Twitter’s usefulness is still debatable but there is no doubt in my mind that Twitter is what you make of it. The generation I belong to still doesn’t seem to get Twitter, they are just happy with Facebook. Twitter is not Facebook, far from it. There are certain things you can do on Twitter that just might not be possible on Facebook.

Here is my list of 5 Ways You Can Get The Most Out of Twitter

1 – Networking

Take out some time to look for people who are popular in your industry and follow them in order to network. This doesn’t include people that Twitter recommends when you first sign up. Don’t be obligated to follow anyone who follows you, choose people you follow carefully. You will soon find few people you really like to monitor. Stay tuned for updates, respond to their questions, look for ideas, ask for advice. The idea here is to be an insider and to gain as much knowledge as possible. The only way you can do this is if you network among people who have the same passion, dream, and goals as yourself.

2 – Update Regularly and Listen

Keep your audience posted regularly, but don’t tweet excessively. People are following you because they are interested in what you have to say, you now have a responsibility. Try to maintain a high ratio of relevant and interesting tweets compared to insignificant details. If you blog, use something like TwitterFeed to update your Twitter stream.

You are not the only one using Twitter, it is a two-way street where people are moving at a fast pace. Observe conversations about brands, websites, products and keep an eye out for people who are talking about you. Never underestimate the power of observation, you might see something that others can’t and that will make you different from the rest of the bunch.

3 – Be yourself, keep it casual

Don’t make things up and force yourself to Tweet. Say what you feel and try to be honest, intimate, and real with your followers. People will really enjoy the candid postings and stay enthralled. Remember that Twitter is the most informal social media service you will ever come across. That’s what makes it so different from other social media sites.

4. Divide and conquer

With the advent of Twitter Lists, it is now easier than ever to keep up with people you really like to monitor. Not everyone you follow is your friend on Twitter, be selective when you create your lists. Create meaningful lists so that you and others who follow your list can get some value out of it. Remember to “take out the trash” once in a while. “Unfollow” people who are not posting positive comments, spammers, or “junk” Twitter friends.

5 – Mind your Language

What you Tweet can be used against you in the court of law, just kidding. Still, that doesn’t mean you lose control of yourself on Twitter and make it a dumpster filled with curse words and negativity. Be respectful to others, post positive tweets, engage in a meaningful debate and if it really has to get out of hands, take it off Twitter. You can never take your words back, same applies for Twitter. Don’t tweet something that you might regret.

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I had this list of Twitter rules typed, ready to post on my blog. Thought it be a nice follow-up to several other guidelines and columns about the best ways to use Twitter. But then I read this:

“If I don’t like how Jessi is promoting herself on Twitter, then I can UNFOLLOW her. But I think it’s silly for me to tell HER how SHE should be using Twitter so that it’s better for ME.” – Mack Collier.

Mack, you are so right. A quick review of 20-40 tweets and a glance at your profile tells me what I need to know about your Twitter style. If I don’t like how you tweet, I can NOT follow you in the first place. If I don’t want to not or unfollow someone, I can keep them in the TweetDeck All Friends doghouse (or FriendFeed).

Retweet Policy.

Blame Augie Ray for this. On his blog he suggested that thanking for a retweet should be a direct message, not public. I commented that perhaps it was proper etiquette to openly thank for RTs, suggested it may even be offensive not to. He had lots of discussion on this one.

• If you ever thank me for a retweet, you are very welcome.
• If you tweet or retweet my post, Thank You. Very much.
• That typed I may or may not thank you via Twitter for the retweet. Odds are you’ll get a DM. If I had a bunch of RTs I may send out a group TY tweet.

Consider yourself warned. My Twitter Style.

• Less is so much more. I don’t tweet a lot and when I do I’m trying to contribute. Hopefully I will NOT: ask stupid questions, tweet the obvious, or otherwise add to the high percentage of blather.
• I will stick to the topics as advertised: public relations, social media, marketing and design with a few nice relationship-building conversations and occasional asides into Atlanta, wine, LSU, and what I’ll do when I win the lottery. If it’s wrong that I don’t tell you where I’m shopping RIGHT NOW, I don’t want to be right.
• I will read the linked article before I retweet it; I may event take the time to comment, as it’ll make me sexy. (Read it on the Internet, must be true.)
• I will include the source or author when I tweet an article, so you know it’s not mine.
• When I tweet my blog post I will warn you that it is my blog post, so that you can decide to read or ignore it at your leisure. (If I forget, please call me out on it.)
• I will not repeat or retweet myself. Too much.
• And since I am not a chef, restaurateur or semi-pro food critic, I will not tweet what I had for lunch (unless it’s really good). That is all.

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Remember the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a good impression?” These words have never been more important, especially in Social Media. In my last post, I closed with a final thought about stretching our mind to create an unforgettable presence. Today I share with you one way to make that happen.

After many years of running a personal development school, a human capital recruitment and consulting firm, and working in television and radio broadcasting, I observed many areas that created success for individuals. I found that those who were most successful had specific ingredients that when put to use, could purposefully create an impact on an audience. In my next three posts, including this one here, I will reveal three areas (of many) that help create an unforgettable presence.

How to create an unforgettable presence: #1 …

Take Action – Participate: Creating an unforgettable presence in social media is really not any different than doing it in person. It’s really about showing up authentically manifesting all of your unique potential and using your best social behavior and communications skills. When trying to create an unforgettable social presence online, first register. Half that battle is deciding to participate by signing up for a social media forum, and later understanding the potential opportunities involved for you or your company. Remember, out of sight can be out of mind. In social media, if we do not participate, we may be missing some powerful information about our company and ways to reach our market, promote our events and connect with others.

Next, decide to become a student of learning. Get rid of any expectations you may have and make some time to observe and listen to others. A good exercise to do is to get a few Facebook friends, Twitter followers, or Linked-incontacts that interest you. Look for those who are at the top of your field and see if they are involved with social media by using the search boxes to find them. Determine what interests you about your followers, friends, or contacts – and observe how they write, what they write, how often they write, and how they go about touting their business, etc.

Perhaps you are looking to expand your product or service and want some feedback, maybe you are looking for a job, or at the very least want to increase you inner circle of business contacts. Social media platforms like Linked-in can help. For example, Linked-in offers the opportunity meet many business professionals that you may not meet at an event or trade show. Linked-in offers niche groups for participation, job listings, and even introduction requests if you have a connection who knows someone you want to meet. This information alone can be of tremendous value for any company or professional looking to expand globally.

When we participate, engage and relate on a social media platform, I found the most important thing to keep in mind is patience. Social media is a gradual, progressive, connection-building and branding process. It’s by no means a silver bullet or replacement of traditional media, it actually enhances it in an inexpensive, authentic way. If we want to understand our target market better, social media can offer valuable information by sheer participation. In Twitter, we can plug in our key word in TweetScan and receive an email if our company name is mentioned. How valuable is that to you and your brand? Zappos, a shoe and lifestyle company, does a good job in social media by using Twitter as their customer relationship management (CRM) tool. You can read more here: http://bit.ly/11HngK. They exemplify complete transparency and create trust with their customers, especially in a time where many of have lost trust in companies and leaders. One of Zappos Twitter policies states: “Be real and use your best judgment.” This is may be great advice for new participants diving into social media and a reminder for those who have been working the social media runways for quite some time.

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