There are certain words I try not to use on Twitter.
You might expect that this is down to a self imposed code of standards - like not swearing, or not discussing politics - but that's not the case.
I avoid certain words/phrases to save myself the time & effort of blocking the spam sales followers and tweets that they attract.
Here's my top 5 to avoid:
SEO
Golf
iPhone
Apple
Digital marketing
I suppose a tweet like this:
"Digital marketing for apple iphone at golf clubs improves SEO"
May become popular for follower collectors!
Which words do you avoid?
Monday 24 May 2010
Thursday 13 May 2010
Twitter 101
I make no apologies for this post.
Has it been said elsewhere, by other people? Frequently!
Are people that are new to Twitter the only ones that need to take notice? Sadly not!
6 golden rules to tweet by:
1. If you want to be retweeted verbatim, don't use up all 140 characters in your original tweet. Up to 100 is great, 120 is ok.
2. Shorten your web links. Filling a tweet full of web address means you have less room to talk.
3. Asking for people to "DM me for details" limits who can respond to you to just the people you follow. Or, you have to open your DMs to anyone and that can lead to LOTS of spam.
4. People really, really, really dislike automatically generated DMs appearing in their inbox when they follow you. Just because you "can" do it doesn't mean you "should" do it!
5. Interact, don't just broadcast. Social media is exactly what is says on the tin - social! Like any form of networking, you get more out of it the more you put in.
6. Don't be an egg. Take half a minute to upload a picture or logo
Has it been said elsewhere, by other people? Frequently!
Are people that are new to Twitter the only ones that need to take notice? Sadly not!
6 golden rules to tweet by:
1. If you want to be retweeted verbatim, don't use up all 140 characters in your original tweet. Up to 100 is great, 120 is ok.
2. Shorten your web links. Filling a tweet full of web address means you have less room to talk.
3. Asking for people to "DM me for details" limits who can respond to you to just the people you follow. Or, you have to open your DMs to anyone and that can lead to LOTS of spam.
4. People really, really, really dislike automatically generated DMs appearing in their inbox when they follow you. Just because you "can" do it doesn't mean you "should" do it!
5. Interact, don't just broadcast. Social media is exactly what is says on the tin - social! Like any form of networking, you get more out of it the more you put in.
6. Don't be an egg. Take half a minute to upload a picture or logo
Sunday 2 May 2010
5 excuses not to use social media
1. I don't have time.
Do you make time to go to network meetings? Or to design a leaflet? Then you can make time to "do" social media. Take a long thin slice through your week. Now you have time.
2. I don't know what to say.
Remember those network meetings & marketing leaflets you make time for? Use those as a basis for your initial few weeks. You know your business and the questions people want answers to. You have a lot to say. Your problem could, in fact, be selecting what to use!
3. My customers don't use Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn etc
Perhaps it's true that your current customers don't use social media. How many more do use it? More to the point, how many people that can refer you to new customers use it? Do you know, or are you guessing? How many of your competitors are ahead of you?
4. It's too risky & uncontrolled
So is all networking, you're just used to the ways of managing the risk in the more traditional formats. Transfer what you already know into the new arena.
5. There's no evidence social media works
Yes - there is. Quite a lot of it in fact! There are whole blog sites literally groaning under the weight of evidence. Good places to start are sites like Unmarketing and Social Media Today.
Do you make time to go to network meetings? Or to design a leaflet? Then you can make time to "do" social media. Take a long thin slice through your week. Now you have time.
2. I don't know what to say.
Remember those network meetings & marketing leaflets you make time for? Use those as a basis for your initial few weeks. You know your business and the questions people want answers to. You have a lot to say. Your problem could, in fact, be selecting what to use!
3. My customers don't use Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn etc
Perhaps it's true that your current customers don't use social media. How many more do use it? More to the point, how many people that can refer you to new customers use it? Do you know, or are you guessing? How many of your competitors are ahead of you?
4. It's too risky & uncontrolled
So is all networking, you're just used to the ways of managing the risk in the more traditional formats. Transfer what you already know into the new arena.
5. There's no evidence social media works
Yes - there is. Quite a lot of it in fact! There are whole blog sites literally groaning under the weight of evidence. Good places to start are sites like Unmarketing and Social Media Today.
