How To Use Twitter
Something new has happened online and if you're not part of it, you're missing out. The new trend I'm referring to is Twitter.
Twitter, is a free service available at Twitter, is a combination of a microblogging tool and a social networking site. Twitter is a fantastic way to get more traffic to your blog and build a relationship with your readership.
If you're brand new to Twitter, or even if you've been around on the site for some time, you'll find out in this lens how you could use it to generate traffic to your Squidoo Lenses and your blogs and open the doors to brand new subscribers.
Are You On Twitter?
What is Twitter and How Can it Help Me?
Twitter is changing the way that many people connect and communicate online and should be an indispensable part of your overall marketing plan for your Squidoo Lenses, blogs and websites. Twitter is free to join and you can get set up with an account in a matter of just a few minutes.Twitter has two main components. Just like social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook, you can add "followers" and follow other people as well. They'll receive your updates and you'll receive theirs.
What is unique is that your messages are limited just to 140 characters, which is why some people call it a "microblogging" tool. You have to keep your messages brief and to the point.
Sometimes it's a real challenge to get the point across in the allotted space, but it also leaves room for a lot of creativity! Coming up with ways to say what you have to say in that small space is part of the fun of Twitter. It makes you think about the core aspects of the message you are trying to convey. You may also find, like me, that it helps you write shorter reports and emails generally!
4 Ways Twitter Can Help Jumpstart Your Traffic!
Before you set up your account, let's go over a few of the ways that you can use Twitterr:
1. Getting traffic to your Squidoo Lenses, websites and blog posts - With a simple post to Twitter, you can have lots of readers come to your lens, blog or site. Even though feeds do the same thing, you can often find new readers on Twitter or remind current readers to re-visit your lens, blog or site.
2. Connecting with your readership - When you write, you're speaking to your readership from a distance. You write your lens or post, edit it and then post it. During all of these activities, you're removed from your audience. But when you use Twitter to communicate, it becomes a conversation. You can show more of your personality to your followers and truly communicate with them on a different level. This can get them more interested in you and your writings which will build more traffic over time.
3. Building your brand - In order to stand out amidst the large amount of Twitter accounts online, you need to develop a persona for people to connect to and identify with. You can further your branding by using a Twitter account. You need to figure out what makes you unique in your niche and then extend these differences between you and others in you Twitter posts. Decide what your persona or approach is and then make sure your Twitter posts reflect that.
4. Researching - With Twitter, your target market can be at your be at your fingertips. You can spy on their interests, ask them about their needs and automatically get ideas for your blog posts.
Using Twitter
If you want to use Twitter in conjunction with your lenses or blog, you should use a user name that reflects them or do as I have done and use your real name!
Once you've registered, you'll need to upload a picture to use as your avatar. You can use a picture of yourself or an illustration that reflects your blog as your avatar. Make sure it's a clear picture and one that will show up well in a column with other pictures surrounding it.
On Twitter, you can search for other users and then request to follow their updates. Once someone approves you to follow them, more often than not they will choose to follow you as well. You can build your followers list by searching for keywords on the Twitter site that relates to your blog. If you find that the Twitter search function isn't working then use www.summize.com which shows you who is talking about a particular topic once you search on a keyword(s). This way you can build a list of followers that are interested in your topic. Once you start posting updates on Twitter about your blog, you'll automatically get more traffic.
When you join, you'll probably get follow requests as well from other users who are using the search tools. You can choose to follow these people if they seem interesting and that they could be a potential traffic source for your blog. Make sure that your follow list doesn't get too crowded.
Twitter works best when you can actually communicate with the people that you are following, and vice versa. If you crowd your list with thousands of people you may initially get more traffic but you'll lose out on many of the other benefits of using the site.
Before you get started with posting Twitter updates, you need to decide your primary purpose for using Twitter. If you're focused before you get started, you'll be able to produce better quality lenses or blog posts and get the right kind of traffic.
There are many different ways you can use Twitter, and everyone uses it a little bit different. Consider these different ways of using the platform when you decide how you're going to use it:
-To build your expertise and your authority in a niche
-To drive more traffic to your lenses, blogs, and websites
-To brand yourself
-To be more social with your readers
-To make your lenses and blogs more of a community experience
You can do all of this and more with your Twitter account, or you can choose just one aspect and run with that. Keep in mind though that if you decide that you're going to use it just to post links to your blog, you're going to be a bit disappointed.
