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Chris Pirilloʼs 140 Twitter Tips Edited by @ChrisPirillo Illustrated by @kristin

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Page 1: Chris pirillos-140-twitter-tips-final

Chris Pirilloʼs

140 Twitter Tips

Edited&by&@ChrisPirillo&&Illustrated&by&@kristin&

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140 Twitter Tips !

2! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Have an amazing Twitter tip to share? Email your 140- character suggestion to [email protected] for credit in a future revision! Share ANY single tip in this eBook with attribution! Please follow us [@lfsocialmedia] and retweet this link: http:// go.tagjag.com/twittertips

We are not affiliated with Twitter in any official capacity - we only love what it has brought to our lives.

Content in this publication falls under the Creative Commons "Attribution- Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported" License.

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140 Twitter Tips !

3! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

An entry on Twitter must be 140 characters or less and is referred to as a "tweet." That naming convention came from the community.

The action of posting a tweet is referred to as "tweeting," not twittering. Many Twitter-specific words start with the letters: "tw."

Tweet for yourself first, your followers second, the world third.

It's been suggested that the half-life of a tweet is approximately seven minutes. Tweeting more frequently than that is ill-advised.

Verify links before tweeting them. Be sure they're not broken or misdirected.

Assume most of your followers will never respond to you in any capacity. That's the nature of most digital communities.

Think before you tweet when you're feeling emotionally charged. Your words will likely come back and haunt you.

To address someone on Twitter, simply put the "@" character before their username. You can find us @lfsocialmedia there.

If you want all your followers to see your public replies, never begin a

tweet with the "@" character. This indicates "conversation" mode.

Auto-following people may sound like a good idea on paper, but in practice it attracts more flies than fulfillment.

Be mindful of the time of day at which you tweet. A tweet at 5am may not receive the same amount of attention as the same tweet at 5pm.

Give credit where credit is due (if possible). Everybody loves a hat tip. Example: @HipsForHire and @KatArmstrong helped me with this eBook.

Hashtags (created with a "#" character preceding a string) are typically used to "tag" tweets so you can click #words and see more tagged tweets.

If you want to tweet a link, be sure to "shorten" it first with a service like http://bit.ly/ (which is seemingly the most popular on Twitter).

Be mindful that Twitter is for people of all ages and maturity levels.

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140 Twitter Tips !

4! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

It's courtesy that if you send a Direct Message (DM) to someone, you should be following them so that they can respond in kind.

Alcohol and Twitter seldom mix. Oh sure, you might THINK it's funny or poignant when you're still inebriated, but...

See a tweet you like (or want to recall it at a moment's notice)? "Favorite" it! Click the star icon to add that tweet to your Favorites.

Personal attacks are immature and often unwarranted. If you're going to do this on Twitter, try going the private route.

Track your replies religiously, but I'd also suggest setting up a single search for keywords associated with your name, site(s), etc.

Make it a point to follow others, not just attract other followers. Why should they listen to you if you don't listen to them? [via @hipsforhire]

Do yr bst to avd wrtng as tho yr kbd is bkn. Pls. If you nd mre spc thn use yr blog.

There's NOT a specific formula to "succeeding" on Twitter. You're there, you're trying, and you should be happy with that.

Follower counts are a poor way to judge the value of a Twitter user. What's valuable to you might not be valuable to someone else.

NOTHING is so important that you need to interrupt "real life" to tell your followers what you're doing. Keep your ego in check.

You don't need to be following a person to add them to a list (or to view them in someone else's list).

Do your best, even with replies, to encapsulate full intention in a single tweet. Don't stump your followers with "LOL!" - what's so funny?

Just because you tweet it doesn't make it truth. Opinion is opinion, no matter how or where it's shared.

If you really want responses, ask questions. Give your tweet a call-to- action if you expect to see a reaction from it.

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140 Twitter Tips !

5! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Pithy is profitable in terms of how many times you could get retweeted. Sometimes, shorter is better.

After authenticating your Facebook account (on Twitter's "Goodies" page), use #fb in a tweet to send the update to your Facebook profile.

There are various conventions for reposting ("retweeting") a tweet. Either use the official retweet button or include "RT" in the tweet.

Never log into your account from a site or service other than Twitter.com. Only use tools that ask for you to Approve or Deny access.

Post your Twitter profile link on your blog, your YouTube videos, email newsletters, etc. Let people know they can follow you!

There are countless services that will help you gain more insight in terms of your activity on Twitter. Check out http://oneforty.com/ for starters.

