November 26, 2010 78 Comments

My Twitter Toolbox

HootSuite
Uploaded with Skitch!

How I use Twitter has changed over time, so it’s good to update you, should this be of use. It will most certainly change a bit more in the coming months, but I’ll have to wait to announce those changes. Here are some thoughts on how I effectively use Twitter.

My Goals With Twitter

As I always say, start with the goal. My goals on Twitter are to build relationships and to drive awareness. In the first, I intend to build relationships with people who are interacting in the same spaces that interest me. In the second goal, I intend to drive awareness to people’s projects that are of interest (I promote other people 12 times as much as I promote my own stuff), and then to drive awareness to projects I’m participating in or that will have value to my various communities of interest. Your goals might be different. Mine, to restate: build relationships, and drive awareness.

My Desktop Tool

I’ve switched to Hootsuite because I like their web app, the fact I can use it in a browser, the built in stats package, and the ability to schedule certain tweets. (We’ll get back to the scheduling thing). I prefer Hootsuite to desktop apps, as my previous favorite desktop app uses Microsoft Silverlight, and just doesn’t “feel” the same way it used to when it was on Adobe Air.

My Phone Tool

I’m using Hootsuite for the Android platform, primarily because it allows me to carry my columns and views over between apps without any fuss. It’s not my favorite Android app, but it’s convenient.

What I DO with Twitter

I use Twitter to stay connected to people who matter to me: a mix of friends, family, colleagues, and business partners, as well as people who I find interesting in the various spaces I care about. I read a lot more than I tweet (don’t faint, because you think I tweet a lot, but I read a lot more than I respond to, as I imagine most people do). I reply as often as I can to as many as I can.

I spend about 60% of my time in Twitter in SEARCH. ( http://search.twitter.com). I search for things for my projects, for my clients, for my brand, for my interests. I make little search columns all the time and live in them more than I live in lists of people’s names. Why? Because that’s where opportunity hides out.

I use Twitter to promote things: other people’s things, my things, interesting posts, and useful causes and charities.

I used to be 100% against scheduled tweets. Now, I support them in limited use. I’m not a fan of fully robotic streams, and I don’t pump my blog automatically into my @chrisbrogan stream (though I do have it autoposting to @broganmedia).

With scheduled tweets, it’s usually for something important or helpful. It’s not often a business ask. For instance, I’m promoting some professional speaking tips I wrote over at AMEX OPENForum, and it’s something that’s useful to you if you’re a speaker. That’s why I can feel a bit more justified in scheduling them. I’m just trying to make sure people don’t miss a certain resource, and so I spread it across a few different points on the clock (I learned this from Guy Kawasaki, who I used to argue with about this).

Other Apps

I don’t talk much about the various other apps I use, like Twitpic or whatever, because that depends on what you’re doing, but I will say that I use SocialToo to manage Twitter followers and to cut down with spam. As I gain about 500 or so Twitter followers a day, I can’t actually manually go around, look at everyone, and gauge whether I should follow them. At that rate of followers, and if I gave them only 1 minute of thinking each, I’d waste almost 9.5 hours a day just looking at people’s accounts. So, I follow back everyone, and just delete jerks. SocialToo does this for me in spades, and I’m grateful for it.

What I Do and Don’t See

I don’t see every tweet you send. I don’t CLOSELY follow more than a few hundred people. I see your trends. I see when you write about things that I search on. I see you when I dip in to wonder how you’re doing. But I sure don’t read every tweet that comes out of you, and you sure shouldn’t read all of mine. Twitter’s a stream. Dip in when you can. Get what you need. Close it and reenter life.

You Don’t have To Follow Me

Some people think I tweet too much (I’m down over 50% from last month, and 70% from the month before, I think). That’s okay. Perfectly fine not to follow me. I don’t base my friendship on software equivocation.

And You’re Doing it Wrong

If you want to know, I’m doing it wrong.

