AKA: Twitter etiquette
This is for the average twitter user to advanced twitter user. If you have something like 50,000 followers … why the hell are you reading this post, you don’t do these things … right?
- Don’t use auto Direct Message/@replies ‘tools’ – If you don’t have time to respond to your messages then don’t pretend like you do. If we DM you and you have something like 20,000 followers we know we are more than likely not going to get a response back. So why in the hell are you with your 150 followers too busy to talk to people and network? We can see through the BULL!
- Try to respond to at least 50% of your DM’s and @replies. I know it gets hard but come on you are here to network and build relationships. You gotten respond and talk at some time.
- I personally don’t like the twitter ‘backs’. Your trying to hard. Give it up. If your going to do it. Do something cool. Don’t be lame and put your email address, phone number, physical address, extended bio, personal website, twitter link (DUH!), facebook link, linkedin link, friendfeed link, myspace link and whatever else. You know the people I am talking about. Those people. Check out http://twitter.com/starbucks classy and sensible.
- Have some organic conversations with people. Don’t just make a twitter account full of: “New post: blah blah” every freakin update. That is LAME SAUCE!
- NEVER bad mouth President Obama … holy crap. You will bring a shit storm upon your soul. You loose people faster then if you were praising Bush! Check it out here.
That’s my list. Agree? disagree? Think #3 is personally offensive? Good. Go change your damn background.
Honestly check out http://twitterholic.com/ and look at the top 100 profiles and check out what they do. Do what they do. Echo them.
Here is my charge. Retweet if you agree:
Auto DM’s and auto @replys suck. Talk to people. RT if you agree. If you don’t agree read this: http://is.gd/hkPA (via @startupstudent)
Follow the revolution here.
8 Comments
Thank you for being direct with this blog. It keeps things simple. What was your motivation for writing Twitter etiquette?
JaWar. I opened up my twitter account and noticed probably 50+ auto DM’s and replies from people … I then decided that people just need to be informed.
Well said. Direct and honest. I think people can get too ego focused. Tried a twitback. Did not like it. Be yourself.
Thanks for the insightful comments on Twitter. I totally agree about the auto DMs and the annoying people who are having half conversations with the continuous @ replies.
I mean, I respond to people but I try not to ramble on and on privately, in public! Engage in conversation or at the least, be interesting, not a total sales pitch all the time.
Thanks for the no-no’s. I’ll keep ‘em in mind….
Adam,
Thanks for the post. I tend to agree with a few and disagree with a couple. I agree that you should try to respond to replies and DMs. To me that is one of the most important parts of Twitter. I also agree that it should be used for conversation. That is what you are there to do.
I think that it is important to have a custom background. Notice I said custom. You are branding! Especially as a business. It’s no different that branding your business card or website.
As for attacking President Obama, feel free. It is free society and people don’t need to agree. Many times disagreement is great to generate conversation. No matter your politics, it will generate discussion.
Jeremy
http://www.refocusingtechnology.com
Hi
I read and enjoyed this article – being relatively new to Twitter and still very much finding my way around.
Maybe that’s why I can’t find a way to send you a message on/ via Twitter?
Linda
@Linda – I’m still getting the hang of it too. These new networking tools make me feel like an old man sometimes.
In relation to the article, I don’t like that tons of people follow anyone and everyone in order to get them to follow them back. After a couple of days, you’ll get an email saying, “Hey dude, I followed you. Why don’t you stop being a prick and follow me back?”
Guess those types of people are everywhere, though.
Hey! Can I ask what’s this template you are using in your blog? thanks.