High Tech Marketing Blog

Some people treat Twitter like they are speaking from a stage. Some like they are talking to friends in a booth at the local bar. And some like they are whispering in your ear.

How do you Tweet?

As I look at those I’ve followed and unfollowed, I think the ones I like best are the bar booth types. They treat Twitter like a conversation among not-so-close friends. Sometimes its a bit personal. Sometimes it’s a good joke. And sometimes they tell me something valuable I didn’t know before.

Audience tweeters seem to talk like they are on stage. Big statements. Authoritative pronouncements. Like they are trying to get quoted or retweeted with every post. Gets a bit tiring. Like the guy who monopolizes conversation at the PTA meeting.

Whisperers are too personal for me. I’m interested in you – but not that interested. I like to know what you are working on, what good resources you use, and every once in a while something funny you come across.

I don’t really care where you drink what coffee or what time you go to bed (every night). Not worth the mental bandwidth I have to spend to read it all.

But the interesting thing about Twitter is that what works for me might be different for you. That’s fine. We each find our own path.

I do think it bears some thinking as to what path we take, and that some consistency is good.

What do you owe the people following you? I think you owe them some time, effort and attention. Finding the balance that works for you is the challenge, and I think it’s different for everyone.

Are there other kinds of Twitter users I’m missing?

Does this help or do you have a problem with this?