Anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Twitter Fanatic. Seriously, it’s a borderline addiction.
It all began when I started tweeting back in 2009 to my audience of zero. They were blown away by my first profound and life-changing message.
Take a look:
Ah, high-school drama.
Moving along….
Things have changed a little bit since then. The girl is long gone, but I can honestly say that Twitter has in many ways changed my life. I have made new friends entirely off Twitter, had news stories written about what I’ve said or who I’ve fought with (seriously, be careful), I have booked projects solely from valued contacts on the site, and I now have around 168,000 followers. This social experiment has provided me with an incredible way to connect to people all over the world.
It’s impossible to address all aspects of Twitter in one article but for now, we will focus on 3 key areas to supercharge your Twitter game.
Have a Strong Profile
It’s easy to skimp on social media profiles. The fact is, we live in 2015. For better or worse, people will frequently base their initial impression of you on what your little self-written blurb says. For starters – keep it brief and use only the highlights. Don’t try and cram every single achievement in your bio. If your bio reads like this then you may have a problem:
“Famous on Social Media, Over 45k Instagram Followers, Award Winning Blogger Published once on Huffington Post, I own a Maserati”
OK, they aren’t USUALLY that bad, but seriously, be humble and keep it brief. You want to leave people with the desire to learn more about what you have to say. Nothing is more unattractive than arrogance.
Political tweeter/power player @Ali has an example of a great profile.
Take notice – he says what he does, what organizations he is associated with, and isn’t afraid to use humor and poke fun at himself. His profile gives him credibility but doesn’t come off as arrogant.
Engage Strangers
Too many people assume Twitter is Facebookok with shorter posts and fewer FarmVille invites. This is partially true, but Twitter is designed around meeting people and getting their take on life. Don’t be afraid follow and interact with complete strangers! It may be deemed “creepy” on other platforms, but if someone has a public Twitter account I consider it an open door to communicate. Example: If you’re into cooking – run a quick search for cooking, scroll through the articles, and if you find a fabulous recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu then let the author know you loved it and give them a follow! Another example: if you get a new follower, shoot them a message (preferably publicly) and say thanks. As your account grows it will become harder to keep up with each one, but it is important to realize that Twitter is a two-way street. Above all, do not fake interest. Automatic DM services are the worst. They say, “I don’t really care that much about us making a connection, but I want to pretend like I do.” They’re a nuisance, fodder for hackers, and they do not help you form relationships in any way. Reaching out with authenticity is how you build connections, learn new ideas, and form new friendships.
Inject Yourself into the Conversation
People often ask me something along the lines of “How can I get more followers?” While there isn’t an easy answer to that question, there is one surefire way to connect with a larger audience. Go with the Trending Topic flow. Notice a magnifying glass in the upper left-hand corner of your app? Hit it. This is a list about what Twitter is talking about and it can sometimes be a fairly reliable indicator of what is buzzing in the digital world. Use trending topics to your advantage. You shouldn’t tweet about every single topic, but if you have an opinion on something that you are interested in, use the appropriate hashtag and speak up!
In the instance below the American Music Awards were trending and the internet was consumed with what celebrities were wearing, who arrived with who, and the winners reactions. In this instance, I didn’t even watch the AMAs but I did tie in my love of all things Adele to what was happening. Live-tweeting current events and trending topics is a great way to establish yourself on Twitter. You will find that many people who like what you have to say will follow you, like your posts, and re-tweet you.
It is important to remember that you should only comment on a current news topic if it is something you are interested in or have an opinion on. The key to this is authenticity.
Well that’s all for now. I hope this helps! Please feel free to hit me up with any questions, comments, critiques, or gas station gift cards.
xo,
Daniel
