This is great advice for Twitter....but also great advice for networking in face-to-facce situations. People often forget that online social networking is no different than traditional networking.
Networking is not about meeting someone, exchanging business cards, following them and getting a follow back, or making them your "Friend" in a community.
Networking is about establishing mutually beneficial relationships where both parties feel good about the connection. It is not about having the most "friends" or "followers". It is about making a difference for the people in your network...and having them do the same thing for you.
Bloggeries
· 11 months ago
Great piece. Good tips for sure.
I think your missing something though. Even many of the people you mentioned here in this bloggery do something you didn't allude to. They socialize by initiating new connections.
Don't be scared to add people. It's like "introducing yourself" shaking someones hand at a cocktail party. (After all isn't Twitter the biggest party in town that never closes?) You may not like the setting (I do) but you go because it's where the "party is at" or "Where you meet new people".
Unless you write some influential blog, are a media personality type and already are well known go meet people. How can someone even possibly care what you have to say if they have NO CLUE WHATSOEVER YOU EVEN EXIST?
Give the virtual hand shake whenever you can just like you should give a real hand shake to people you meet in real life whenever you can...
Thought I'd throw that in there. ;)
Drew Gneiser
· 11 months ago
Good solid tips. I enjoy examples, so cheers to that. #11 - Have a purpose for what you are doing online and on Twitter. If you don't know, neither will others.
Greg
· 11 months ago
Interesting piece...my favorite part about articles like this is you inevitably find an interesting new person or two to follow.
Thanks!
ChristianPF
· 11 months ago
Great post - Twitter is one of those things that I think we are just at the tip of the iceberg with... It is a good time to be learning how to use it effectively and appropriately
Moushumi Kabir
· 11 months ago
Good tips. How about laughing (lol) when humour is detected? :-)
Fox
· 11 months ago
Thank you for this article.
Ace Marauder
· 11 months ago
Good stuff. This should be required reading for newbie Twitterers...
Brad
· 11 months ago
Love it. All points make sense and seem like they'd be obvious, but I think that many, if not most, cant quite figure it out until someone puts it down. Thank you for that.
Maybe an example for the "#8. Be Creative" point would be the haiku community seemingly led by "haikutwaiku". It's kind of fun to watch what they come up with, even lend a haiku or two!
Hey, that's my etymologist teacher Marina; she is first and number one in the article and everything else she does. Great article Mark!
Mark Drapeau
· 11 months ago
Marina has quite a brand!! =)
Jeffrey Levy
· 11 months ago
Hi Mark. Another good post from you. Gonna have to hold onto this as we spread the Twitter word here at EPA.
Alex, aka SocialButterfly
· 11 months ago
Stellar, Rad, and right on target. Another great article. This is a good one to send someone who is just starting out on Twitter too. Gratzi!
QuikPal
· 11 months ago
gonna try tweeties soon!
PS this is my first post with GFC.
hddoctor
· 11 months ago
very useful.
Charisse Marie Colbert
· 11 months ago
Twank you for the twaluable twips on twinfluening tweeple on Twitter.
jyl_mommygossip
· 11 months ago
Love this post, especially the title. Great 10 tips and terrific tweeter recommendations.
Thx!
Jesse Liebman
· 11 months ago
Great post and ideas for the "newbie". Establishing yourself takes time and patience. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is your followers.
Paulo Miranda
· 11 months ago
Great Mashable post! There is another great Twiitips here, by Shama Hyder. Check it out. http://tinyurl.com/6hntwc
Mark Drapeau
· 11 months ago
Shama Hyder's list is very long and very good! (http://tinyurl.com/6hntwc) Thanks; in my style, I just tweeted it out :)
Danielle
· 11 months ago
Your surly, rude, angry, act like a spoiled jerk most of the time and a Twitter snob so why the heck are you giving advice?
Mark Drapeau
· 11 months ago
Hey Danielle, I wrote the article for the other readers, commenters, pingbackers, and retweeters who liked the advice a lot. I'm just being myself, authentic and transparent. You don't leave a last name, an email, or a weblink to yourself. Keep attacking behind your anon barricade. Frankly, you're the one who comes off as "surly, rude, and angry." If I was a real Twitter snob like quite a few others, why would I be writing free advice columns? Happy holidays.
