This week the focus of our Social Media Monday post is to address common misconceptions or myths people have about Twitter. If you’re not an avid Twitter user, chances are one of the reasons why is due to one of these. Interested in finding out what they are? Read on!
Twitter is one of the hottest social networks on the web, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Every day millions of people are using Twitter as a communication tool as well as a up-to-the-second resource for news and information. The question is: are YOU taking part in the conversation? If your answer is “no”, we want to help get you started.
Myth: Twitter is only for people who tweet about themselves.
Truth: Twitter is simply a platform for users to communicate and share information across the web. Even though there is a lot of messaging happening at once, it’s up to you to choose who you want to follow and who’s tweets appear in your feed. If you don’t like what someone is tweeting, you can simply unfollow them!
To make the most of your experience you’ll want to find users who tweet quality content by using the search box at the top of the page. Do you want to follow someone who tweets about being an entrepreneur? Simply search for “entrepreneur” and browse the results. While there is no guarantee that none of the users in your results will tweet about things other than being an entrepreneur, you have a pretty good chance of finding like-minded individuals who post quality content you will find valuable.
Twitter is what you make it; don’t let the “lifecasters” deter you from using it as a marketing tool, social engagement tool, a resource for information, or a place to aggregate and share interesting content.
Myth: If you use Facebook, you don’t need to use Twitter, too.
Truth: Facebook is not a substitute for Twitter, just as Twitter is not a substitute for Facebook. While Facebook is a great way for users to cultivate and interact privately with a small community of individuals, Twitter is a great place to interact with influencers, find the latest news and information, see what’s trending, engage users who have common interests, and share content in real time.
Myth: Twitter takes up a lot of time.
Truth: If you tried to read every post in your feed and tweet about everything you do, Twitter would take up a lot of time. Luckily, that’s not what Twitter was designed for. In as little as 10 minutes a day you can log in and browse the conversations taking place in your feed, retweet something that catches your eye, or share an interesting article your followers will appreciate. As long as you are taking part in the conversation, 10 minutes a day is all you need to get the most out of the social network.
Myth: You should only tweet original content.
Truth: While it’s great to post content you find or write yourself, a lot of what you post can and will likely be retweets. Not only that, but retweeting a post lets you tell someone that you found it valuable, share it instantaneously with your followers, and take part in the conversation, all at the same time! Check out this ma Blog post about retweeting!
Myth: Your content has to appeal to everyone.
Truth: Not only would this be a waste of time, but it would also be impossible. Rather than trying to post content that appeals to the masses, tweet content that is specific to your niche. Make sure to use appropriate hashtags in your tweets so other users can locate you and your content easily. Doing this will help you gain like-minded followers who are eager to engage in conversation and share information with you, too. Some examples of great hashtags include #Entrepreneur #BusinessBuilding and #Success.
Were you surprised by any of these myths? We challenge you to create your own Twitter account, then follow us @marketamerica for great updates daily!