How to Tame the Twitter Monster

Twiter can be used to generate significant traffic and gather an impressive following. Here's How....

Twitter is a micro-blogging platform that allows absolutely anyone to send a message no longer than 140 characters that simply answers the question "What am I doing Now?"

You can send this message from anywhere that you have access to a computer or even from your mobile phone. and it can be seen by anyone who has chosen to 'follow you' in real time.

You see.... websites have users, facebook has friends and twitter has followers. People 'Follow' your messages and therefore have a glimpse into your life. It's kind of like having a window on the side of your head... people can tap into what you are doing and what you are thinking.

That's Twitter in a nutshell. This tool can be incredibly addictive but also incredibly valuable.

Twitter can serve as a brilliant tool to easily find new customers, serve as a powerful networking tool and  an excellent way to find useful information.... A great way to stay on the pulse of your industry.

Twitter provides a very effective platform for introducing yourself and your services to new people.

Just to underscore the effectiveness of this micro blogging platform here is a list of some corporations that are using twitter to build a loyal following: Carnival cruise lines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, Dell Computers, Amazon, Forrester, GM(General Motors), and even M & M's candy!!!

Twitter is also a great way to learn from some of the most brilliant and successful marketers and business minded individuals in the world as many of them are using twitter and are often times more than willing to interact and help or respond to you if you intiate a converstion.

Some of the people that I am following include, Joe Vitale, John Milton Fogg, Mike Filsaime, Mike Dillard  just to name a few.  You can follow me by going here Twitter.com/rogersilen

This tool is also a great way to promote your new blog posts and a great way to build your blog readership.

The more followers you have the further your messages will reach and the more influence you will gain. So the goal is to have as many followers as possible.

The biggest tip I can give when you begin using twitter is Produce Content that's Interesting, Fun and above all Valuable. Don't just post random meaningless comments although thowing some in to the mix is a good idea, you don't want to be all business either.

Just beware that If you just try to sell, sell , sell...  you will soon find that your followers are dropping like flies.

So how do you begin building your following?

You start with a well put together profile. The good news is Twitter only gives you 160 characters so you don't have room to say too much. All you can do is put together 1 good sentence that contains the most important facts.  You can see my profile here . While you are there check out the profiles of some of the people I am following.

The second thing you must do is upload your picture. It is always best to use a photo of yourself or atleast something that will arouse curiosity. People like to connect with People not random elusive photos... This makes you look professional and serious...and maybe.. just maybe worth following.

The third thing you should do is change the look and feel of your profile page. You want to stand out from the rest of the users and make your page unique. You can even put a picture or something relating to your business as a background image like mine.

Once your profile is set up and you are happy with it you can begin inviting people to follow you. A good way to start is with the people in your address book. Twitter makes it easy and because this platform is already being used by millions there is a good chance that someone on your list is already using twitter. You can also post your twitter profile on your blogs, videos and articles and simply ask people to follow.

Last way is to start following other tweeters. When you begin following others all of their tweets and updates will be shown in your updates box. You can also see a list of who they are following. Go through their list and see if they are following anybody intersting to you and begin following. Many times when you start following someone they will return the favor and begin following you.

One quick Twitter tip before I go to make your tweeting as effective as possible:

'Join the Conversation'.   This is a two way information sharing application. You can answer questions, ask questions and just comment on what other people are saying.

This communication is what makes twitter so valuable.

You can be in conversation with some of the most influential people in your market niche. You can also keep tabs on these people as well as other happenings in the industry. Many Industry 'Top Dogs' already have a profile set up and are active twitterers. It's always great to "eavesdrop" on the movers and shakers and see what they are up to.

The more active you are the more of a following you will build. So tweet away, give good content and join the conversation.