The 5 Most Common Mistakes on Twitter

Tweet, tweet! Are you on Twitter yet? I have been a Twitter user since 2007, so I have seen how the social network has evolved for good (and for bad).

Even though Twitter has been around for almost ten years, most people still don’t know how to use Twitter. The most common question I receive from my clients is how to use Twitter properly.

How DO you start using Twitter without stepping on other Twitter users’ figurative toes?

A great place to start would be to avoid these five most common mistakes I have come across:

1. Tweeting the same message to everyone – I have seen some users hop onto Twitter, thinking that they’re fine to send the same tweet to multiple users multiples time. WRONG. Avid users of Twitter will be able to tell that you are just spamming them and will report you to Twitter for spam.

   

2. Automated Direct Messages – Also known as “DMs”, automated direct massages are ALWAYS a bad idea, no matter what the latest social media automation tools tell you. Many naive Twitter users set up automated DMs to send to all new followers, which usually ends up making those new followers unfollow them. I know that I feel irked when I receive an automated DM, because even though it appears to save you time, it comes across as not geniune and spammy.
3. Sell, sell, sell! – Many brands start using Twitter as if it is another broadcasting medium, sending out tweets about their latest products, services, promotions, events, et. al. Twitter users don’t want you to keep shouting at them about your products: they want to get into a conversation with you! Rarely do people like to spend time in person around someone who talks only about themselves; the same goes for Twitter.
4. Content curation ONLY – While I recommend my clients to start getting familiar with Twitter through content curation, this is only the beginning of proper Twitter usage. You definitely want for other users to know that your brand exists, and you want to take advantage of the fact that tweets are now indexed by Google (good SEO!); however, if all you ever post are article links, some users may get bored of you and unfollow you. Which brings me to the last point…

   

5. No engagement whatsoever – Out of all the social networks out there, Twitter is the most like a conversation: tweets are only 140 characters, so you have to get your point across in a small space. Most users enjoy the conversational aspect of Twitter (including myself): if all you ever do is share content and promote your services and products on Twitter, you will not make any friends. People want to have conversations with you, and oftentimes I find it most effective to get others’ attention by initiating the conversation myself.

What other common mistakes have you found on Twitter so far? Answer in the comments below!

Not sure how to start using Twitter and need some help? Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with me and we can get started on making your Twitter presence shine!