Twitter is a great medium to build our networks, meet new people and enjoy rewarding content. Funny puns, inspirational quotes, cute pics and educational articles are just some of the tweets that appear in our feeds on a daily basis. But are we getting enough out of the experience? In honor of Independence Day and the refreshing alcoholic beverages that we hope to enjoy, below are five types of Twitter users and a suggested mixer (i.e. piece of advice) on how to improve our ways.
Jack
You are older, seasoned and stubborn. You’ve been to seminars on social media and have created accounts on a variety of platforms. You pump out content on a regular basis and are mindful of your growth statistics. However, you have your accounts linked (gasp!). Your tweets appear on LinkedIn, your long Facebook posts are sent to Twitter and get cut off at 140 characters. You upload a string of YouTube videos and they each get sent to Twitter without the proper explanation or shortened link. And to make matters worse, you have an auto DM set up! Having these features set on default is not a smart move. Unlink and take a few extra minutes to visit each site and share content that each audience might enjoy.
Suggested mixer: Ginger Ale (aka unlink your accounts)
Morgan
You are consistent, traditional with a little spice and pizazz. You’ve done a great job of collecting users over the years and you always follow back relevant handles. However, now you’ve reached 1,000 followers. That’s a big step in the Twittersphere and you are having trouble keeping up with all of the news. You sit down at night and you find yourself scrolling for hours through your feed. How do you manage this madness? By using lists, you can break down your audience into segments. Separate lists for your colleagues, industry pros, sports analysts, comedians and parody accounts, etc. This helps to break up the data in bite size info and you can consume when it is most convenient for you. Plus, the more you add people to lists, the more lists you will find yourself on, which will build your following.
Suggested mixer: Coca-Cola (aka lists)
Skyy
You are sweet, fun and trendy. You provide relevant content based on current events and the hottest pop culture news. But you haven’t left your comfort zone. You have 50 followers and you’ve had those same followers since the first day you signed on. In fact, you know them all personally IRL. Time to break out of your niche and start adding new followers. Use hashtags for topics that interest you and start interacting with strangers who provide content that you enjoy. RT and @ often so others know you are reading their material. Be sure to thank those who RT you too! Twitter is educational but also meant to be fun. There are more than 500 million users. Break into some new markets and have a blast!
Suggested mixer: Cranberry/Apple/Raspberry Juice (aka hashtags, RTs and @ replies)
Gordon
You are consistent but dry and boring. You read the news and tweet articles without ever having an original thought or point of view. Twitter is a great medium to share your opinion – even if some of your followers might not agree with you. Keep your point of view professional and your followers will respect you. Continue to be consistent with your news. If you love music – share breaking news from the music industry and include your thoughts. Your followers will begin to look to you as the expert and when they have questions related to that topic, they will contact you as a source.
Suggested mixer: Pineapple Juice (aka added comments onto articles)
Jose
You are creative, zany but a bit wild. Maybe too wild. Every tweet drops the F-bomb and you love getting involved in the drama of your college ex. Employees aren’t just looking at LinkedIn anymore. They are closely considering your content on Facebook and Twitter too. Get rid of those sensual TwitPics. Stop retweeting the Funny Racist. Start following more industry professionals. There are a ton of ways to build lifelong connections on Twitter or even find your next job. Make sure you have a healthy balance of fun and informative tweets – while keeping it all professional. You’ll build a following and maybe even land a new position in the process.
Suggested mixer: Grenadine and Orange Juice (aka clean up your account)
So, have you discovered which Twitter drink, err, user you are? I hope these suggestions help you get more out of your Twitter experience. Above all else, remember to always tweet responsibly. Have a great July 4th holiday! Cheers!
