Twitter and I weren’t always BFFs. But it has become a platform that uniquely allows you to connect with people– if you know how to do it. If you are just starting out on Twitter, it can seem like an anti-social platform until you find your footing. Madalyn Sklar, founder of the Twitter Smarter podcast and the number 3 social media influencer in Houston has some great tips and ideas for mastering Twitter.
If you want to find Madalyn, you can check out her website, listen to her podcast, or connect on Twitter. On Thursdays, she hosts the always awesome #TwitterSmarter chat at 12pm central on Thursdays.
Listen to Create If Writing – Episode 036
On Twitter, you have to be to the point with your message since you have limited characters. (Though this may be changing if Twitter adds the rumored 10,000 characters!) Twitter is all about making smart choices with your words. Be intentional in your tiny space! Make every character count.
Socially speaking, Twitter is the cocktail party– a really great place to connect. One great way is Twitter parties feel like you’re in a room full of great people and have side conversations in the midst.
Madalyn Sklar’s Tips for Mastering Twitter
Optimize Your Profile
- Have a great picture that shows who you are.
- Utilize your header image real estate. Show off your personal brand or blog! (sizing 1500×500 pixels)
- Craft a bio that tells who you are and has the MOST important things in the 160 characters.
- 1-2 hashtags are okay, but you don’t NEED them. Definitely don’t stuff them.
- If you can fit something personal that will help build connections, great!
- You can include an extra link in your bio.
The Best Tools for Managing Twitter
- Find what works for YOU!
- Hootsuite lists are great for listening to conversations. (Read how I utilize Hootsuite!)
- Buffer is a phenomenal scheduling tool with great Chrome extensions.
- Tweet Jukebox is a set-it-and-forget-it kind of scheduling. You can plug in evergreen posts to have them autoscheduled over time.
- Social Quant is a tool for finding followers (try through Madalyn’s link for a 14-day trial!). You give them a list of keywords and the algorithm finds and follows people for you. Great way to boost your followers!
Consider what you want to be live and present for and what you want to schedule. Evergreen content is fabulous for automation within Twitter. You also can automate your books or coaching packages or email list landing page to tweet daily or weekly.
Madalyn’s final word was to pick ONE thing from this interview and take action! You can Tweet to Madalyn (@madalynsklar) and to me (@kikimojo) or use the #TwitterSmarter hashtag to tell her something you’ve learned or applied!
Note: Madalyn is the opening keynote and I will also be speaking at Social Media Day in June! If you’re in the Houston area, definitely come out for Social Media Day!
Let me know in the comments: What is ONE thing you are taking action on with regards to Twitter today?
Madalyn, I appreciate your down to earth, layman language approach. Thanks for taking on the labors of teaching the rest of us.