This post is a continuing series for those of us trying to find best practices for Twitter. I don't claim to be an expert. I don't even play one on TV or the internet. If you want to visit an expert, follow @KristenLambTX . I take all the advice I can get, and she's very knowledgeable about social media. As for me, I have three previous Twitter Jar Tip posts here if you missed reading those. Here we proceed to Tip #4!
I do believe it is the quality and not the quantity of your Twitter numbers. A person can have 10,000 Twitter followers, but it's useless if you don't cultivate any relationships. If you have been on Twitter long enough to follow very many, you may feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of chatter. Solution? You should make Twitter lists.
The Twitter list allows you to filter according to certain categories. Think of it as similar to making folders for your email inbox. You give the list a name and then you add Twitter people into the list. I have several Twitter lists. There's a category for writers, publishers and agents, friends, and I even have one called "fun". Okay now...don't check my "fun" list for your name. My "fun" list actually contains some celebrities and rock stars who may never know I exist, but I follow them because they make me laugh.
I do believe it is the quality and not the quantity of your Twitter numbers. A person can have 10,000 Twitter followers, but it's useless if you don't cultivate any relationships. If you have been on Twitter long enough to follow very many, you may feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of chatter. Solution? You should make Twitter lists.
The Twitter list allows you to filter according to certain categories. Think of it as similar to making folders for your email inbox. You give the list a name and then you add Twitter people into the list. I have several Twitter lists. There's a category for writers, publishers and agents, friends, and I even have one called "fun". Okay now...don't check my "fun" list for your name. My "fun" list actually contains some celebrities and rock stars who may never know I exist, but I follow them because they make me laugh.
Click image to see a larger size
When you have a Twitter list, you can easily click on it to see ONLY the tweets from the people on the list. Now, instead of trying to hold conversations with a room of a thousand people, you've narrowed it down. I might have anywhere from 10 -- 100 people on my lists. Circulate...visit...and interact by replying to the tweets and holding conversations.
The list in the image to the left contains BOOK SAVVY PEOPLE. Click on it to see a larger image. You can see the number of people I am following on the list. Sometimes, people like my list and follow it. See the smaller green box to the right.
The list in the image to the left contains BOOK SAVVY PEOPLE. Click on it to see a larger image. You can see the number of people I am following on the list. Sometimes, people like my list and follow it. See the smaller green box to the right.
Click image to see a larger size
This isn't a ploy to cut out the interactions with all the people you follow. It's merely a way to make a large follow list manageable. Sometimes I place a person on a list the minute I begin following them. Other times, I get to know a person on Twitter and then add them to a list.
Let's go straight to the directions on how-to. These directions are for the desktop version of Twitter.
First, log in to your Twitter account. Go to the List Menu heading and click. You will see a link to "Create a list." Click on it to begin.
Let's go straight to the directions on how-to. These directions are for the desktop version of Twitter.
First, log in to your Twitter account. Go to the List Menu heading and click. You will see a link to "Create a list." Click on it to begin.
Click image to see a larger size
A dialogue box will open with a place for the list title, a description, and if you want the list to be public or private. If private, you'll be the only one with access to names on the list.
Click image to see a larger size
Once you SAVE the list you've created, Twitter immediately takes you to a screen where you can add some Twitter users to it.
Click image to see a larger size
Or you may want to browse through your Twitter friends and click on their picture/profile. Here you will see the drop-down list of options that allows you to "Add to list" and you will see all your lists with checkboxes available. You can add a person to more than one list.
I've added @IsisRushdan to my FRIENDS and WRITING-SAVVY-PEOPLE lists. Isis is popular; she's a member of 80 lists.
I've added @IsisRushdan to my FRIENDS and WRITING-SAVVY-PEOPLE lists. Isis is popular; she's a member of 80 lists.
Click image to see a larger size
Here's a list of my peeps from the #writingcampaign I'm engaged in with the Platform-Building Campaigners. Anytime I want to see what these writers are tweeting, I click on my list to see only their tweets as opposed to the 700+ I follow in my Timeline view that opens when I log in.
Angela Scott, aka as @whimsywriting, is on my list and you can see that she's also been added to quite a few lists. Quality tweeting will do that for you. I hope this post has helped you to see the value in creating a list for use in the Twitterverse. It's a big place out there, but a list can organize your tweeting experience.
Angela Scott, aka as @whimsywriting, is on my list and you can see that she's also been added to quite a few lists. Quality tweeting will do that for you. I hope this post has helped you to see the value in creating a list for use in the Twitterverse. It's a big place out there, but a list can organize your tweeting experience.
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