If you are a geek and enjoy interacting with people online, it is good to be active on several platforms especially if you are a blogger like us. It really helps one to reach out to a larger audience. Among the social networking sites we are active on, Twitter is our favorite. We could have shared with you a list of reasons why we love to tweet but we can do that in another post, but the main reasons are: it’s fast, you have 140 characters to get a message out and it’s a good platform to start a conversation and get replies real time 24/7.
There are people we know that have started using Twitter but have dropped off after awhile because their experience was not as rich and fulfilling as those who have tapped into the power of the social networking site. There have been several articles written on the topic over the years. In 2009 it was estimated that 60% of those who joined twitter quit after one month. (source). For those of you who have joined just recently fear not, here are seven myths that we will debunk to show you that Twitter is fun and a great site to learn and interact with people from all walks of life.
1. You need a million followers - Some people believe that you need to have thousands or even millions of followers to enjoy your Twitter experience. You can still have fun and a lot of engagement even if you don’t have that many followers. Having a lot of followers has its advantages but what we are saying is that you don’t need that many to enjoy and take advantage of the benefits of using Twitter everyday.
2. You need to be live tweeting 24/7 - One reason given by people we know that quit Twitter or would not want to try is time. They feel they don’t have enough time to tweet and be active. Please know that you need not be live tweeting all the time. There are tools that you can use to schedule your tweets. We know some people are against scheduling of tweets; but to us, we feel it’s okay especially if you consider the different time zones of your followers. Plus you don’t want to be sending too may tweets in rapid succession to avoid flooding people with your posts.
3. You need to be an expert or a celebrity to get people to follow you - We all know that majority of the people who get followed are celebrities but know that you don’t need to be one to have people to follow you. It is really quite simple: tweet good content that your followers will find useful. Retweet and engage and you’ll see people will be following you in no time.
4. You have to tweet only with people you know - We are both introverts and were wary about tweeting with people we did not know when we were still new on Twitter. The best decision we made was to leave our comfort zone and start interacting with people on Twitter whether we knew them or not. What was important was we had the same interests as they had. In time, we developed good friendships and we love the community and camaraderie.
5. You are not special enough to get interaction - One thing we believe in is that every person is unique and have something to offer. Don’t ever think that just because you are not a blogger or an artist or a designer you have nothing to share. Remember people followed you for a reason. Maybe its a kind word you tweeted or a funny quote you shared. Be yourself, share your passion, offer a kind word and people will be interacting with you in no time.
6. You should be disappointed or sad when someone unfollows you - It’s a fact people will unfollow you. Sometimes it will make you wonder why people suddenly unfollowed you. When we were both starting our Twitter journey we did feel bad when people unfollowed us, but as time went by we realized that it really did not matter if someone did. Everyone has their reason for unfollowing, but to be quite frank, we feel it would even be in your best interest if people just unfollowed rather them saying negative things or criticizing you for the way you tweet.
7. You think that everyone is well represented by the avatars they use – We are both quite lucky to know a lot of people who are genuine. We are also lucky to have met them in person. But please also be wary of people who misrepresent themselves. What we are pointing out here is that you must also make sure you take precautions in getting to know the people you tweet with, especially if you plan on meeting them in person or doing business with them. If you are new on Twitter, make sure you are authentic. Just be yourself. There is no need to create an alter ego or pretend you are someone you are not.
There you go, the seven myths that may hamper your tweeting experience. We enjoy writing this kind of post and hope it helps those who are still learning the ropes or serves as a reminder to those who have been active on twitter for quite some time. If you feel that we missed any, please feel free to share them here with us and our readers.
Image Credit: [Marty McPadden]
About the authors:
Marty McPadden founder and host of PodJamTv is a professional photographer, videographer, blogger, apple geek and a Production Supervisor at ESPN one of the largest sports network in the world. His vast knowledge in the above mentioned field will allow you our readers to tap into tools, apps, reviews and tips that he has learned and mastered over the years. How to’s and hacks that will allow you to have a richer online experience.
Misty Belardo co host and co writer of PodJamTv is an experienced blogger, designer and a self proclaimed Twitter-holic and an avid Facebook user is a Senior Production Manager at Barefoot Proximity, one of the most awarded advertising agencies across the globe. Her experience with writing, designing, SEO and brand and advertising strategy will give readers a point of view of what happens behind the scenes in the digital sphere.
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