Does Your Twitter Account Suck - Big Time!?

I consider myself an enthusiastic Twitter user. To me there is nothing worse than seeking out or coming across a Twitter account (especially a business account) and seeing that it sucks big time!

I'm not talking about reading someone's point of view that I don’t agree with (contrasting views make for great conversation) and I don’t mean accounts with a non-customized background.

I mean a rotting, decaying, mould-growing, I-can-hear-a-pin-drop, abandoned account.

A brand account that takes way too long to respond - sometimes days or even never; someone that only retweets others and has no self-constructed tweets; an account that hasn’t Tweeted since 2010. My list could go on...

And just for you, it does:

Your Automated Tweets Aren't Very Social

There is a big distinction between automating Tweets simply because you can’t be everywhere at one time or because you’re trying to reach audiences in different time zones – and creating automated Tweets that make you sound more like a robot instead of a human.

I beg you, please stay away from this tactic. Aspire to login to your account at least two or three times daily and author your own tweet: preferably one that doesn’t link to an article or one that re-tweets something posted in the last five minutes. This my friends can't be automated. Remember Twitter is a conversation, so please make it one.

Aha - before I forget, please don’t automate a Direct Message to your new followers. If I wanted to hear from robots I would put on my "Transformers" DVD.  

Don't Ignore What People Say

Argh – I’ve heard it all too often, “My customers aren’t on Twitter.” This may be true, but your brand is likely being talked about. Think of it as a reputation-management. I’m pretty sure many businesses didn’t expect their customers to be doing this, but don't be the company that ignores it. If you have a limited (or no) budget at all, use free tools such as HootSuite or TweetDeck to monitor conversations. Or if you have a reasonable budget, try something like Sprout Social or Social Bro Pro to help you listen to what's being said about your brand.

Your Re-Tweet Only Strategy Stinks

If I wanted to hear from those people I would just follow them and not you! I want to hear something directly from YOU! Keep in mind - if I happen to follow the person you re-Tweeted that will be the second time I’ve read that tweet – insert the action of *unfollowing* here. Start a conversation, ask a question, have an opinion, or use ‘via’ and take a bit more ownership of the content (adding some insight but still crediting its source). Also try to use something other than the usual boring title of the article you’ve posted, put some thought into your tweets people.

Monitor Relevant Keywords, and the Competition

Let’s say I’m restaurant ‘X’ and I don’t use social media, but our competitor’s restaurant ‘Y’ is engaging the bejesus out of their online community. Their customers sound so happy and are complimenting them. I want to make my customers happy too. This, my friends, is a good choice. Start talking to your customers, interact with them, find out what makes them happy! And - don't forget see what’s happening in your industry and with your competition. Observing trends and staying ahead of the curve can help you distinguish yourself as a leader in your market.

Limiting Who You Follow Sucks

Following only one person is a bit sad. Following people can start a bit of a hype. Create some relationships online. It’s OK to follow people you don’t know – remember this is not Facbeook or LinkedIn. Where to start? Think of someone or a business you truly admire or respect and see at who they follow. Chances are these people will be relevant to your interests.

If You Only Tweet Once a Day - You're Doing It Wrong

If you’ve committed to being on Twitter, I want to see that you have been on in the last 12 or so hours (at the very  least). Please make me feel like there is some excitment online with your brand. Make me feel like I should re-visit your feed and see what clever, amazing Tweets you are pushing out. I might even tell my friends how awesome amazing your Twitter account and Tweets are.

So Get Tweeting and please don't Suck Big Time!!!

What are some of your pet peeves on Twitter? Do you do any of the above mentioned yourself? Let's talk about it in the comments.