Owner, WebSavvyPR.com
PR Consultant & Social Media Guide
I have a slightly different take on Twitter than some. Via Twitter I have found new, & strengthened existing relationships with, business partners; found new PR clients, and clients who want help (coaching) to learn the social media ropes/tips; connected with journalists; sent readers to my blog, and growing the reach of my brand. Find me at http://twitter.com/CathyWebSavvyPR
Twitter is different from Facebook and Linked in, in that following people you do not know personally IS a part of the culture, is often expected, and can be very useful. People often unfollow those who don't follow them back. Unlike LI & FB, you share less of your personal info on Twitter. No access to your email or phone #, nor access to personal/business contacts. Just a bio, a website link, and access to the info you choose to post there. I too like the web interface, but have begun to use Tweetdeck, now that my connections have grown.
I think of Twitter like a 24/7 business networking event mixed with a casual outdoor picnic. I don't just hang out with my friends at a networking event; I am there to make connections of mutual interest. But at THIS event, you can 'listen' to their conversation style, and check their bio & website before you meet them - or jump right into a conversation. With the picnic analogy, yes I hang out with friends, but I am glad to meet their friends too, and to introduce them to my friends. I think it was @ChrisBrogan who 1st used the Picnic analogy - to paraphrase - bring something to the party& share it, don't be the wall flower but don't be the boisterous one, and stay and help clean up after the party is over. Twitter gives you all of those opportunities.
A PR person once asked, almost annoyed, "Why are these mom bloggers following me." I replied, "Um, you are a knowledgeable PR person, and they may want to learn something about PR from you. You might have a client later who needs access to mom bloggers. What do you have to loose by following back & interacting a bit." The light bulb went on for her. To be fair, she comes from a Tech PR background. I have built relationships with mom bloggers that have later helped my clients (ethically and with full disclosure - If I tweet a client's link, I always say so). I actually like many of the things that some mom bloggers tweet about as well.
There are plenty of Niches to be found of Twitter. Just be real. Engage & interact. There is an organic nature to how people find & follow others; it can lead to connections that delight, surprise & are useful.
I don't follow spammers, or those following 1500, with only 200 following them (often an indication of a spammer, or someone ramping just up the numbers,). But, unlike Richard, I DO follow back most of those who follow me, and I seek out/follow/interact with those with similar interests. I definitely follow anyone who interacts with me. Twitter is about building relationships & trust. I fully agree that it is also about sharing links to good information.
Not consciously, but I do allow one in several tweets to be personal in nature. I noticed one day, that when I mentioned that I teach a pottery class to kids and adults together, several people commented on it, and I got a slew of new followers. That tweet made me more real to those who saw it. It is kind of hard to not be yourself in 140 character snippets, over time. For a company, it can put a warm face/connection to an otherwise cold, distant company.
A balance of tweets is important, having all personal tweets won't get you too far as a communications pro. Remember though, tweets are public, your boss might read it. From a communications/PR POV, tweeting out strong informational links are VERY important. An occasional link to your own blog posts is also allowed/encouraged. Just don't make all links lead to you.
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