Bonnie Sayers
· 11 months ago
Nice list, know most but will check out the few did not. I created the first ever autism twitter day last Tuesday Dec 16th. It was the trending topic twice that day beating out Obama and Santa Claus. There is a slideshow at my blog,
Nice advice and summary, Mark. You are, in fact, the one who convinced me to get on Twitter and I haven't looked back. Your desire to share the wealth -- insights for how best to use Twitter -- is exactly the right spirit. Thanks for practicing what you preach. This is the crux of social media.
Dan Hollings
· 11 months ago
I like this article, but there is one statement (toward the end) I feel isn't exactly correct... "There aren’t any secrets." Hmmm..
I must say that when I started Twitter, it seemed like one giant (but small) secret. Trying to comprehend exactly what my "Twitter Strategy" might be and to develop a "Twitter Style" while finding "Followers" and exploring hundreds of "Twitter Tools and Apps" - geez... it was NOT exactly obvious.
And to think... I'm a very good internet strategist. In the end, I discovered and created many tips and secrets... yes, in fact, I call them "Twittin' Secrets" and there are over 100 of them (all free).
Mark introduced me to twitter in July during fun, lively, and interesting office chats regarding social software. As a testimony, for a few months I used it with no goals in mind, and quit shortly after seeing little value it added to me besides sidebar convos. I came back with a vengeance, though. :) During a project involving complexity theory I needed the right "nodes" such as @jbordeaux (knowledge management expert) to interact with me in real time under the auspices of others in the field like @valdiskrebs. I'm not very technologically savvy, I barely can manage powerpoint. So Twitter was one of the only social networking means I knew of that allowed me to delve into the pool of expertise, information, and human digital interface that aided our report to be such a success. And Mark was extremely helpful (being the "Supra-node" he is :)) in identifying people I needed to follow and interact with to progress our report. In addition, Mark's article here emphasized what he gratuitously imparts in person: do ut des (I give that you may give). Although initially twitter was hard to use for a newbie like me, Mark's comments (here and in person) helped much in shaping the way I use it.
MrDC
· 11 months ago
Hi! You and NYC can both go fuck yourselves. You're a joke, please kill yourself.
missburrows
· 11 months ago
Have you tried declaring a twitcrush on someone? That'll get their attention every time.
I have to admit I almost stopped following you when you got on your Tw-eHarmony kick - but now I think you're one of my most interesting Tweeple. Definitely sharing this with my colleagues.
rick fisher
· 10 months ago
thanks for a great article. It was extremely helpful in guiding me up the learning curve of twitterings.
I really enjoy all your links. I barely even check the weather channel anymore!
rick fisher
· 10 months ago
thanks for a great article. It was extremely helpful in guiding me up the learning curve of twitterings.
I really enjoy all your links. I barely even check the weather channel anymore!
Doug Flanders
· 9 months ago
great information on getting more people...no upfront in your face stuff.
Doug Flanders
· 9 months ago
great information on getting more people...no upfront in your face stuff.
Jason Finch
· 9 months ago
Too many people get obsessed with hooking up with and schmoozing the "apparently influential" people on Twitter. Influence is fine, but it does not bring profit to genuine business.
You mention Gary Vaynerchuk, he's almost the total exception in the poster boys of social media - he has run a traditional business, he understands business, he knows how social media integrates with that. The other Twitterati, they're bloggers, they seem live in a social media bubble and they may well be "influential" within the bubble, but I've yet to see a single one of them that I'd trust with business advice and growing a profitable business - GV is the exception, he's been there and done it; the others are more akin to politicians who talk the talk but I wouldn't say their influence could help make a profitable real world business outside of social media itself.
Sandra Hudson
· 9 months ago
Talk about giving value.I loved the 10 reasons why people will not follow you back. I also loved How to Win friends. 20 Secrets to having success on Twitter. Sandra Hudson
Matt
· 9 months ago
I would challenge people to think beyond the networks they can build on twitter, or any other social media. I believe we all can use these technologies to 'sell ourselves' or jump in the popularity contest race. Once you have built your network, what are you going to do with it? Try starting backwards. What are your aims? These social media are not simply re-creations of high school 'cool contests.' They are tools are having a profound impact on our society and they are tools that can be harnessed for positive social change. Start with positive intentions, and use these suggestions to build your network around your goal.
