| 'What should I tweet?' | | | | question and I reckon a lot of you reading this on |
| Well, this largely depends upon what you're using | | | | a computer will have clicked on the article link that |
| Twitter for. Regardless of whether you're using | | | | was embedded into it. You can also post the title |
| Twitter to make friends or do business, your | | | | of interesting blog posts, along with a link to the |
| followers and potential followers see you as an | | | | full article. You could even post photos of your |
| identity and in most cases, a brand. As a result, I | | | | work or products with a simple free application I'll |
| personally feel you need to tweet relevant | | | | be showing you later. The point of all of these |
| content - by which I mean relevant to your | | | | examples is that they give your Twitter followers |
| followers. In my case, I'm an actor as well as | | | | something to engage with where they will want |
| being a social media author and so I tweet | | | | to see, read or hear more. |
| information about upcoming shows in London, | | | | Keeping the personal private |
| shows that have good reviews and how to get | | | | There's an interesting issue on Twitter regarding |
| cheap theatre tickets. This provides value for my | | | | the idea of the personal versus the business |
| followers and lets them know about services and | | | | tweet. Many people feel that you should keep |
| shows that they might not know about if they | | | | them separate and I'm inclined to agree for a |
| weren't following me. If you can do the same for | | | | couple of reasons. The first is because that way, |
| your clients (and I'm going to show you how later | | | | people aren't confused by your identity on |
| on in this book) then you're already ahead in the | | | | Twitter. If they're sure you're the person to talk |
| game of Twitter. | | | | to about, say, the financial markets, then they'll |
| 'What should I not tweet?' | | | | come to you. If you're also posting stuff about |
| The short answer? I reckon the following tweet is | | | | your dog and the great new game you bought |
| a good example of what not to post: | | | | for your child, then people will be unclear about |
| 'Just got up. Might have some breakfast then | | | | you and who your are. More importantly they |
| going to take a shower.' | | | | won't think of you as an expert in your field, just |
| BORING! It tells us nothing about you, doesn't help | | | | another Tweeter. |
| anyone and doesn't give anyone any relevant | | | | Now, this might sound odd because we all know |
| information. Other stuff to avoid includes racism, | | | | that we all have multiple sides to our lives. There's |
| homophobia and generally bigoted views (mainly | | | | our business, personal and family lives for a start. |
| because they're all bad, but also because they will | | | | However, think of it like this: You wouldn't send an |
| get you banned from Twitter). | | | | e-mail or letter to your professional clients about |
| Being a tease | | | | how great your dog is, so why tweet about it if |
| If you're familiar with marketing jargon you may | | | | you're on Twitter primarily for business. There's |
| have heard of a 'teaser' and may even be familiar | | | | nothing stopping you having two accounts - one |
| with the concept. A teaser is a short clip or image | | | | personal and one for business. And with what I'm |
| that marketers use to whet the appetite of | | | | going to show you in the coming chapters, you |
| viewers. | | | | can 95% automate the business one to be |
| Think of your Twitter posts as a teaser for your | | | | tweeting even when you're too busy, giving you |
| website. Like the teaser above, the tweets you | | | | time to keep in touch with loved ones via Twitter |
| post can act like a taster of your blog, product or | | | | using the personal account. |
| service. In the above example, Pixar haven't given | | | | 'OK, that all sounds good, but I haven't got time...' |
| away the content of the film, simply that the | | | | I spend a maximum of about 45 minutes per |
| same characters will feature in it as before and | | | | week on Twitter and I fit that in when I want to. |
| that the familiar character dynamics of | | | | And yet I've grown my account by 238 followers |
| co-operation and competition will be taken up a | | | | in the last 10 days. And this was just a normal |
| notch. The teaser whets the appetite that | | | | week. On that basis, I can conservatively |
| something good is coming, without telling us too | | | | estimate that I can comfortably grow my |
| much about it, which naturally makes us want to | | | | account by 200 targeted followers per week, |
| see more. Your tweets can work the same way. | | | | which over one year will mean 10,400 new |
| Readers (or in this case, viewers) will go from not | | | | followers, all of whom help me to increase the |
| knowing about it at all to being 'warm' business | | | | network of people who know me and are |
| leads. | | | | interested in what I post. |
| Why not post a thought-provoking question with | | | | Simple really. Just follow some of the above steps |
| a link? | | | | and provide real value and watch your following |
| I'll give you a clue as to the answer: That | | | | increase. |
| sentence, above, was a thought provoking | | | | |