What to Retweet:
RT @ThomasNelson: Several new titles were added for Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers http://www.bit.ly/5tmSsU
What not to Retweet:
RT @AnonyTwitter: RT@boogaboo123 // haha I know what you mean @elephant7 // ME TOO!
Bottom line:
- Retweet things that others will find useful.
- Don’t Retweet conversations that make no sense to anyone else but the people involved. Use the @ feature instead to keep your conversations going and from cluttering up lists and groups.
What Twitter tips do you have to pass along?
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Comments
69 responses to “A Quick Bit of Twitter Advice”
Don’t tweet about your bathroom visits or what you had for breakfast. No one cares.
Can I blog about them? :) (see my previous post) :)
I strongly disagree with this, Erik. I think you care that my bowel movement looked like President Lincoln.
On a more serious note, I think that we have to be careful with saying “no one cares…” about anything. I mean, look at all of the ridiculous websites and clubs and social networks that people deeply care about. If you live in Nashville (where I live), I actually care where you ate for breakfast, because I’d like to know if I should eat there… and it’d be good to know what you had. Bottom line is that I follow someone on Twitter, not because they just provide good information for me (most ppl I follow aren’t news anchors), but rather, because I’m connected to them somehow, and I find something about their life interesting.
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
I do like tweeting about great experiences at places, whether it be restaurants, etc…although I can see the validity of “Just ate cheerios” not being quite amazing. However, “Just had a hot chocolate at bloom cafe in Sacramento…AMAZING” may be a little more valuable.
With you on the bathroom visits. Not with you on the food. I loooovveee hearing what people had for breakfast/lunch/snack in a nice cafe/dinner…gives me ideas. Like the pic of the mince pie I just saw. Om nom nom nom
.-= brunettekoala?s last blog ..The adventures of the elmo slippers at Christmas =-.
Right. I just ate two bowls of Fruity Pebbles and I think it’s safe to say no one cares about that. I can get behind a good dining experience however…that’s how I pick my restaurants (from word of mouth, consumer reviews, etc.).
Agreed.
But… what you got against Cherrios? Especially Apple Cinnamon ones?
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
Yes, I’m with you, Jeff. I think we’ve reached the point where it’s about putting EVERYTHING out there if you want and letting everyone else decide what to accept.
We used to filter content BEFORE it went out. Now, the filters are on the other end. Now the filters are AFTER the content’s been put out.
If you don’t like the way someone tweets, stop following. That simple.
From a first person perspective, though, I personally don’t tweet about the ol’ bathroom visit (often) because it’s not who I am and not what I want to give out.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
.-= bondChristian?s last blog ..How to help someone overcome temptation =-.
I can respect that.
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
Thank God!! :)
.-= David Knapp?s last blog ..Top 5 Christmas Songs =-.
Good advice, Anne.
My only advice (from a novice) is this: Just to do it often, show interest in others, and include links.
As with all technology, this is something that can work for you, or something that you can work for. I’d recommend avoiding the latter option.
Some tools that make twitter easy and scalable are:
Twitterfeed.com (free tell that helps you auto-sync your blog RSS feed to your twitter) and su.pr (combination of Stumbleupon and Twitter that allows you to track your links.
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
And get a twitter client. Why anyone primarily relies on the web client is beyond me.
.-= Adam Shields?s last blog ..Lowell Snow?s Prayer Guide =-.
Good advice. I’ll certainly be more conscious of my re-tweeting in the future!
Great tip!
Personally I like to use // when replying to someone or when retweeting something I think will be beneficial (and want to add my 2 cents).
For example:
RT @FlowerDust: A quick bit of Twitter advice: http://bit.ly/5s0ZoK // This is great advice!!
.-= Russ Hutto?s last blog ..50 Songs: It Is Good (Psalm 147) =-.
I love that tip… Helps make it more personable to your followers!
Hip Hip Hooray! I passed Anne’s Twitter test!