ChrisBrogan.com runs on the Genesis Framework

Genesis Theme Framework

The Genesis Framework empowers you to quickly and easily build incredible websites with WordPress. Whether you're a novice or advanced developer, Genesis provides you with the secure and search-engine-optimized foundation that takes WordPress to places you never thought it could go.

With automatic theme updates and world-class support included, Genesis is the smart choice for your WordPress website or blog.

Become a StudioPress Affiliate

Newer Comments →
  • http://ClimbingEveryMountain.com Mary E. Ulrich

    Twitter is one of those things that makes me feel dumber every day.

    Thanks for the specific recommendations. I’m switching to HootSuite today per your suggestion. I do the autoresponses with SocialOomph and delete jerks. But lately Twitter gives me “overwhelm.”

    I can see “software equivocation” becoming a new term in urban dictionaries and perhaps even a diagnosis in the DSM (psychologists’ bible to diagnose behavioral disorders).

    There you go Chris: Social Media Behavioral Disorders (SMBD)–as if you need more ideas for posts.

  • Anonymous

    I am now planning what to do in Twitter, this is very useful information to me.

  • Anonymous

    I am now planning what to do in Twitter, this is very useful information to me.

  • http://www.coopersbarnyard.com Frankie Cooper

    These are some great Twitter Tips and Tools.

  • http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

    I’m a big Hootsuite fan as well. Using their new desktop app.

    • http://www.twitter.com/ganeca Tim Gane (@ganeca)

      Hootsuite has a desktop app?

  • http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

    I’m a big Hootsuite fan as well. Using their new desktop app.

  • http://occamsrazr.com Ike Pigott

    Chris, thanks for sharing the explanation.

    Most important, you’re showing there is a STRATEGY to what you do, and you are engaging in behaviors that provide you VALUE, and in return you derive value in sharing those nuggets with others.

    Too often, I see a list or a formula that prescribes how everyone ought to use Twitter, which is as silly as saying there’s only one way to use detergent. (It all depends upon what is dirty!)

    At the very least, an explanation about how YOU use twitter can be insulation against those who become critical. Once you know what I am about, it takes away the supposition and the erroneously-inferred motives. That’s why I always defend Guy Kawasaki in that space — because he declares his intent up front.

    • http://ariwriter.com Ari Herzog

      I’m unsure he shared a strategy. Looks more like a tactic, or he wouldn’t have admitted it keeps changing.

      • http://occamsrazr.com Ike Pigott

        Ari,

        He talked about the *why* of what he’s doing, and how it fits into his goals. Which aren’t the same as everyone else’s.

        That means he’s talking strategy, even if he’s mentioning Goal and Tactic along the way.

  • Anonymous

    Curious. If you’re down 70% from a couple of months ago, I’m wondering 1) approx. how much time you still devote to Twitter and 2) where was the time redirected? I’m finding the more disciplined and plan-focused I am on Twitter, the less time I spend. Also, you mention, “most certainly change a bit more in the coming months”. Wondering if there’s something already in the works, or a simple assumption.

  • Anonymous

    Curious. If you’re down 70% from a couple of months ago, I’m wondering 1) approx. how much time you still devote to Twitter and 2) where was the time redirected? I’m finding the more disciplined and plan-focused I am on Twitter, the less time I spend. Also, you mention, “most certainly change a bit more in the coming months”. Wondering if there’s something already in the works, or a simple assumption.

  • http://twitter.com/Ginaschreck Gina Schreck

    Love that you stress the GOAL before you start–too many miss that piece all together. It’s nice to reevaluate how and WHY we use the tools we use. Thanks for making us think ~

  • http://twitter.com/Ginaschreck Gina Schreck

    Love that you stress the GOAL before you start–too many miss that piece all together. It’s nice to reevaluate how and WHY we use the tools we use. Thanks for making us think ~

  • http://raulcolon.net Raul Colon

    I have been a Hootsuite Fan for a while and was very worried when they originally announced their Freemium pricing model. They did a great job listening to everyone’s suggestions and really gave us an even better tool at a very affordable price. Another tool I really like is Twittelator on the Ipad although I have been playing with the Hootsuite IPAD App and I might be switching over to it gradually it is great.

