There's a sign of success on Twitter that's very easy to spot. If you have many more followers than the number of people you're following then you're doing something right.
Of course, it's possible to create a timeline like that simply by following lots of people, waiting for them to follow you... then deleting them. But that's not what I'm talking about. You should be following people because you find their tweets interesting, not because you hope that they'll follow you. Follow everyone who follows you and you'll quickly find that you can't keep track of all the tweets flying through your Twitter page. You'll miss the information you want and see lots of information you really don't care about.
No, I'm talking about timelines that attract followers because people want to know what you're saying. They follow your posts, reply to your questions and take part in your discussions. They also click on the links you submit and read the articles you recommend.
That can happen when you take part in other people's discussions on Twitter. It can happen when you post interesting comments and when you provide real help on a subject you understand.
But it happens a lot faster when you already have a community of followers even before you start using Twitter.
Twitter is an incredibly powerful social media tool. But it's even more powerful when it's used in conjunction with other Internet tools.
Your website, for example, will already have readers who are interested in what you have to say. Many of them will want to read what you're saying in your timeline. Put a widget on your website that shows your tweets and you'll be guiding them onto Twitter and keeping them close. Even a simple button leading to Twitter can be enough to encourage people to sign up and stay in touch with what you have to say on the site.
Twitter is a community tool. It will help you to keep your market together and engaged. It's up to you though to gather that market, and you should be doing that from every source you can find.
I don't use twitter, i feel its a waste of time
that is actually what I am trying to do, but since I am still unknown, I don't have success.
I guess I will just end up following every new internet marketer and money maker out there hoping for a return follow :)
great stuff Joel,
still learning tools with Twitter
Thank you
Great stuff Joel!
I´m from São Paulo, Brazil and I bought your book " The Power of Twitter" . I like it so much!
Great stuff, and you're right.
Twitter Power was excellent, and I do try to SHARE and BRING VALUE to all followers.
Thanks for the inspiration
Pointed, direct, sage advice....thanks! Would love to see a post on how to entice followers/fans to interact or answer questions.
I have not done that yet. I will have to figure out how to do that and put a link on my website to my Twiiter profile.
It is really true that sometimes twitter users focus more on increasing twitter stats rather than on what's important. Like what you mentioned, taking part and really communicating and interacting. It is good to take a step back and study how to effectively use twitter and not just use it as a numbers game. Thanks for sharing this post.
Twitter is a gated community, if you believe you can choose only the blue bloods to follow. You become above the fray and don't suffer fools. That's the same diabolic nonsense which distorts human values in our school years. We all have a special message and purpose. The message may not arrive on Oprah, but it may dramatically effect the life of one significant other. That would be enough on an international scale to stop bloody conflicts and allow us to see our connection with the less fortunate.
Twitter is AWESOME, it has truly had a HUGE impact on my business
Thanks Joel for your valuable insights on this
Shaqir
p.s follow me on @ShaqirHussyin