With the many benefits of Twitter, it’s no wonder so many people are using it as part of their personal branding strategy. Not only can you market yourself and your expertise, but also you can connect with others you may have never had an opportunity to meet to in real life.
Although you probably already have an account (if you don’t, sign up for one at www.twitter.com), are you considered a “power user?”
And, how do you do this?
Share relevant information
Be yourself
Twitter is great for business and professional purposes – but it’s also known for being a relaxed, social atmosphere. Share some personal aspects of your life. Engage in conversation with others about your interests. Ask questions you may have that others can help you with. Talk about a funny thing that happened to you during your day – overall, come off as a real person!
Grow your network
Use sites such as TweepML.org to find lists of people who you’d like to get to know or follow. Check out who your followers suggest on Follow Fridays (#ff). Look at your friend’s lists of users to find new people to connect with. Search for keywords related to your expertise or interests. Find Twitter chats that you can engage in and share your expertise with those people.
Participate
Contribute to the community of Twitter by participating in Twitter chats, answering questions and taking polls, and creating your own content. Retweet other’s links and advice that are relevant to your followers. Start a hashtag or a Twitter chat if you have something that’s not being covered currently. Use Twitter to promote others’ blogs or content just as much (if not more) than your own.
Check out different Twitter resources, applications, and sites to enhance your presence:
- Stats: TweetStats
- Location: TwitterLocal
- Organization: TweetDeck
- Pictures: Twitpic
For more advice on becoming a power user, read 47 Twitter Power Users Secrets here.
What other advice would you add?
Author:
Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, a career and workplace education and consulting firm specializing in young professionals. She is also the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com. Follow her on Twitter at @heatherhuhman.
