Posted by Renee Schmidt

“Tweet, tweet.” The cliché is true –birds of a feather flock together. The same is true of a Twitter following. Which means, if you want to attract a certain audience, you have to be mindful of what that audience will find interest in. Below is a list of 10 Twitter profile tips to remember when creating your Twitter profile and posts, for maximum Twitter prowess:

  1. If you wish to be perceived as a professional introduce yourself as such –put your official blog and your real name.
  2. Unless you are twelve years old, it would be silly to tell people: “I like gummy bears, lollipops and roses”. In fact, even if you were twelve years old, it would be better to state your age so people know you’re a kid. Keep it real.
  3. Please do not Tweet “If you follow me, I will follow you”. Your Tweets will only be show to people who already follow you. Also, Tweeters will only follow you if you post something informative and you manage to keep their interest.
  4. Be friendly. Thank people for the RT. Interact and remember the law of Karma. What you sow you shall reap – even in social networking.
  5. Twitter is a micro-blog where you can find and be found by people who share similar interests. It’s ok to put “I love dogs/cats” if you wish to invite animal lovers. The same applies to any other niche you want to follow you.
  6. Read the links of other people. Some people ignore links and simply comment or RT but reading a link and even leaving a comment can garner you a social friend for life.
  7. If you share a video, be mindful of whether your following will be as amused by it as you are. Videos are fun and fun is what Twitter is all about. After all, Twitter is not a formal blog.
  8. Check your facts. You may indicate traffic, weather, or even breaking news to your following but be sure you’re reporting something real. If you share false reports, you’ll destroy your credibility.
  9. Don’t pour your angst against your boss or company onto your following –you never know who may be reading.
  10. If you are pushing a product or a service – or even a blog – make sure your following has a call to action to click your link. Never say, “Please visit my blog”. Instead, say something like “Mega- tips for writers!” or “I bet you didn’t know these 10 tips for Twitter”. 😉

And here’s my best piece of Twitter advice: acknowledge people. “Everyone wants a sense of importance.” -Napoleon Hill