I’m with Russ…I love to use the // and I use them a lot because I have plenty o’ 2 cents just lying around waiting to be used.
Haha! I’m with Amanda — tons of change laying around here!
I do like using the // because I have a lot of friends following who aren’t on Twitter, but see my posts on my Facebook, so it lets them see what I thought about that.
.-= Faye?s last blog ..Get ?em, God! =-.
I like doing that, too, Russ. I was just afraid of what twitter goddess Anne might say…
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
He used me as an example. Brownie points=agree. I can be bought. :) Haha. I use the //s typically.
Me, too. I like it. It’s good form.
Brownie points? I thought that you gave up sweets…
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
Haha. Good point. My Twitter tips:
1. Engage in conversations. If somone Tweets something you like, engage it by RT’ing it, @ replying to them or DM’ing them. Twitter works best when it’s two way.
2. Use Twitter to create offline connections (be intentional about your use). I’ve made many initial contacts via Twitter than have resulted in biz partnerships, opportunities and friendships offline.
3. Just be real.
Good stuff!
To tweet or not to tweet; that is the question. :)
.-= Rachel Wojnarowski?s last blog ..How Deep the Father?s Love for Us =-.
To tweet kindly and with love. I think that might be the answer!
I @ replied Anne yesterday with a link out of the blue and I swallowed hard when opening this post. I was thinking “please don’t be about me—please don’t be about me”. Whew. :-)
.-= adam herod?s last blog ..It’s Been A While =-.
Anne, I like this advice a lot, because it’s about protocol, not content.
I don’t personally think it’s my place to tell anyone what to tweet or not tweet about, and whenever anybody else says what should be tweeted or not tweeted I can’t help but think they are asking that those they follow revolve around their own interests. :-)
My Twitter philosophy is: Tweet what you want. If I don’t want to follow you, I won’t. But I probably will if you’re interesting in some way or I like you.
So I see lots of “what I’m eating” and John Piper wannabe aphorisms every day. But that’s cool with me.
St. Ann, you’ve hit the nail on the head! You have no idea how clogged my twitter feed is with people retweeting mere conversations! I’m seeing at least two “RT’s” in each tweet. Insanity!
St. or Saint Ann(e)? Love it… Duuuude, Don’t forget the E. :-)
.-= Reese?s last blog ..random Thanks and Reason(s) for my Full Heart =-.
Is it bad I don’t notice anymore?
Yes. No St. for you. I kid I kid.
.-= Reese?s last blog ..random Thanks and Reason(s) for my Full Heart =-.
Sorry about that, St. Anne! Man, I wish a few people I’m following would read this blog post.
I think one piece of advice would be to realize before you tweet where those words are going. Just like with words we speak, they can’t be taken back once they’ve gone forth.
Maybe if James had known about Twitter, he would have said, “People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue [or the fingers when Twittering.] It is [They are] restless and evil, full of deadly poison.”
.-= Faye?s last blog ..Get ?em, God! =-.
I agree with your advice Anne. I am seeing a lot of RT’s and @’s that should really be DMs.
The one piece of advice I would give is to pace yourself. I have my Tweetie box stretched the length of my 20″ screen vertically. If all I can see are posts from you, that’s pretty much an automatic un-follow. I know a lot of those are tweet-spammers, but I have seen others that look like real tweets. Real, incessant, machine-gun-rapid tweets.
Mike
.-= Mike Raburn?s last blog ..Pray like you?re turning on the TV =-.
I’m guilty of that every once in a while. I try to remember to pace myself and if it takes more than a tweet (or two) to communicate, it should probably be saved for a blog post.
Word. Dude. Thank you.
I say by the time you get to the third @ (each way) in a Twitter “conversation,” it’s time to move it to DM.
.-= Lex?s last blog ..Goodie bags no kid would ever want =-.
good tip, Lex.
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
tweetiquette hahaha
.-= Kenyon?s last blog ..A Day of Infamy =-.
