I tweet. You may know that already. My usage has significantly increased in the past few months, and I’ve met many talented artists, designers, and bloggers. Over time I’ve developed my own set of rules that I follow (loosely) when deciding whom to and not to follow. I’d like to share some of my insights so far. Hopefully they will be of benefit to someone else like me.
- The most popular design blogs get too much publicity on Twitter. I no longer tweet or re-tweet articles from Smashing Magazine. That is not to say that Smashing does not have good content or bring value to the table. The blog is well known among designers; most of us already subscribe to the RSS feed. However, what is the use in tweeting and retweeting the same articles? I use Twitter because it gives the small guy (like me) the chance to have a voice with my peers.
- The most popular Twitter users have gone out of touch with people. I followed a few of the big names on Twitter when I first started out. Many of them have quadrupled their following within only a month or two. And I’ve noticed a shift in their tweeting habbits. Instead of engaging individuals, you see mostly re-tweets. Many of these super users have lost touch, and become nothing more than a link factory. Regardless of how useful the links are, it doesn’t pair well with why I use Twitter: to engage my peers, make friends, and expand my knowledge.
- Read the article and/or link before re-tweeting it. I would think this goes without saying, however I’ve seen it done more than a few times. Yes, there are some Twitter users out there who post great links 99% of the time, but don’t re-tweet simply because you assume the article is a great read. Instead, click the link, read the article, and even make a comment on that person’s blog. I’ve only recently started my blog here, and I can tell you that it’s a great feeling to get a comment that brings value to your post. Especially ones that force you to rethink your process.
- Unfollow people who don’t follow you back. That said, give your users a chance. A week or two should be enough to know whether or not someone will be following back. You can’t engage someone who won’t listen to you. My only exception is when I follow Twitter accounts that are used as news/article feeds to blogs or other informational type accounts.
- Think before you Tweet. That bologna sandwich you are making is not as interesting as you may think. While you shouldn’t be serious all the time, try to keep your tweets interesting. You may be browsing your twitter stream for an hour and not have anything to say. And that’s OK. Sometimes we just need to listen to people… sit back, relax, and enjoy a slice of humble pie.
What about you? Are you a designer that has some tips for your peers? Let me know with a comment below.
This post was inspired by my friend Melinda over at Jet Girl Art.
