I have already commented a lot about Twitter, about its uses, about its possibilities … there is even a book available (free PDF) that I published in 2009 on the subject, giving an overview of the network, both for those who are just starting out and those who want to know some original applications of this content network.
The fact is that after a long time managing several Twitter accounts, both professional and personal, I want to share with you some lessons that I have learned over time. I hope some of them help you.
– If you maintain the Twitter account of an online publication, try to get the texts published with a interval of more than 45 minutes. Otherwise the timeline of your followers can be filled with your news, giving the feeling of a monopoly of space that nobody likes.
– A Twitter account of a publication, which mixes news with personal messages to followers, can generate an excessive volume of information, stressing those who read the news and who are not very interested in the personal responses that are given. One solution could be to create two different accounts: one to inform and one to reply to messages and send texts of another order of relevance. It is something similar to what I do with @wwwhatsnew (news only) and @juandiegopolo (I answer and comment on personal matters).
– Use the Twitter search engine to find potential clients. In search.twitter.com we have the ability to filter messages from people. If someone posts a text I need accommodation in Barcelona and we manage the account of a hotel in said area, it would be a mistake to lose the opportunity to offer a requested service. Do not confuse it with unsolicited product offers, that will be spam …
– Visit the users profile before answering a question. If we receive a question from a person, we have to answer, in 140 characters, in the best possible way. Knowing the profile of the questioner, we can configure the answer in a more effective and personal way.
– Always have ready a form on the web where users can ask questions in more detail. Many times it is necessary to indicate the url of a more complete form so that clients can better explain their problem or need (something very difficult in the space available on Twitter).
– Don’t turn Twitter into a chat. It’s very easy to get hooked on a conversation with a customer, but Twitter is not the place to do that. A flow of messages directed to the same person can have a negative effect on the other followers, who are not interested in that conversation. In the same way that you can have a web form always ready, it is easy to set up a chat room to deal with more personal matters. Here you have some options prepared for it.
Anyway, I know that most of them respond to common sense, but it never hurts to remember that what is written on Twitter can be read by ALL followers.
