Tips On Using Twitter Effectively

The Social Media world has so much to offer all of us.  We can share our messages around the world with a few keystrokes on our computers or phones.  Facebook is the king right now and Instagram is closing in on it….but what about Twitter?

The folks at Twitter say that 500 million…yes, I said 500 MILLION Tweets are sent each day.  80% of those are from mobile devices. Wow!  You can see there definitely is some power in the number of users on this platform.

All About The Message

Each Tweet is comprised of a 140 characters in a message.  At first 140 characters seems like a lot…when you get into crafting the message you are forced to really be creative.  You want to first figure out your message, how you can make it short, and to include a few hashtags. If you don’t know what hashtags take a look at this great explanation from Mashable. Website links, pictures, and even a link to a video can be added to Tweets. Remember that all of those have to be figured into the 140 characters. ProTip: add these elements first then you will see how many characters you have left to work with for your message.

Warp Speed With Twitter

Twitter feeds are like being on the Autobahn in Germany.  This is a super highway of information flowing.  Remember, 500 million Tweets a day!  You want your great message to get to the people that need it.  Which is why hashtags are imperative on Tweets (make sure you read that Mashable article..hint, hint!) You will see that when you use the components well that your message will be ReTweeted and Favorited. This is how your message is shared with others.  I always get an uptick of followers after I consistently post with hashtags. ProTip: it is fine to share the same message more than once a day!  You will have different sets of eyes in different day parts.  Twitter is worldwide.  While we might be sleeping in the United States people on the other side of the world are awake and ready to engage.

Examples For You

Here is a recent post of mine where I was trying to get some interest going for a video that we are making for FindGreatCompanies.com.

I used some obvious hashtags as part of the message and added a picture of my husband during the editing process of the video.

Here is another example of extending the reach of a campaign.

My Social Media Manager teacher/mentor, Dr. Jennifer Bennett has an Instagram challenge going on right now.  When I post my daily picture, graphic, or whatever is required for the day, I go ahead and share it to Twitter and Facebook.  Surprisingly to me, this has gotten a lot of interest in the Twitterverse.  I’ve had people Favoriting the Tweets or ReTweeting.

Lessons I’ve Learned

From personal experience I can tell you that when I slack off on posting to Twitter and engaging with others on this platform, I don’t get more followers…which translates into people aren’t seeing my message.  Some people I know don’t think it is worth the trouble because the platform runs so fast that messages are literally here one second and gone the next.   I think if you are serious about Social Media you have to be a player and visible on the major platforms.

If you don’t have a Twitter account set up…try it.  See what you can do with those 140 characters!

One of my most favorite Twitter exchanges was from Coach Tony Dungy while he was an TV Network NFL Analyst and I asked him if he thought my favorite team had a chance to win one Sunday…and he responded.  That was very cool!

I’d love to hear from you about your success stories, who you’ve connected with on Twitter, and any memorable moments.

Blessings to you,

Mary Lu

Connect with me:  

Email: marylusaylor@outlook.com

Blog : https://socialmediamarylu.wordpress.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mary.l.saylor

Twitter: @marylusaylor

Instagram: marylusaylor

Mary Lu Saylor is an Emmy-award winning journalist who spent 30 years in the television news business. Her experience includes work as a videographer, newscast video editor, and ultimately as the newsroom Assignment Manager at WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, SC. Mary Lu is currently pursuing her passion of social media, which began during her years at WSPA-TV. She is a Social Media Specialist with FindGreatCompanies.com.