    I think your goals are very easy to explain to other which don’t see value in using twitter. I think where people run into issues in using twitter is when they don’t search for people who have that common interest. Other people promote too much of themselves and forget to help promote other things that align with your values.

    Since reading Trust Agents and reading your blog you have helped me greatly in also making these my goals. It was not until I read this post that I could have explained it as easily.

    The other area where people who are new to twitter miss out is on the Search functions of twitter a great tool which is free.

    I will be passing along the “What I Do & Don’t See” paragraph too people that find twitter to be difficult to follow along. Thanks again for sharing how you use tools and your point of view.

  • http://www.BillHibbler.com Bill Hibbler

    Thanks, Chris! You’ve piqued my curiosity with your hints about how you use Twitter may change.

    Can you tell me which plugin you use to auto-tweet your blog posts to @broganmedia?

    Bill

  • Anonymous

    People used to tell me that I tweet too much, and I wrote a response which boiled downto, “Don’t tell me how to use Twitter!!!”

    Of course, I’m going to tweet this comment, and will probably lose some followers as a result, due to, The Tweet Effect….

  • Anonymous

    People used to tell me that I tweet too much, and I wrote a response which boiled downto, “Don’t tell me how to use Twitter!!!”

    Of course, I’m going to tweet this comment, and will probably lose some followers as a result, due to, The Tweet Effect….

  • http://www.danieldecker.net Daniel Decker

    Twitter continues to be a great relationship building tool for me too. I find that those who say they don’t get much out of Twitter are those who 1) don’t have a strategy 2) don’t understand that it’s not a megaphone for just broadcasting your own junk.

    For me, I don’t look at Twitter as a conversion tool (to get people to do __ or buy ___). I use it to connect, grow and serve and in doing so I’ve gained business as a result. Good times.

  • http://www.danieldecker.net Daniel Decker

    Twitter continues to be a great relationship building tool for me too. I find that those who say they don’t get much out of Twitter are those who 1) don’t have a strategy 2) don’t understand that it’s not a megaphone for just broadcasting your own junk.

    For me, I don’t look at Twitter as a conversion tool (to get people to do __ or buy ___). I use it to connect, grow and serve and in doing so I’ve gained business as a result. Good times.

  • http://damangmedia.com/ Matt Clark

    Thanks for the tips, I have avoided scheduled tweets for the same reasons you mentioned. You right when you want to share something that you feel is of value, I think the scheduled tweet would be a nice plus to spread it around. One thing I wonder about, what’s your thoughts on having multiple twitter accounts? Thanks for sharing!

  • http://www.theemotionmachine.com Steven

    I’ve been experimenting with Tweet deck for the past few weeks. I like it, but I I don’t know if I can send out scheduled tweets, so I might check out HootSuite.

    Thanks for the tips Chris, how much traffic do you get from Twitter (if you don’t mind me asking)?

    • http://www.theemotionmachine.com Steven

      Nevermind, just found out that you can schedule Tweets with TweetDeck. I also prefer it because it isn’t in my internet browser (I am always clicking through new tabs, and minimizing windows so managing Twitter on my browser is actually more difficult)

      Still, thanks for the other tips Chris!

  • http://www.netwitsthinktank.com frank barry

    ok @chrisbrogan, I’ll give Hootsuite another shot. I’ve tried it in the past, but the interface gave me a mental block :)

    Question, do you use the paid (pro) version and are you using it to pull in your facebook page, linkedIn, wordpress blog, google analytics, etc? It seems you could use it as hub for monitoring all that stuff so I’m wondering if you’re finding it to be useful in that way? Or are you just using it as you Twitter client?

    • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

      Hi Frank,

      I use the free version for both Twitter use and extended analytics. It’s a lot easier than having to monitor two or three different sites for the same information. :)

      • http://www.netwitsthinktank.com frank barry

        hey Danny … thanks for your feedback. for that stuff do you find hootsuite better than seesmic and/or tweetdeck.

        • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

          Sesmic used to be my preferred choice (the desktop version) but it seems to have lost what made it stand out. Not sure what, but just doesn’t seem the same.

          Haven’t used Tweetdeck all that much lately (I was never a fan of the UI, either) so couldn’t compare fairly.

          Very happy with Hootsuite and the little touches it has behind-the-scenes (like the analytics, the Facebook Insights, the individual reach, etc).

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      I don’t have the paid version yet, but am evidently going to try it out for a bit. : )

      • http://www.netwitsthinktank.com frank barry

        Cool. I’d be interested in your thoughts on it’s value once you try it out. Seems to have some nice features, but since I’ve been trying it out I’m still of going to Google analytics and Facebook Insights to get the metrics I really want/need.

        I’m not convinced the paid version gives you enough to make it worth it (though the 5 bucks is very reasonable so I can’t complain)

      • http://www.netwitsthinktank.com frank barry

        Cool. I’d be interested in your thoughts on it’s value once you try it out. Seems to have some nice features, but since I’ve been trying it out I’m still of going to Google analytics and Facebook Insights to get the metrics I really want/need.

        I’m not convinced the paid version gives you enough to make it worth it (though the 5 bucks is very reasonable so I can’t complain)

  • Tbartlett21

    Chris,

    Great post. I think that your plan seems very reasonable and should take away peoples concerns that twitter should be all-consuming on your day.

  • http://www.margieclayman.com Marjorie Clayman

    Gosh, now you tell me I don’t have to follow you. Well, phooey. Too late now, I guess. :)

    • http://ianmrountree.com Ian M Rountree

      We will follow Chris… Follow Chris wherever he may go! There isn’t an ocean too deep – nor mountains so high as to keep, keep us away! Away from his blog!

      :)

      (Also, thanks for the Twitter tips, Chris.)

      • http://www.margieclayman.com Marjorie Clayman

        well played, sir. Well played :)

  • Sterling Zumbrunn

    Thanks for the article Chris. Very useful and informative.

  • http://mydarabell.com/ Dara Bell

    Getting alot of joy from Facebook pages. Considering buying your partners’ (Juston Levy) book Facebook Marketing. 700 visits a week. It is my goal to try and convert them to Likes or engaged people.

    Twitter is again useful for me. I find it more viral and people just have insantiable interest in others. It is supportive and generally positive. I am very happy with it. Chanced on Tweepi which I find more useful than Social Too. Interface hard on the Mac which I am forced to use as Laptops is bust just now.

    Funny I do recommend grabbing a few books on these tools. I am not that technical so it can help a dude like me get over what are tiny hurdles

  • http://mydarabell.com/ Dara Bell

    Getting alot of joy from Facebook pages. Considering buying your partners’ (Juston Levy) book Facebook Marketing. 700 visits a week. It is my goal to try and convert them to Likes or engaged people.

    Twitter is again useful for me. I find it more viral and people just have insantiable interest in others. It is supportive and generally positive. I am very happy with it. Chanced on Tweepi which I find more useful than Social Too. Interface hard on the Mac which I am forced to use as Laptops is bust just now.

    Funny I do recommend grabbing a few books on these tools. I am not that technical so it can help a dude like me get over what are tiny hurdles

  • http://mydarabell.com/ Dara Bell

    Getting alot of joy from Facebook pages. Considering buying your partners’ (Justin Levy) book Facebook Marketing. 700 visits a week. It is my goal to try and convert them to Likes or engaged people.

    Twitter is again useful for me. I find it more viral and people just have insantiable interest in others. It is supportive and generally positive. I am very happy with it. Chanced on Tweepi which I find more useful than Social Too. Interface hard on the Mac which I am forced to use as Laptops is bust just now.