Since Twitter is a social networking tool, people will quickly unsubscribe from your updates. On Twitter, people want to know more about you and see a more personal side of you. This is why it's such a powerful way to drive traffic to your blog.
How To Tweet - How To Post on Twitter
There are a few different ways of posting on Twitter that you need to know about.*First, there's a regular post. When you type in a message to Twitter and hit "update" it will be viewable by all the people who are following you.
*The next type of post is a reply. When you type in a regular message, people may reply to your post. You'll see your user name with the symbol @ before it when someone replies to your message. You can respond to other people the same way. You simply type @ and then their user name directly after that. Replies are viewable by everyone who is following you or the other person you are replying to.
*Finally, there' a direct message. If you want to send a private message to someone that no one else can see, you can send a direct message. To do so, simply type the letters dm with the person's user name. You'll receive messages from others on a special page of Twitter and be notified via e-mail when someone direct messages you.
How to Post for Success on Twitter
The most basic way of using Twitter to build traffic to your lens is to post updates on Twitter whenever you create or significantly update a lens or when you make a blog post. But there's so much more to Twitter than that. The Twitter site has one question and one question only - What are you doing? How you answer this question is completely up to you.
A lot of people simply post about what they are up to. You'll see a lot of posts like "Just finished eating lunch." or "Working on a project." But you'll also see a whole lot more. If you're having trouble answering the question "what are you doing" try thinking of it in terms of "what are you interested in" or "what has you attention."
To start out with, you'll want to post things that are related to you personally and not your blog directly. Remember, first and foremost Twitter is a social networking utility. People have a low tolerance for blatant advertising.
Here are some ideas for non-promotional related Twitter posts:
-Share information. You can post links related to your niche, or just interesting things you find around the Internet.
-Ask questions. You can increase your relationship with your followers by asking questions. Ask people what they ate for lunch, what they think of the latest news story or their opinion on a topic.
-Share your opinion. You can post links to recent news stories, especially those related to your niche, and offer your opinion.
-Post tips related to your niche. Add to the value of your twitter feed by sharing tips that aren't on your blog. 140 characters are a great space to share a short, helpful tip.
-Share links to other people's sites and explain your view.
When you do post a link to your blog, make sure to add more to your Twitter post than just the link. Explain what it's about and tell your audience what is coming next on your blog. This way you won't just be spamming your link all over the "Twittersphere."
Here's my favorite link:
Add Your Twitter Profile
1
http://www.twitter.com/PaulDuxbury
Paul Duxbury on Twitter10 points
2
http://twitter.com/flaminglacer
flaminglacer on Twitter8 points
3
http://www.twitter.com/GrowWear
MiMi on Twitter7 points
4
Twitter / clouda9
7 points
5
Twitter / JosipBarbaric
Josip Barbaric on Twitter:-)7 points
6
Twitter / susan52
A baby boomer and a giant squid on Squidoo, enjoyi more...7 points
7
Twitter / poddys
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...7 points
8
Twitter / Teddi14
* Please follow me! *7 points
9
Twitter / Marti_L
Wife, mother, Squidoo-er, author, blogger, Twitter more...7 points
10
Tweeting Revolution
Revolutionizing the way you twitter...7 points
11
Twitter / Riquochet
Riquochet on Twitter6 points
12
Twitter / colinsouthgate
Colin Southgate on Twitter6 points
13
Twitter / PMolinero
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...6 points
14
Twitter / rogercarr
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...6 points
15
BigJim on Twitter
6 points
16
Twitter / WindyWinters
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...6 points
17
http://www.twitter.com/moonvine
Joan4 on Twitter5 points
18
Twitter / LizzyJeanAllen
