Twitter Dos and Don'ts

Twitter is a fantastic tool to show off your personality and create a professional image for yourself. However, it can sometimes be difficult to decipher the line between personal and professional. Here are some dos and don’ts to keep in mind while tweeting.

Twitter Dos: 
         
Find a niche
When starting on Twitter it is important to find a niche. First, decide if your account is for personal or professional use. Once you have decided whether you will tweet personally or professionally, it is helpful to find a niche.. Possibilities include fashion, food, public relations, music, entertainment or comedy. This will help to build your audience and gain loyal followers. 

Be original
Retweeting is acceptable every once in a while, but it should not take over your Twitter. Tweeting original content and ideas is important to establish a credible presence. 

Be engaging
Don’t forget the “social” in social media! Engage with your followers and those you follow.  This allows you to gain experience networking, enhance your skills and build your reputation. Some companies even recruit  through Twitter. It is a great networking tool!

Be positive
Nobody likes a “Debbie Downer.” Constant negativity is a great way to scare away your followers or even future employers. Twitter is not meant to be used as a diary. A good rule of thumb is: would you want your future boss, your professors and your mom to see this? If not, you probably shouldn’t tweet it! Maintaining an engaging and positive Twitter personality will ensure your followers will stick around.

Fill out your bio
Your bio is one of the first things people see when they search you on Twitter.  Your bio should have appropriate content. You could include things such as your accomplishments, interests and anything else you’d like people to know. As they say, you only get one chance to make a first impression, and your bio is your first impression on Twitter!    

Twitter Don’ts:

Subtweet
“Subtweet” is short for subliminal tweet. It is a tweet about someone who is not mentioned by his or her name or Twitter name. People tend to do this when they are angry or upset. Subtweeting shows immaturity and a lack of professionalism. It is never a good idea to tweet when you are angry. Think before you tweet!

Hashtag everything
Hashtags are meant to be used as keywords.  When you are talking about something specific it is encouraged to add a hashtag that is appropriate and corresponds with the content of the tweet.  When #every #word #is #hashtagged it looks spammy and unprofessional. Three or less hashtags per tweet is a good rule to follow.

Share too much personal info
Sorry, but your followers probably don’t care about what you’re doing every single second of the day. Major situations and emotions are better left off Twitter. It is also important to keep in mind that Twitter is public, so don’t tweet your specific location or if you are out of town. Safety first!

Don’t forget someone is always watching
Not to go all “1984,” but someone is always watching what you write, what you do and what you tweet. The Library of Congress archives all public tweets. For a personal Twitter, it’s best to set it to private. For a professional Twitter, keep it on public, for interactive purposes, but be mindful of what you say.

Happy tweeting! Be sure to get in touch with Illinois State PRSSA on Twitter too @ILSTUPRSSA.


By Brandy Lewis