If you want to export Twitter replies, conversations, or searches (to post to your blog, email, a spreadsheet, etc.), use http://twickie.com/

Change your bio to fill it with keywords related to your interests and/or expertise. Answer this question: "Why should I follow you?"

When you're moderating (or sitting on) a panel, it's wise for someone on stage to keep an eye on Twitter. Watch for questions, feedback.

Twitter's a great place to tell the world what you're thinking before you've had a chance to think about it. Edit yourself.

If (and when) you see the "Fail Whale," just hit refresh or wait a moment and all will likely be return to normal quickly. Don't panic.

When you see a "bit.ly" URL, you can add a "+" to the end of it to see click stats from the shortened link. Like: http://lgno.me/bnrXmE+

It's easy to spot a spammer on Twitter (especially bots). Do the community a favor and click the "report for spam" link in their profile.

It's okay to send a very personalized thank you via Direct Message to those who follow you, but don't set up a generic auto-response.

People are interested on your take on a popular subject. Don't be afraid to include your thoughts in a retweet!

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140 Twitter Tips !

6! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Read your tweet twice (and at least once aloud) to catch grammatical, spelling, and usage errors before sending. [via @hipsforhire]

Mix it up. All replies, all quotes, all links? No. Variety is the unofficial spice of Twitter!

You may authorize any application to access your Twitter account. Change permissions on http://twitter.com/ settings/connections anytime.

Do you follow people with similar interests to your own? No easier way for them to discover you than by being an active follower.

Consider setting up more than one Twitter account if you have a personal and professional "face" you wish to maintain. [via @hipsforhire]

If you make a mistake on Twitter, take steps to correct your mistake and offer a public apology. You can also delete tweets. [via @hipsforhire]

Consider carefully whether you would like to geotag your tweets. Do you really want the world to know where you live?

People are just as interested in problem-solving as they are in humorous but valid complaints. Balance your tweets with a mixture of both.

Use multiple social media services? Try ping.fm to update all your networks simultaneously.

Want to meet some of your most responsive local Twitterers? Try hosting a "Tweetup" related to your interests. [via @hipsforhire]

Sometimes, private tweets are inadvertently posted publicly because the user didn't use the proper field. Double-check!

Be wary about strange links in Direct Messages from friends. It could be a "phishing" scam making the rounds.

Believe it or not, most Twitter accounts are abandoned almost as quickly as they're created. Do YOU know why you're on Twitter?

Don't feel pressured into sharing every single thing that happens to you. Before tweeting, ask yourself: "Will anybody care?" [via @lukas2511]

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140 Twitter Tips !

7! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Impersonating a police officer is illegal. Impersonating a real person on Twitter is misleading (and annoying). Please don't do either. If you expect people to respect your privacy, respect theirs. Don't RT a DM without first asking.

To submit a support ticket (after reading Twitter's official FAQ), visit http://help.twitter.com/requests/new after logging in.

How many tweets should you post in a 24-hour period? That's completely up to you. There is no truly "proper" number.

Think in "Headlines." What words draw your attention? They'll likely capture the attention of your followers, too.

Only somebody else can call you an expert. Think twice before using that word to describe your background in the Twitter bio.

"Social Media" hasn't been a label for too long. Before it, there was "New Media." It's just a set of tools. Keep them in perspective.

Personal attacks are seldom warranted. Even if you believe you're in the right, please take your venom to a more private channel.

If you haven't yet decided, try to pick a username that's easy to read and just as easy to remember.

Unless given tacit or direct approval, don't tweet about your job or your co-workers. You might be tweeting from the unemployment line.

Arguments happen. You might, however, take a debate "offline" (away from Twitter) if it's consuming your timeline.

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140 Twitter Tips !

8! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Before you RT a link, check to make sure (a) a valid link, and (b) the destination is REALLY worth retweeting.

A single tweet can make quite a large impact - don't underestimate the power at your fingertips. Get seen, get shared.

If your goal is to build a following quickly, cover various subjects to add value instead of creating multiple handles and splitting your followers. [via @hipsforhire]

Before you use a #hashtag, check to see that it's not being used by others in another context. Otherwise, you're muddying its purpose. [via @dlb1752]

Copying someone else's Twitter "style" is not very original. Let inspiration strike, then make this journey your own.

"With great power comes great responsibility." One tweet can change the world - even from a user very few already know.