It’s hard to describe the twitter pet peeve that’s been bugging me because there’s also a way of doing it that’s not obnoxious but there’s also a way of doing it that just grates on my nerves. It’s when someone retweets something positive that someone else tweeted about them.
Good: Anne tweets ? RT @bigwarehousestore: Speak Freely available at all locations. // (Insert appropriate comment.)
Bad: genius tweets ? RT @anonymoustweeter: Just ran into @genius at Starbucks. He’s a genius!
Make any sense?
.-= Tammie?s last blog ..The Minister of Defense* =-.
YES. Totally. I agree…and I know from some convos with others that we aren’t the only ones!
Anne, very glad you bring this up because it’s been on my mind lately for a blog post.
I think people should use a blend of tweets that pass on useful information to their followers as well as the personal side … such as having a great coffee at Java Jimbos. I want people to share great info but I also really want to know the person who is tweeting.
On the flip side I cannot stand the machine-gun tweets that are an obvious attempt to build followers and believe that these people should be tied up, surrounded with a plethora of obnoxious media, and forced to listen to a machine gun of this crap for 72 hours straight.
(and FYI – if you all really want to read about bowel movements just follow @logjournal to get your fix)
I just threw up in my mouth a bit with that one!
Not sure if I should repent on that one then! I guess there is something out there for everyone …unfortunately.
.-= James Dalman?s last blog ..Two Valuable Business Lessons for Success =-.
I am all over that…
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
I may get clobbered for this, but if all you tweet and quotes and Bible verses, what’s the point? There aren’t that many quotes I haven’t heard and I have my own Bible. If I follow you, it’s because I want to engage with *you*.
Sharing those things are cool from time to time, but as with the retweets, inject some of you into it as well.
Bottom line: Don’t be a bot. Or a butt, for that matter.
.-= beth g sanders?s last blog ..Once More Across Home Plate =-.
Word, sister.
Word, mutha. (sister was already taken.)
Yeah, I think that’s fair. People follow you for you (cue: “She likes me for me”) not what you read.
.-= Jeff Goins?s last blog ..Are Spiritual Disciplines Boring? =-.
Agreed!
.-= James Dalman?s last blog ..Two Valuable Business Lessons for Success =-.
Fantastic advice! I just wish there was a way with the connection through Facebook to only update status for status. My friends on Facebook get so confused with RTs and such that I finally just took it off. Now I must remember to update BOTH (pain for me as I usually don’t log into FB but once every couple of days). Oh well, it’s not the end of the world!
.-= Cindy Graves?s last blog ..In Pursuit of Authentic Community =-.
Cindy…I use the selective Twitter app on Facebook. You add #fb to your tweet and it updates your status. Helps cut down on that confusion and allows me to be intentional about what shows up on Facebook.
.-= adam herod?s last blog ..It’s Been A While =-.
What Adam said. Great app: http://apps.facebook.com/selectivetwitter/
.-= Lex?s last blog ..Goodie bags no kid would ever want =-.
Thanks, Adam & Lex! Learn something new everyday! Anne, you have such smart followers! :)
.-= Cindy Graves?s last blog ..In Pursuit of Authentic Community =-.
I recently posted on my blog about Twitter and the navigation of this new social media, I called the post, “Follow, Unfollow-Tales of Twitter Purgatory” cuz’ “it’s political obviously” (say it just like Steven from Nacho Libre)
http://www.thewardrobeandthewhitetree.com/2009/10/follow-unfollow-tales-of-twitter.html
.-= Carole Turner?s last blog ..Find My Family =-.
you’re not the boss of me, Anne!
These seem like great rules, and I wish I could say that I cared more. I’m not building a brand or a business or trying to gain a certain number of followers. If I was, I might care whether people thought I was boring or silly or failing to follow the unwritten rules of social networking. In reality, I most often unfollow people who spend too much time trying to sell me something or someone instead of actually trying to build an authentic network.
