Although Twitter has been around for a while now, for many who have yet to initiate their first tweet, it’s still a mystery.
If you’ve heard about Twitter but still haven’t checked it out; if you don’t see how it could be of any benefit to you or your business, I completely understand.
When one of my good friends had suggested I set up a Twitter account, I had absolutely no interest at all. That was a few years ago.
I can tell you know that it’s now one of of my favorite social network to use for business networking and keeping up with the buzz of web development and online marketing.
Please know that this is not a lecture. 🙂
Like I said, I can understand your reluctance to explore the land of Twitter. If you really don’t want to check it out, there is certainly no law that says you have to.
These social networks are free online tools that are available for use to use to help grow our brand and business. But that doesn’t mean you need to use all of them.
This article is for those of you who are interested in Twitter, hoping maybe it could be a good tool for you to use. But from what you’ve heard about it, you just don’t get it. Hopefully this will give you an easy way to get started, enjoy it and eventually use it productively.
Okay, Let’s Get Started!
Step 1 – Set up an account on Twitter (if you don’t already have one)
Go to Twitter.com and you’ll easily be able to sign up for a new account.
Step 2 – Follow 3 People in Your Industry/Field
At one point during the signup process you’re asked to find five people (other Twitter users) that you want to follow.
Out of those 5 people, look for and select 3 people who are real movers and shakers in your industry. These are the guys and gals that are real leading voices when it comes to what you do for a living.
What this means, when you follow these people, when the tweet something you will see it on your twitter feed of recent tweets.
By seeing what the top names in your field are tweeting, it will give you some insights on how you might want to tweet for your business. It will also help you stay up with current trends, as well as get some thoughts on what might be coming around the bend.
Step 3 – Follow 2 People Who You Are Interested In
These might be celebrities, or sports figures or other popular publicly known people. They might be someone who is big in the area of some hobby or personal interest of yours.
For example, if you love golf, look for other golfers you’d be interested in.
What this does is, as well as working on learning how to use Twitter as a potential business tool, it also makes it fun. When things are fun, they are more enjoyable and it’s more likely we will learn it faster.
Step 4 – Spend 2 – 4 Weeks Just “Listening”
Login to Twitter everyday and see what’s being tweeted. By just observing how these 5 people you follow use Twitter, it will help you adjust to being part of this community. It will help you develop an idea of how you want to use Twitter; what kinds of things you’ll be tweeting about.
I’m not saying you can’t tweet if you really want to. I’m just trying to let you know the pressure is off. You don’t have to tweet anything. If you’re uncomfortable, or just don’t get it yet, just kick back and observe.
You’ll Get It Eventually (or not?)
I’ve heard people say it can often take 30-90 days to really get Twitter. So don’t feel bad if you don’t take to it like a fish to water right off the bat. (how’s that for mixing my metaphors!?) 🙂
Is It Worth It?
For me, yes! Like I said, I was also reluctant to even bother with Twitter, but now I’m very glad I did.
Want More Help?
I’ve put together a free (small) ebook, Twitter 101 – A 10 Minute Guide to Ruling the World With Twitter. This neo-masterpiece can offer an overview and more tips on getting started on Twitter. Check it out!
Of course you can follow my tweets at: twitter.com/TedAVieira – stop on by!
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