There is a right way and a wrong way to get started on Twitter. A lot of people out there picked the wrong way. I'm sure a few of these have been posted elsewhere online, but they are worth repeating. Here are 5 tips for the new twitterer:
5. Fill out your profile, especially your bio. Odds are you aren't Oprah and can't be identified by your name alone. A picture and a bio are necessary.
4. Have at least one @ reply on your Twitter page. This shows that you are on Twitter to have a conversation, not just push your website.
3. Don't immediately follow 2000 people. Your Twitter page should take off like a plane, not a rocket. Post a few tweets and then follow a few people who would find value in them. PRsarahevans has a good list of the top 50 people to follow. (I'm pretty sure we came in at #51...maybe)
2. Do not auto-follow and do not auto-reply. If you are going to thank someone for following you, do it through an @ reply. It will come off as a lot more sincere. The auto-reply is generic and used by many to link to their website. Please don't auto-reply. It comes off as SPAM and isn't necessary.
1. Content is king. Twitter is heaven for two types of people: narcissists and people interested in sharing. Most people share blog posts, insights, breaking news, and anything that the Twitter community might find useful. Even if you aren't on Twitter to engage in conversation, people will still follow you if you have valuable content.
What advice do you have for new Twitter users?