I think brands can also build an authentic network. :)
Don’t retweet hashtags, either. I hate getting the same tweet over and over in a search window because everyone keeps retweeting a hash.
I try to thank people via direct message if they RT a blog post. And I try to return the favor at some point, if they write something I want to share.
Pet Peeve #1: Name dropping – like, “Just spent a great evening chatting with @HeidiKlum at her vacation home in Vegas.”
Pet Peeve #2: Cliques – when the same people RT one another over and over again.
Great topic, Anne. Well, I’m off for coffee with @TinaFey. Have a great one! (wink)
-@rachelheldevans
I always try to keep in mind two things when I blog or tweet. They’re both from John Piper, so maybe I need to vary my sources. But they’re both pretty good:
1. When asked what should be told to a roomful of Christian bloggers, he said, ?Tell them that it takes relentless intentionality to keep a Christ-exalting blog from become a clever blog. The temptation to entertain is almost irresistible.?
2. ?One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time.?
Inspiring. Convicting. Freeing.
.-= Chris Tomlinson?s last blog ..See a Need, Meet a Need? =-.
1 – Stop trying to sell me stuff. (Is no one on Twitter anymore just to hang out? The last 87 – roughly – people who’ve added me are all just pushing something/one.)
2 – Upload a pic. We want to see your lovely face!
.-= Lex?s last blog ..Goodie bags no kid would ever want =-.
I think Twitter is a great tool for communication and sharing but some people use it so much for promotion of self or a product that it gets old really fast if that is what they are mainly doing. It’s really not all about you or me either for that matter! real talk as RevRun would say! :-)
I think the comments so far have pretty much covered everything. Thank you, Anne, for giving us another opportunity to learn :o)
I have seen one particular Tweeter/Twitterer (?!) use Twitter simply to unload her misery and whining onto an audience, all too often in “TMI” fashion… Someday, I will use that unfortunate opportunity to do the ‘tough love’ thing and tell this person to drop Twitter, and pick up a Bible. Been praying for the right time…
Anne – what a great conversation! Here’s my recent thought:
when I tweet, am I adding value to the twittersphere, or asking people to add something (money, advice, etc) to me?
Surely, it goes both ways, but I think adding value should be the default.
I enjoy reading what others tweet because it widens my world. I basically use Twitter to build my brand and invite people to visit my blog. I work at connecting my brand to trending topics–it’s fun. I’ve actually gained readers that way. :-)
.-= patriciazell?s last blog ..#21 UNDERSTANDING CHRIST: HIS IDENTITY =-.
No kidding!
“@” people instead of giving your ideas all the time. Meeting new people on twitter is beneficial for everyone. I reply mostly instead of talk on Tuesdays. Pretty much the whole day is replies. Makes others know that what they say matters too
.-= jackalopekid?s last blog ..Offering =-.
I have an OCD friend who usually lets me know if I am tweeting wrong. So if you see me tweeting wrong it is just to bug him. Bugging you is just an accident. ;)
.-= David Knapp?s last blog ..A Man?s Guide To Being Sexy For His Wife: Clean The Kitchen =-.
Unless you are tweeting about something really valuable for humanity (a really good cause people should donate to maybe) DON’T use the phrase “please RT”. It makes you look like a beggar and also quite arrogant that you think people you’ve never met would love you so much that they’d RT your rambling or self promotion.
At first I was just following other Christians, but now I am following a lot of people who are not Christians. I think it is a way to be a “Light” to people you otherwise would never know. Also, I think “listing” people is a way to honor someone. I list those outside of the Christian community as interesting, and those within as “agents of light.”
I look for ways to be humble on twitter and facebook. One thing that I do is to always follow a few more people than are following me. I also follow just about everybody back. (Anne, I know your situation is different because so many people are following you.) Would love to hear other thoughts about humility and social media.
.-= Sara Ross?s last blog ..your beauty =-.