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...5 points
19
http://www.twitter.com/justbon4
JustBon-Crochet-Designs on Twitter5 points
20
Twitter / Joose_us
Joose.us Social Bookmarking for the Health & F more...5 points
21
Twitter / Jennifer_Akers
Jennifer Akers on Twitter5 points
22
Twitter / FirstListing
On Twitter FirstListing.com Tips on Search Engine more...5 points
23
Twitter / i_ching
I Ching with Clarity on Twitter5 points
24
http://twitter.com/aj1996
AJ2008 on Twitter5 points
25
http://www.twitter.com/litmanlive
5 points
26
Twtter / JohannTheDog
It's all about dogs, all the time!5 points
27
http://www.twitter.com/CourtneyRamirez
Writing, working at home, health and motherhood5 points
28
Twitter / CleanerLife
CleanerLife on Twitter5 points
29
http://www.twitter.com/JessicaLevin
Marketing, meeting planning, matchmaking, connecti more...5 points
30
Twitter / ElizabethPW
Attorney, CFP, Mom, Nerd, Homeschooler, Blogger, A more...5 points
31
Twitter / gotfaeries - aka: enslavedbyfaeries
aka: enslavedbyfaeries5 points
32
thefluffanutta
Giant Squid5 points
33
Twitter / AndyPo
AndyPo on Twitter4 points
34
Twitter / jewelsofawe
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...4 points
35
Twitter / kiwinana
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...4 points
36
Twitter/tocco
Come on over have a cup of coffee!4 points
37
Twitter / MindGuru
4 points
38
Twitter / peoplemapsjulie
Julie Gibbons on Twitter4 points
39
Twitter / atomiccarly
Carly on Twitter4 points
40
Twitter / philstutt
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...4 points
41
Twitter / WeddingSavings
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...4 points
42
Twitter / linda2live
Live-Love-Laugh Life is too short!4 points
43
Twitter / AlpacaFarmgirl
window into the alpaca lifestyle4 points
44
Twitter / DrChaos
DrChaos on Twitter4 points
45
Twitter / BackPorchSoap
I look forward to networking with you!4 points
46
Twitter / JeanieMarshall
Empowering Personal Development4 points
47
http://www.twitter.com/PeterBestel
Peter Bestel on Twitter - so there!4 points
48
http://www.twitter.com/DebbieBenstein
Marketing consultant and actioneer.4 points
49
http://www.twitter.com/TiffanyDow
Social Media Marketing and eBook Empire Building - more...4 points
50
Twitter / kiwi91
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...4 points
51
Twitter / TheGreenerMe
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...4 points
52
Twitter / squidoo_
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...4 points
53
Twitter / RonnieWilson
Twitter is growing fast come join me and my friend more...4 points
54
Twitter / susannadee
Susanna Duffy4 points
55
SuccessFairy on Twitter (*living* Marketing)
...tends to just appear when you need it the most. more...4 points
56
Twitter / jaguarjulie
I Believe in Angels! %u2665 I'm a WAHWW %u2665 Squ more...4 points
57
Rucku :: virtual clubhouse
rugby's online clubhouse, with the likes of Zinzan more...3 points
58
http://www.twitter.com/dhudiburg
Marketing consultant, Infopreneur, and all around more...3 points
59
http://www.twitter.com/KurtScholle
The Website ROI Guy3 points
60
http://www.twitter.com/LynneLee
Life coach, who demystifies SEO and helps non tech more...3 points
61
http://www.twitter.com/AlexShelton
Hey dudes! Look forward to tweeting with you! :D3 points
62
Twitter / labradoodles
Seattle breeder of labradoodles. Loves all dogs &a more...3 points
63
Twitter / whatawebsite
a group of quality websites which have domain name more...3 points
64
Twitter / treasurequest
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for sta more...3 points
65
http://twitter/kellywissink
Kelly Wissink- TwitterMom, Homeschool Mom, and Hom more...3 points
66
http://www.twitter.com/jmfield
jfield on Squidoo, I'm a pastry chef/food writer/h more...3 points
67
http://www.twitter.com/garygorman
Sales trainer,sales coach,author,mentor.I help bus more...3 points
68
http://www.twitter.com/BethBridges
Chief Networking Officer at the Clovis Chamber, pu more...3 points
69
monarch13 (monarch13) on Twitter
The most beautiful things in the world cannot be s more...3 points
70
http://www.twitter.com/twtrland
Welcome to twtrland! Tweet it!3 points
71
http://twitter.com/julcal
i sell the product Alfa PXP made by Enzacta. I als more...3 points
72
Twitter / PaulaBrett
Internet Marketing Adventuress & All Round Nos more...2 points
73
http://twitter.com/allenmireles