Matthew Loop
· 9 months ago
Great post on many of the basics to have a successful presence on Twitter. You totally have to provide an enormous amount of value to your community to have a shot at being one of the leaders. BTW... I follow Gary V and he's definitely a pro :)
@MatthewLoop
Jason Kemp
· 6 months ago
Part of the conversation barrier on most blogs is that I suspect 90% of comments come from other bloggers who are more comfortable with. Much of Twitter stream seems to act like verbal intensifiers as it takes more effort to add value in 140 characters at a time. This is a great post.
I'd also say that the tweets people do during "work time" are different from the weekends or after hrs which tend to be more personal and as the audience changes.
Some tweeters get around this by splitting personal and work twitter accounts but like blogging a personal flavour adds to the timbre and tone.
nimia_a
· 3 months ago
Thank you very much for this article. This is very useful for a new twiterrer like me.
All Comments
Networking is not about meeting someone, exchanging business cards, following them and getting a follow back, or making them your "Friend" in a community.
Networking is about establishing mutually beneficial relationships where both parties feel good about the connection. It is not about having the most "friends" or "followers". It is about making a difference for the people in your network...and having them do the same thing for you.
I think your missing something though. Even many of the people you mentioned here in this bloggery do something you didn't allude to. They socialize by initiating new connections.
Don't be scared to add people. It's like "introducing yourself" shaking someones hand at a cocktail party. (After all isn't Twitter the biggest party in town that never closes?) You may not like the setting (I do) but you go because it's where the "party is at" or "Where you meet new people".
Unless you write some influential blog, are a media personality type and already are well known go meet people. How can someone even possibly care what you have to say if they have NO CLUE WHATSOEVER YOU EVEN EXIST?
Give the virtual hand shake whenever you can just like you should give a real hand shake to people you meet in real life whenever you can...
Thought I'd throw that in there. ;)
#11 - Have a purpose for what you are doing online and on Twitter. If you don't know, neither will others.
Thanks!
Maybe an example for the "#8. Be Creative" point would be the haiku community seemingly led by "haikutwaiku". It's kind of fun to watch what they come up with, even lend a haiku or two!
Peace, Brad
PS this is my first post with GFC.
Thx!
I must say that when I started Twitter, it seemed like one giant (but small) secret. Trying to comprehend exactly what my "Twitter Strategy" might be and to develop a "Twitter Style" while finding "Followers" and exploring hundreds of "Twitter Tools and Apps" - geez... it was NOT exactly obvious.
And to think... I'm a very good internet strategist. In the end, I discovered and created many tips and secrets... yes, in fact, I call them "Twittin' Secrets" and there are over 100 of them (all free).
http://twittinsecrets.com
To make them one-click handy, I also have them on a Mac/PC toolbar (also free). No catches, no tricks, no email required.
http://mytwittertoolbar.com
In addition, Mark's article here emphasized what he gratuitously imparts in person: do ut des (I give that you may give). Although initially twitter was hard to use for a newbie like me, Mark's comments (here and in person) helped much in shaping the way I use it.
twitcrush.com
@missburrows
I really enjoy all your links. I barely even check the weather channel anymore!
I really enjoy all your links. I barely even check the weather channel anymore!
"apparently influential" people on Twitter. Influence is fine, but it
does not bring profit to genuine business.
You mention Gary Vaynerchuk, he's almost the total exception in the poster
boys of social media - he has run a traditional business, he understands
business, he knows how social media integrates with that. The other Twitterati,
they're bloggers, they seem live in a social media bubble and they may well
be "influential" within the bubble, but I've yet to see a single one of them
that I'd trust with business advice and growing a profitable business - GV is
the exception, he's been there and done it; the others are more akin to
politicians who talk the talk but I wouldn't say their influence could help
make a profitable real world business outside of social media itself.
I also loved How to Win friends.
20 Secrets to having success on Twitter.
Sandra Hudson
@MatthewLoop
I'd also say that the tweets people do during "work time" are different from the weekends or after hrs which tend to be more personal and as the audience changes.
Some tweeters get around this by splitting personal and work twitter accounts but like blogging a personal flavour adds to the timbre and tone.