Occasionally, letting your followers know something very personal about you invites them to care. Just know there's such a thing as TMI. [via @hipsforhire]

Inevitably, you'll think of a great tweet, but you can't share it immediately. Carry an "idea book" and write it down for later posting. [via @hipsforhire]

Do not offer a service or product that you have no intention of delivering.

If you've discovered truly amazing people to follow, wait until Friday to brag - then tag your recommendations with #FF (Follow Friday)

If you are a music fanatic, share your favorites on "Music Mondays" being sure to add the #MM tag when you do.

One quick way to ruin follower trust is to tweet spoilers (to potentially- shared experiences that are offset by independent schedules). [via @lisalee]

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140 Twitter Tips !

9! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Go ahead and tweet about your favorite charity. Don't shame followers if they can't support the cause.

Shoving your opinions and beliefs down someone's throat is just as bad on Twitter as it is in real life. You be you. Let them be them.

Resist the temptation to spread gossip and rumors on Twitter. If you can't resist, post them with a #gossip tag. [via @hipsforhire]

Remove "noise" from your tweets by extracting unnecessary or annoying commentary. [via @hipsforhire]

Re-read a week's worth of your recent tweets. Observe for gaps or redundancies (intentional or not) to create more balanced content. [via @hipsforhire]

Sometimes, the most enticing tweet is simply a self-describing link. [via @hipsforhire]

If you're looking to be inspired, listen to a favorite podcast (live or pre- recorded). General thoughts will come to you quickly.

Instead of organizing your own Lists or following a ton of users, why not follow a well-cultivated, targeted List? It's cleaner and easier.

A potential tweet may be understood without context in your head, but the written word may convey a double meaning. Try to be clear.

For the best mobile Twitter experience, use a smartphone with "killer" software. Using Twitter via SMS is painful and incomplete.

You can put punctuation right after a @reply. There is no need for a space. Example: @ChrisPirillo's home has an office. [via @sixthdimension]

The numbers don't really matter. Building 30,000 followers is easy. It's building a community that's hard. [via @Knunez]

Twitter's "Trending Topics" is a fresh zeitgeist. You might add your voice to the fray, but only if you really have something to say.

You might keep your tweets to 120 characters (or less) so your followers can conveniently RT without having to edit content or credit. [via @chrisfyvie]

Twitter is awesome for driving attention to live events - be sure to tweet before and during something you're experiencing or producing. [via @geekazine]

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140 Twitter Tips !

10! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Think about using Search on Twitter before going to Google to look for something that's happening at that moment. [via @dccrowley]

Should you post advertisements? "Sponsored tweets" are up to you, but your followers may not like them. Either way: always disclose!

Name-dropping only serves to make you appear LESS important than you perceive yourself as being. Nobody likes a sycophant.

Twitter (itself) supports the UNICODE character set. To spruce up your tweets, try using http://funicode.com/ for a bit of text fun.

If several people are tweeting from the same account, append tweets with a caret and author initials. "Chris Pirillo" would add: ^CP

According to @DanZarella, most RTs happen at 4:00pm. I strongly advise you view "The Science of Retweets" here: http://slidesha.re/ItM8f

When you meet someone new - check out how (and what) they've tweeted. Timelines don't lie, and are awfully telling of character.

Do not underestimate the power of "crowdsourcing." If you need help, tweet your needs clearly. You never know who will come to your rescue.

Make it easy for people to find your Twitter profile if you happen to use other social media services - or on your own Web site(s).

How much email do you send on a daily basis? Did you remember to include a link to your Twitter profile in your signature?

If you tweet important life moments before telling your family, you might consider rethinking your strategy.

Twitter profiles can be made private, but a follower may not realize you've done so - and could RT something you didn't want shared openly.

Build your own Twitter "widget" on http://twitter.com/goodies/widgets (to embed on Facebook, Blogger, or any other Web page).

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140 Twitter Tips !

11! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Never tweet and drive. Period. If it's REALLY important for you to pay attention to Twitter at THAT moment, find a designated driver. [via @hipsforhire]

To separate your thoughts from another's, consider including your succinct commentary at the end of a retweet: [between brackets] [via @hipsforhire]

Counterbalance every negative tweet with a positive one to avoid being perceived as a digital curmudgeon. Keep your use of capitalization to an intentional minimum. OTHERWISE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE YELLING AT EVERYBODY. [via @hipsforhire]

The letter "d" placed at the very beginning of a tweet will trigger a DM to the username it precedes. Example: d @ChrisPirillo Thank you!

Firefox and Google Chrome have excellent extensions for enhancing your experience on Twitter.com - bringing new functionality to the site.

