Twitter: 10 things to remember before a tweet

1. You have an audience. Even if you’re not following someone’s updates, they can still see what you post. If it’s not something you would say to your boss, don’t say it.

2. You cannot undo a post. On top of that, Twitter posts are crawled by Google. By no means do these facts call for censorship, but a second of pause before submitting a post does not hurt.

3. People follow updates to hear information that appeals to them. If you are managing a corporate/ branded account, stick to appropriate topics and don’t veer too far off course. If you do want to broach a new topic, take it slow and give your followers as much context as 140 characters allows.

4.  Frequency matters. Ever notice that you start glossing over updates from a user if they over post? While some leaders of the Twitter pack can get away with 30+ posts a day, stick to updates that people will want to pay attention to. That way…they will.

5. Tone matters. While 140 characters is not a ton of space, it is sufficient to establish a tone and POV.

6. Diction is your friend. Saying what you mean to say can be difficult. On Twitter every word counts. Make them count.

7. People like to be re-tweeted. It makes them feel worthy. If you don’t have something to say, find someone who does and give them credit where credit is due.

8. Monitor when you gain followers. If you send out a post about what you did last night or what article you’re reading…keep it up. While its not an exact science, this measurement will show you what fellow Tweeps are interested in.

9. Follow back. No one likes to dance by themselves, so if someone follows you, check to see if you’d like to return the favor. Do not feel obligated to follow everyone, but it doesn’t hurt to look. If there interested in what you have to say, the opposite is likely true.

10. Lastly, remember Twitter is social, interactive and communal. If your goal is to connect with your consumers, provide them value. It’s possible to communicate without constant promotion–in theory at the very least.