By: Eden Hensley and Kelly Smith; Photos by: Brooke Dennis and Justin Hackworth for Alt Summit
Let’s talk about Twitter and why it should be on your social media list.
- It’s the best place to meet the experts – strangers are invited to listen and participate in active conversation.
- Promotion can be fast acting – when posts get shared (retweet) the content is shared with their entire audience.
- The lifespan of your 140 character text is short lived only lasting an hour. Which makes frequency of posting your friend.
Now for the basics!
- Take the time to put out a welcome mat. Replace the default egg image with a picture of you or your logo. This is a part of your brand so keep things consistent. If you are not sure where to start or how to do this, no worries, Twitter has a guide that walks you through each element of your photo, bio, and pinned tweets. Make sure you are following current photo guidelines of 400×400 for your profile and 1500×1500 for your header.
- Brush up on your Twitter manners by reading Janet Fouts’ twelve tips on becoming a good Twittizen to avoid embarrassing faux pas.
- Like any element of your blog or business, having a strategy can move you more quickly towards relevant goals. This article how to create a Twitter content strategy from Twitter tells how to do just that.
- Utilize the search bar by seeking out applicable topics, people, and organizations that you may want to learn from, partner with, or connect with by following.
- Lists can make all the difference in managing Twitter overload. Embrace your multi- passionate self by grouping similar topics in a list rather than scrolling through such an endless stream all jumbled together. This step-by-step visual guide to setting up and using Twitter lists from More in Media is a great place to start. Once you know how to set up lists, Buffer has 22 ideas on how to use Twitter Lists for your benefit and sanity! One of our favorite lists to see, are from you guys. Elizabeth of Iterate Social created a Twitter List with Alt Winter 2015 attendees.
- Twitter chats are a great way to introduce yourself, your voice, and your brand in a welcoming environment. They are just like meeting with friends at a coffee shop, only ease droppers are welcome and encouraged to join in! Read this article from Buffer, which will give you a step-by-step guide to hosting or joining a Twitter chat.
Join us, and improve with practice
If you are feeling nervous or unsure exactly how to use Twitter then join Alt Summit for a Twitter Chat every 9am PDT/12PM EDT every Wednesday. We have put together an article on How to Participate in a Twitter Chat, but know that practicing, following along, and joining in is the best way to learn. Everyone is welcome, and everyone is kind – simply follow Alt Summit and we will help you get started!
Have an idea for a future How Does it Work? Comment below or send Eden an email (Eden@altitudesummit.com). Miss our first How Does it Work post? Go here to learn the essentials of hashtags.