If you want to collaborate instantly with your followers (or anybody for that matter), try something like http://typewith.me/ - easy!

Stay active; after six months of inactivity, your account can either be subject to deletion or transfer to another party.

Consider intercapping your username if it contains two or more words. Twitter sees @ChrisPirillo the same as it does @chrispirillo.

Grab your own name, brand, or preferred username before someone else (like a "squatter") does. Avoid using someone else's trademark

Use of occasional "geeky" words are eye-catching. Excessive use of jargon may alienate outsiders. Tweet to a wider audience. [via @hipsforhire]

Using "@username" in a tweet will only trigger a notification for that username. Don't direct a tweet to someone's "@first" or "@last" name. [via @kristin]

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140 Twitter Tips !

12! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

Asking for retweets is common - so long as you're NOT requesting the action on a daily basis. Suggested: use the word "please" when you ask.

Breaking a single thought between two (or more) tweets isn't advised. If you can't keep it to the character limit, rethink your wording.

Poor avatar choices: group photos, blurry or blocky images, adult- themed photos, copyrighted material. Good choices? Your face or logo. [via @hipsforhire]

Just because many users access Twitter via remote utilities doesn't mean you shouldn't change your profile background image! Make it unique.

Monitoring active users and activities in your area is suggested for both individuals and businesses. You share locale in common. [via @hipsforhire]

An unwritten "rule" of Twitter dictates: quality over quantity. [via @jaddes_green]

Do not beg people to follow you or complain that you have "no" followers. Tweet good stuff and your audience and brand will likely grow. [via @ArielBambino]

The number of retweets is NOT proportional to the overall visibility of the original tweet. Note: RTs might come from spam accounts.

Before disparaging a person's efforts publicly, understand: (a) they'll see your negative remarks, and (b) nothing positive will be gained.

If you follow a large number of people in a short amount of time, your account may be flagged as spam. Take it slow and steady, my friend.

Check out who has added you to a List. Are these fans following you AND organizing you with similar users? They're your biggest supporters!

Most people who claim you have failed have never succeeded at something worth tweeting. Take a stranger's public criticism VERY lightly.

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140 Twitter Tips !

13! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

If you want your @reply to be seen by everyone, place a single character (like a ".") before the "@" symbol at the beginning of your tweet. [via @dlb1752]

Use “#in” in a tweet to send the update to your LinkedIn account (after you've authenticated the LinkedIn service with Twitter). [via @jodimode]

To reduce the amount of duplicate results uncovered in a search, add "- RT" to your query (without quotes). [via @infinitelymeta]

Twitter is a global commons - your culture and beliefs aren't shared by everyone. Respect differences politely to be a better netizen.

When tweeting a generic link, insert a distributive word in brackets that would explain its characteristic - such as [VID] or [PIC] [via @Bdenn]

Found a sale, bargain, discount, or special? Tweet it to help your followers save money. Include a company's @username if possible. [via @TSStechAngel]

When someone says they don't have enough time to tweet, they're doing it wrong. With Twitter it's easy to share yourself and your world.

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140 Twitter Tips !

14! LessonsFromSocialMedia.com&& @lfsocialmedia&

! !About the Author

Chris Pirillo has been working in the content publishing industry since 1996. He launched his first company, LockerGnome, to provide practical technology knowledge to millions. Not long thereafter, he became an expert in growing online communities – a skill that has served him well as the Internet has evolved. He’s hosted television

programs, conferences, and radio shows – frequently called upon by media outlets to help translate “geek” into something everybody can understand.

Today, Chris helps drive businesses and entrepreneurs forward by providing insight and guidance through speaking engagements, consulting arrangements, and coaching endeavors – with intelligence that further enables personal and corporate brands to better engage their existing or intended audiences. His experience has preceded a dominant social media presence, giving him an edge over most working to help others achieve their goals.

From creating compelling content to fostering community building to implementing winning social media strategies, Chris Pirillo has been there and done that – and continues to help others do the same for themselves. He loves to help people spread the word about their projects and ventures.

Chris Pirillo is a personality in whom tech enthusiasts trust to answer questions and lead discussions. His approachability, undeniable spirit, and candor have drawn hundreds of thousands of persons to follow him and his recommendations. Chris understands that valid communication is fostered through interpersonal connections. As such, he is ready to leverage his skills, connections, and widespread recognition to help those in need of the unique assistance he can provide. He is never short of ideas.

To learn more about Chris, his speaking, coaching or products go to http://LessonsFromSocialMedia.com/ChrisPirillo