Twitter Etiquette

There has been a lot of chatter around Twitter lately, especially with the microblogging platform playing such a significant reporting role during the Iran election crisis. As more brands successfully adopt Twitter into their marketing strategy, the tool is becoming firmly rooted in the modern lifestyle's of brands and people alike. However, as with all new things, there are some eyebrow-raising examples of corporate and personal Twitter use going horribly wrong.

A good question any company should ask themselves regarding Twitter is: who is managing the company Twitter account? Make sure that who ever has access knows what they are doing and be especially sure there are no sneaky tactics being used or your brand will take the blame. For example, here's a case study on a UK brand that got on the wrong side of the Twitter community by using trending hash tags as a means of advertising (read spamming).

Now that you've had a chuckle over a few Twitter bloopers, here are my 4 best tips for using the tool:

1. What’s private is private, public is public – one of the riskiest considerations in corporate communications on Twitter is to say things which you really shouldn’t have. We’ve all been there, tweeted about a client, a colleague or a competitor. Knowing the fine line between internal (confidential) and external (public) content is critical.
2. Be honest and speak what you know – your friends, family and consumers have access to more information than they have ever had before. This means that lying or trying to fake it can easily be found out, and once found, it will no doubt result in a lot of proverbial egg-on-face. Not a situation any brand (personal or corporate) wants to find itself in.
3. Engage! – Twitter is designed for conversations. If you like what somebody says, Retweet it, if you don’t, let them know. In any event don’t be afraid to contact other tweeters. It is, after all, what we are all there for.
4. Be aware of the exchange – people follow you because of some pay-off they receive. Whether it’s information, social proof, emotional support, financial opportunity or a host of other drivers, it is important to be aware of what your market expects from you. If you stop meeting those expectations, you will lose your community.