s, RT’s, and #’s do have names and mean something.

• @ = at-reply and is a way to start a conversation with someone. When you put an @ before a person’s handle (Twitter username) you are directing your Tweet to them. It creates a hyperlink to that user’s Twitter account and goes into a special inbox on their Twitter homepage. Many users get alerts on their phones or desktop applications when they receive an at-reply.  Other Twitter users who are following both of your streams can also see the Tweet.
• RT = retweet and should be used when passing along information you discovered from another person’s tweet. Whether it is a link to a news article or a funny thought, if you first saw the content from another Twitter user you must give them credit. Using “via @twitterhandle” is another acceptable way to give credit for a tweet and is often used when the content has been changed so drastically it no longer represents the opinion of the original tweeter.
• # = hashtag and creates a hyperlink to anything connected to it. When you click on the hashtag it brings up a real-time list of everyone using that tag. Hashtags are used to connect people tweeting about the same topic, and will often be assigned to a particular event so people who are not in attendance can follow along with the chatter. People will also use hashtags to add creativity and humor to a tweet. For an example of someone who has mastered the art of #hilarioushashtags, follow Sam Boeser.
• DM = direct message and is a private message between you and one other person.
• #ff = follow Friday and is a way to recommend people who you think are worthy of a follow.

Frequently asked questions

• How do I find people to follow? First, find the people you already know on Twitter and comb through their follow lists. I, for instance, have a follow Friday list that includes my favorite Tweeps (Twitter Peeps).  Next, do a Twitter search for people who are Tweeting about topics you are interested in. For example, if you’re a sports fan, see who else is talking about your favorite team during the game.
• How do I get people to follow me? The hardest part of Twitter is developing a critical mass. There are social circles on Twitter that can be intimidating to break into. Be patient and don’t be afraid to add your two cents into a conversation. Be generous and pass along people’s content that you think is interesting. Even if they have 900 followers, if you re-tweet something someone says it will grab their attention.
• Why would people care about what I have to say? My twitter mentor, David Erickson, always says that this is the first thing you need to get out of your head. You must go in with the mentality “of course, people will care about what I have to say.”
• If I want to use Twitter as a professional tool, should I tweet about personal topics? This is a highly debated topic in the Twittersphere. Some people use it solely for business and never throw in a tweet about a good restaurant they tried, a sporting event they’re watching or anything else that does not directly benefit the bottom line. Personally, I throw a lot of non-business related tweets into my stream. It is my belief that part of developing yourself as a professional is connecting with other professionals. People like to see your human side and will be able to better relate to you, if they get a glimpse into what your passions are outside of work.

If you have additional questions about Twitter or other social networks you’re testing out, please leave them in the comments. And, be sure to check back soon for part 2: how to “get it” and part 3: measuring your impact.

Photo credit: Cambodia4kidsorg on Flickr

As I venture into this blogging world, navigating my way and finding my voice, I have recently found myself contemplating the use of profanity in posts and public profiles. Is it ever acceptable for a professional to use a crass word in an online space that is forever out there for the world to see? Or would it be better left for the Howard Sterns, the Chris Rocks and the Khloe Kardashions?

Personally, I am okay with sprinkling in a colorful word or two, if it is done tactfully. For instance, I try to avoid online swearing in times of anger, I don’t direct it towards people, and I contemplate other adjectives that could also get my point across. I justify my potty-mouth by saying that people don’t want to interact with a robot who has carefully calculated each word and sounds like a well-crafted PR pitch. They want someone with personality, who they can relate to and who is multidimensional. And, because sometimes it is just simply the best way to get the point across and bring humor into the mix.

My loving father, however, scolds me for my use of online swearing. Concerned about my online reputation he tells me that it is “nasty language to put on the World Wide Web.” His point is sound. And the truth is anyone can read my blog and form an opinion about who they think I am – my boss, my Grandma (okay, maybe not Grandma, but Aunts and Uncles). My future employers’ first impressions for the remainder of my career (did I mention I’m only 24) will be largely determined by a Google search. It is likely that someone, at some point, will look at my work and have the same reaction as my dad, feel it is unnecessary and vulgar.

Rather than simply write Dad off as an out-of-touch Boomer who doesn’t understand us Millennials, I decided to bring the question to you. All you SM and PR experts, gurus and practitioners. You bloggers and seasoned professionals. What is your online curse-word policy?

Photo credit: Solidstate on Flickr

For a little over a year and a half now, I have been working at a public relations agency that has the reputation of having some of the most strategic thinkers in the business. I remember my first few weeks on the job, sitting aimlessly and terrified in meeting after meeting thinking to myself, “everyone that works here is so dang smart; how in the hell am I going to keep up?”

The answer, to begin with, was simple. Fake it. Smile and nod along as people threw out the names of media personnel I had never heard of, terminology I would later look up and strategic plans that were nothing short of brilliant.

But, as I spent more time in this environment and I watched my colleagues and other strategic PR peers at work. I realized one characteristic they all possessed – awareness. They had trained their brains and their eyes to be strategically aware.

• Not just noticing a billboard, but thinking how it could relate to a client’s mission.
• Not just overhearing a conversation on the bus about a hot new restaurant, but tuning-in in terms of new business.
• Not just reading an article, but looking at the byline and learning the journalist’s beat and writing style.

Basically connecting the dots of the noisy outside world.

Although the concept of being aware is quite simple in theory, it is actually overwhelming to start training your brain to react this way. The world is so cluttered and the messages never stop coming at you. But, being constantly aware can eventually become second nature. And, I believe this type of awareness is absolutely necessary in order to be successful in the communications industry.

Whadya think? Do you agree? Disagree? What is one characteristic that is necessary to be successful in your profession?