Earlier this month, Brian confessed that he has succumbed to a newfound Twitter addiction. He’s not alone. Twitter is facilitating all sorts of communication from all sorts of people. But it can be fascinating and distracting all at once.

So, how can you maximize your use of Twitter to benefit both yourself and your followers?

Here are three easy ways to empower your Twittering for networking, marketing and fun:
1. Utilize the “Track” feature

If you’ve set up Twitter to work on your phone or IM client, you can use this feature. Simply type “track” and then the word or phrase you’re interested in and you’ll receive any Tweet that mentions that word or phrase. For example, if you want to track Tweets that mention the Cleveland Indians, type track Cleveland Indians. If you want to stop tracking the term, type untrack Cleveland Indians. This is a great way to meet people and connect with other professionals in your industry.
2. Add Value

Some people have called Twitter a micro-blogging platform. This is a good way to look at it. So many users get caught up in answering Twitter’s question: “What are you doing?” But unless you’re doing something out of the ordinary, most people will find the answer to that question boring. When you’re writing on Twitter, approach it the same way you would approach your blog or copy – only publish posts that add value to your followers, and you’ll see natural networking and marketing benefits.
3. Engage in Fascinating Conversation

Following along the last point, Twitter is best when you’re engaging your followers rather than updating them with the mundane details of your life. Think about this as a digital networking event, party or cocktail hour. Talk to people on Twitter the way you would if you were in a group. Save private conversations for Direct Messages.

I hope you found those Twitter tips helpful and that your social networking sees a boost as a result. Happy Tweeting!

source : copyblogger.com