Social Media Marketing/PR2 points
74
http://www.twitter.com/BloggerSavvy
BloggerSavvy on Twitter2 points
75
http://www.twitter.com/ebizindia
Arun Agrawal of Ebizindia - web maintenance servic more...2 points
76
http://www.twitter.com/gbirkner
greggbirkner on squidoo / Internet Marketer / Cell more...2 points
77
http://www.twitter.com/ShallieBey
I am a business coach working with small businesse more...2 points
78
Twitter / Mickgirl
Just having fun twittering and figuring it all out more...2 points
79
Twitter / lovecreating
Abstract painter with a passion for photography , more...2 points
80
Barbara Parker (bparkerhouse) on Twitter
I'm a seller, I'm a writer, I love adventure and k more...2 points
81
http://www.twitter.com/aaronmartirano
Twitter coaching ,videos and ebooks2 points
82
http://twitter.com/JohnSBrana
I design fine gemstone jewelry for both men and wo more...2 points
83
Twitter / RoamingRosie
I'm a writer and an artist, exploring the world a more...2 points
84
http://twitter.com/LisaPreston
A delightfully clever Internet Marketer, Website D more...2 points
85
http://twitter.com/TonyBlakeLive
I'm A Money-Getting Maven, Master Mind Of Modern M more...2 points
86
http://twitter.com/t1c40043219
My Twitter page on the Internet Marketing.2 points
87
The Desertfoxx On Twitter
Just an unassuming Black guy trying to make his wa more...2 points
88
http://twitter.com/principe2009
Well In 160 Characters Or Less, I Am A Very Random more...2 points
89
http://www.twitter.com/eddierogers
uk home based chocolate biz1 point
90
http://www.twitter.com/bookmarklee
Commentator on accountants and tax issues in the U more...1 point
91
http://www.twitter.com/drboydston
Doctor specializing in treating chronic autoimmune more...1 point
92
http://www.twitter.com/LouiseBJ
UK Based Business Coach working with the person be more...1 point
93
Doctor Paul (DPQuiz) on Twitter
Dr Paul is the internet quizmaster - life is a fac more...1 point
94
http://www.twitter.com/greensmooch
Helping you go green the easy way.1 point
95
http://twitter.com/chitownchica
Running.1 point
96
http://twitter.com/adezalfa
Welcome to my twitter I will share useful info wit more...1 point
97
http://twitter.com/squidjoan
Giant Squid 100, Squid Angel, Squidoo Addict1 point
98
http://twitter.com/moonvine
aka Joan4, Squidoo Giant 100, blogger, blog radio more...1 point
99
http://twitter.com/RolandoPeralta
Communities specialist marketer. Building Communit more...1 point
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Weekly Hype Free Newsletter For Real People!
How to Use Twitter Effectively!
The first step in using Twitter to improve your lenses and blogs is to "listen" to other people by reading their updates. A lot of new Twitter marketers make the mistake of posting too much about themselves and not responding or paying attention to others. As long as you keep in mind that Twitter is a social tool and not just a traffic machine, you'll be able to keep things in perspective and pay attention to others.
Interact with other people, answer their questions and ask them questions back. This way you can become part of the community.
There's also another good reason for paying attention to what other people have to say on Twitter. If you add a lot of people to your follow list who are in your niche, pay attention to their problems, their questions and the type of things that they share. This can all be part of your niche research and you can incorporate what you find there in your blog or in the form of a new product. You'll find that your Twitter account can be a treasure trove for blog post ideas.
You can use the information that you find on Twitter to create blog posts that meet the needs of your readership. You can also address specific questions or concerns. You'll be surprised at what a great brainstorming tool your Twitter account can be. You'll read someone's update and then it will get the wheels turning for a blog post, or even a series of blog posts.
The next step to using Twitter effectively is to be useful to your followers. The information that you post should be relevant, helpful and interesting. Set yourself apart from the pack by finding interesting news stories that relate to your niche. Post tips related to your blog. But don't forget to be personal and connect with your followers. If you just burned your lunch, feel free to share it! You may start an interesting conversation.
