In the first part of our two part Twitter guide, we talked about what Twitter is and how it can be used. This second part covers:

The Do’s and Don’ts of Twitter:

  • DO post frequently, as things happen, but if your posts are cluttering your followers feeds then that is not a good sign. You are likely to annoy your followers and likely to be unfollowed.
  • DO be careful with programs that post to all of your social media platforms at once. I realize that as affiliate owners, you are very busy and it saves you time, BUT keep in mind that posting to Twitter is very different than posting to your blog or to Facebook. Your tweet should be far shorter and to the point.  People can smell a bot from miles away.
  • DO fill out your profile summary. Make it clear who you are and what you do and include your affiliate URL.
  • DO interact with your followers and those you follow. It’s all a give and take. You reply to questions or statements that someone has asked you, they will do the same for you, and in that cycle, garner more viable followers.
  • DO feature some of your client’s accomplishments at the box. This shows you do care about what is going on in your box to others whose only exposure to you is your Twitter.
  • DO check out the competition. Take a look at what other affiliates are posting and how they garner replies and the coveted Retweet.
  • DON’T sound corporate. Your tweets should be conversational, not just facts and business. Don’t over promote. Potential clients won’t want to follow a Twitter that sounds like it’s computer generated.
  • DON’T only post your affiliates WOD’s. This shows little to no effort in your posting strategy.
  • DON’T take long to reply. People expect a reply within a few hours at the most or they will have easily forgotten what you were initially talking about in the first place.
  • DON’T set up automatic “thanks for the follow” Direct Messages. It annoys people and isn’t necessary. No one likes to feel like a number.

It’s safe to say that Twitter goes beyond answering, “What are you doing?” in order to be an effective social media tool for your affiliate. This is not a comprehensive guide as Twitter is always adding and changing its features, which you can always visit Twitter Support Site.

Some Twitters to Follow:

@CrossFitGames @CrossFitLisbeth @TonyBudding @CrossFitMiranda @CaityMatter @SICFIT @LiveLifeasRX @Progenex @321GoProject @BTWB
@AgainFaster @CrossFitChron

How has your affiliate been successful in using Twitter as a social media big gun? What is something unique your affiliate does only within Twitter?