To Tweet or Not to Tweet

Stephanie Jeans  //  September 28, 2012

Social media is everywhere. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pintrest, Instagram, StumbleUpon, Foursquare, Reddit… social networks are pretty much inescapable.  And let’s admit it: as public relations students we’ve all claimed, at one point or another, that we are social media “experts” or “gurus.” I know I have! (Confession: WHAT IS FOURSQUARE? WHY IS IT NECESSARY? SOMEONE TELL ME.)

In reality, the internet can be an intimidating place. Society sends us so many mixed messages about social media. Everyone is telling us what we can and can’t put on the internet. And who’s the real authority? My mother often leaves me cringing when I see one of her Facebook comments, I’m not so comfortable with my co-op supervisor following me on Twitter, and I’m certainly not interested in seeing an Instagram collage of the organic meal you ate last night.

So where do we draw the line? What happens on the internet stays on the internet, which is why I’ve gathered some tips for you on my favourite platform: Twitter. Not only is this social media outlet an awesome way to stay connected to what’s happening in the world (tailored to your interests) but it’s also a great self-promotion tool. The following are my “do’s” and “don’ts” of Twitter. While the internet has an abundance of lists like these, I’ve found little information on how to run your personal account. You won’t see this list on PR Daily:

1. #Don’t #put #a #hashtag #on #everything. Hashtags are designed to categorize your tweet and are a way for your fellow Tweeters to quickly realize what you’re talking about. They’re also an expression in itself, and can be a clever addition to an otherwise boring tweet. But if you post a picture of your lunch time pizza slice, it’s really not necessary to follow it with #pizza #lunch #ipaid8dollarsforthisatchartwells  #pepperoni  #ham #pineapple #meatlovers #ilovepizza #mmmmmsogood #ilovehashtags … you get the drift!

2. Some people might not agree with me on this, but I don’t think you should link your Twitter with your Facebook profile. These are two different platforms, with two different sets of social norms and etiquettes. For example, I find it perfectly acceptable to update my Twitter every couple of hours (with, I’ll admit, sometimes mundane life details) but you won’t see me doing that on Facebook. I think that Facebook is more about quality over quantity. For example: “HOW MANY LIKES WILL I GET ON THIS MOBILE UPLOAD?? OH MY GOSH NOBODY HAS LIKED THIS I AM DELETING IT.” (Don’t deny you’ve thought this!). The platforms are different, so they deserve different content. Also, hash tags are for Twitter. Not Facebook. Just saying.

3. Don’t post a picture, or write about participating in any type of illegal activity – even if you have a private profile. This may seem self explanatory, but I see tweets like this all the time. Yes, it’s Friday, and yes, you might enjoy… doing something illegal (use your imagination), but the whole world doesn’t need to know about it. You never know who’s lurking. If you wouldn’t want your grandma to see you doing it then it’s probably a good idea not to post it on the Internet.

4. Do vary your content. It’s important to keep your followers engaged and interested in what you’re saying. I’m not going to lie… if I see one more tweet about your gluten free organic dairy free fibre enhanced breakfast smoothie, I’m going to unfollow you. Same goes for how many kilometres you ran.  I get it. You’re healthy and I’m sitting on my couch eating Kraft Dinner.  I’m not saying you should never tweet about this. I know I have – but keep it fresh! I’d like to know what else you’re up to!  This leads me to my next tip…

5. Do consider your audience. Who are your followers? Who are you trying to appeal to? If you want to use Twitter as a self-promotion tool, or to network, it’s important to think about who is reading what you write. Some people use Twitter to keep in contact with their friends and share inside jokes – which is fine. And I think it’s perfectly acceptable to tweet a picture of you looking nice on a Friday night. But you might want to include an interesting article or an opinion here or there. Or even what you’re currently working on!

6. This is similar to the above tip, but I think that you should watch how often you complain. First of all, I know it sucks working in an office where your co-worker won’t stop talking on the phone. Or that the Mount library isn’t always as silent as it should be. But again, you don’t always know who’s lurking…

7. Beware of the inside joke. While this is definitely a fun aspect of Twitter, it’s important to realize that they’re called inside jokes for a reason – not everyone is going to find them funny. This is also important to consider when you’re posting articles or links. A little description goes a long way! If I’m at work, I’m probably not going to click on an unnamed link. You have 140 characters, and Twitter will automatically shorten a link for you, so use them wisely!

Of course, these are just guidelines.  I’m not saying I’m not guilty of any of them. That’s the beauty of Twitter. It gives you the ability to say what you want, when you want. These are just some things to think about. If you have any more, or if you disagree with any of these, send me a Tweet: @stephaniejeans