Be sure to ask lots of questions! When you ask questions of your followers, you'll get a chance to hear what they have to say. Asking questions is a great way to source information for blog posts, or just to get to know those who are following you. Sometimes Twitter functions like a water cooler at work. Don't be afraid to have fun with your questions.
Another benefit of asking questions is that when people respond, it's like free advertising. They will reply to your question with the @ symbol and your user name. Other people who are following them but not you will see your user name and may join your followers list.
Finally, make sure that you get readers from your blog to follow your Twitter feeds. There are widgets that you can add to the sidebar of your blog, and you can remind people in your posts to follow you on Twitter.
Follow Me On Twitter
Follow Paul Duxbury on Twitter
- PaulDuxbury
- aka Paul Duxbury
- 2,575 followers
- 2,232 following
-
- There is so much content in this Home Study cCourse for Coaches - will keep me busy! http://www.paulduxbury.com/recommends/coachingclients
-
- Someone has just left an incredibly kind comment on this lens http://bit.ly/D47me - thank you Angela
-
- Just changed my adsense reports over to £ rather than $ - saves me having to do the calculation in my head :_0
-
- Do you ahve any personal habits that could be holding your career back? http://tinyurl.com/muqbss
-
- Taking at look at the programme for Coaches http://www.paulduxbury.com/recommends/coachingclients #iyf
Following the Etiquette of Twitter
* Don't be a spam twit. When you post nothing but your blog posts, or posts to your other sites, your followers will lose interest fast. Don't spam your followers. Be sure to talk about something other than yourself so that you don't come across as a spammer.
* Respond to all replies. When someone replies to your message, make sure to respond to them to let them know you got their message. Since messages move so fast on Twitter, especially when you have a lot of followers, it can be difficult to keep up with replies. Fortunately, Twitter has a handy function that will track your replies for you. However, do keep in mind that if your replies start to become overly personal tone, make sure to use the dm function. You don't want to clutter up your follower's update feeds with your personal prejudices, opinions or rants!
* Don't use all caps in your updates. This is one of those general online etiquette tips that applies to Twitter as well.
* Check in from time to time with your account. Don't start a Twitter account only to check in with it every few days or once a week. Make it a part of your daily routine so you can connect with your followers.
* Don't post the same link more than once. If people are really interested in your blog and your links, they'll visit it the first time you post it. You don't need to post your link multiple times.
If this lense hasn't convinced you that Twitter is a great way to get traffic to your lenses, websites and blogs, you should try it out yourself. It's free and easy to use. You'll be suprised by how much traffic you'll build from this simple tool.
Discover More About Twitter
Great Twitter Resources
Twitter Grader | Score Your Profile
Twitter Grader : Measure the power of your twitter more...5 points
twhirl | the social software client
twhirl is a desktop client for the Twitter microbl more...4 points
My Tweeple
Find out who is following you and whether those yo more...3 points
Viral Tweet Generator
Viral Tweet Generator is actually an uncomplicated more...2 points
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pkmcr wrote...
in reply to Suzie-Shine You are very welcome Suzie and glad that you found it helpful. Thank you for your kind comment which was really appreciated.
Take care
Paul
Suzie-Shine wrote...
Thank you so much for that. The world of Twitter is gradually becoming clearer. Super lens.
Suzie
pkmcr wrote...
in reply to Joan4 Thank you Joan and thank you for the blessing :-) Also appreciated your kind comments on Twitter
Take care
Paul
Joan4 wrote...
I love Twitter and this lens is really helpful! Thank you for tweeting the link for me! Blessed by a joyful angel!
pkmcr wrote...
in reply to JaguarJulie I suspect we made much more use of Instant Messenger type systems Julie
Take care
Paul
pkmcr wrote...
in reply to poutine Thank you that's very kind of you.
Take care
Paul
pkmcr wrote...
in reply to Teddi14 Thanks that's very kind of you. Hope that the reply I sent you over at Twitter helped :-)
Take care
Paul
JaguarJulie wrote...
What did we all do before Twitter I ask you? And, I'm not being rhetorical either.
Bookmark This Lens
About Me
Lensmaster pkmcr, aka Paul Duxbury, has been a member since September 17 2006, has rated 323 lenses, favorited 173, and has created 107 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "How To Use Twitter". See all my lenses
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