A year ago, I set up a Twitter account. Not because I wanted one…oh no! I was actually terrified; my brain was frazzled with thoughts like…why should I tweet? Who cares what I’m doing? What is the point? Why are people so nosey? (All this while I was flicking through my Facebook friends profiles on a daily basis to see what was happening).
So why did I do it? Because I wanted a job and everything I applied for was demanding “experts in social media”. It has come to that I’m afraid. The world requires us to be online and loving it. So let’s not fight it. Rather than hiding in a cupboard and throwing things at the computer screen, sit down, take a deep breath and get to grips with Twitter. It’s actually easy when you get into it and a little addictive.
Today marks the day that we start to battle the no-no’s of the tweet kingdom once and for all. We have 5 weeks and 5 tips… my outrage at certain twitter mal-practices needs to be defused and for good reason! There is no point tweeting if you’re not Tweeting the right thing. Have no fear the right thing will come easily to you-with a few helpful prods in the right direction from us. If you’re a twitter junkie you’re going to recognise all these traits and probably identify yourself in some of them (I know I’ve been guilty on occasion of resorting to these quick-fix Tweet practices).
So let’s get cracking with number one….
Speaking and Acting On Twitter Like Your Mother Taught You… Unless She Taught You To Say LOL…In Which Case Like Your Teachers Taught You.
1. When a grown person writes “lol, “lmfao”, or “lmao” I die a little inside.
It’s not English… it never will be and it just serves to annoy your customers that a) Have no idea what that means (they exist) and b) Those like myself that would rather you say what you mean.
2. I’m guilty of this myself and I promise to stop if you do too.
But “xxx” and “ooo” does not make me like you anymore. Those are things I generally include on letters to my great granny and I don’t think your clients will be as enthused as you might imagine at the thought of kissing you! Unless of course you run up to them when they come into the salon and berate them with affection…then you’re running a different kind of operation and that might reflect your salons personality…but as a general rule let’s just say NO!
3. Let’s keep the Soppy Mushy quotes and Song Lyrics to a minimum.
If you feel the need to Share Adele’s latest views on heart break post a video. There is nothing profound about posting “I can’t make you love me…if you don’t, you can’t make your heart feel something that it won’t”. it might even come across as a little worrying.
4. Doesn’t just Retweet a quote
why not quote it and add your own take on it. Twitter is about what you have to say… not always reposting what others have to say. Doing so constantly will make you look like you need other people’s ideas to fill your feed!
5. As a professional Twitter Brand you need to avoid (it may seem like common sense) but being rude.
By this I mean swearing or for that matter reflecting on risqué matters. Let’s keep the bedroom, alcohol consumption; drug use and all other similar matters locked firmly in the closet with all our other insecurities that your followers: DO NOT CARE ABOUT!