    Funny I do recommend grabbing a few books on these tools. I am not that technical so it can help a dude like me get over what are tiny hurdles

  • http://www.mitash.com/blog/ Raj – SEO Australia

    I felt more interesting when you said you spend 60% of your time on Twitter Search and to the reasons for your Search! I personally think your statement will stands as a support to the efficiency of Twitter Search and people who merely don’t know how to use it will definitely dig deeper on it. :)

  • http://twitter.com/lesd08 Les Dow

    Great article. I have tried Hootsuite but I am unable to stick with them because they do not support bit.ly . I will stick with Tweetdeck for now but if Hootsuite were support bit.ly I certainly would switch.

    • http://www.krystyl.net Anonymous

      Les – HootSuite does track your clickthru’s with Ow.ly :-)

    • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

      Hootsuite also allows you to integrate Facebook Insights as well as Google Analytics. Not sure if Tweetdeck has this, as I haven’t used for a while, but it’s another thing I love about Hootsuite. :)

  • http://twitter.com/celestew celestew

    Thank you. It is always interesting and useful to see what works for top thinkers and users like you. Are you still against the auto direct messages? I don’t use them, but think they can be useful as a welcome. If I like someone well enough to follow them, I don’t mind getting a message about where I can find out more about them or what they offer.

  • http://staynalive.com Jesse Stay

    Thank you Chris, for sharing SocialToo with your friends. I’m grateful for that, and especially for you, friend!

  • http://twitter.com/SpaceyG SpaceyG

    One mistake I made, professionally, is simply assuming everyone uses Twitter as a (real-time) search engine too. I have come to understand that Twitter, as a search engine, is a teachable moment on many occasions.

  • http://neilbearse.com/ Neil Bearse

    Thanks Chris – this gives me some good alternatives, since it appears that Twitter is potentially abandoning development on Tweetie Desktop for Mac.

  • http://neilbearse.com/ Neil Bearse

    Thanks Chris – this gives me some good alternatives, since it appears that Twitter is potentially abandoning development on Tweetie Desktop for Mac.

  • http://neilbearse.com/ Neil Bearse

    Thanks Chris – this gives me some good alternatives, since it appears that Twitter is potentially abandoning development on Tweetie Desktop for Mac.

  • http://www.latarahamying.com LaTara Ham-Ying

    LOVE LOVE LOVE Hootsuite! So much so that I teach others how to use it!

    You provided some good tips here and as always when I read your content I leave with something valuable to use for my business and even my life.

  • Anonymous

    I still don’t see hootsuite more than tweetdeck, but I definitely see the search in twitter as an essential process. Thanks chris.

  • Anonymous

    I still don’t see hootsuite more than tweetdeck, but I definitely see the search in twitter as an essential process. Thanks chris.

  • Anonymous

    I still don’t see hootsuite more than tweetdeck, but I definitely see the search in twitter as an essential process. Thanks chris.

  • http://twitter.com/theareteguy TheAreteGuy on Twitter

    Chris thanks for your ideas on Twitter – I especially like that you know your strategy and reasons to be here clearly. i have been a user of socialoomph, tweetdeck and hootsuite. By far I Hootsuite is my favorite and main tool for over a year now. Even with it;s recent transition to a paid tool – the free tool is great.

  • http://www.bigjobsboard.com/ Brad Pitt

    This is great! I like the way you discussed how Twitter really works with all the toolbox out there. Thanks for letting us know about this.

  • http://www.bigjobsboard.com/ Brad Pitt

    This is great! I like the way you discussed how Twitter really works with all the toolbox out there. Thanks for letting us know about this.

  • http://www.slymarketing.com Jens P. Berget

    I’m also using HootSuite for my desktop and HootSuite for iPhone. It’s awesome and the best Twitter client I have used. I am also using TweetAdder to automate some of the tasks, like finding people to follow (works great).

  • http://twitter.com/franjeanes Fran Jeanes

    Thanks for the post. I have used Hootsuite as my primary Twitter tool for a couple of years now but am using Tweetdeck for my Android, which I don’t get much joy from. I’ll try Hootsuite’s app and give that a go based on what you wrote.

  • http://twitter.com/franjeanes Fran Jeanes

    Thanks for the post. I have used Hootsuite as my primary Twitter tool for a couple of years now but am using Tweetdeck for my Android, which I don’t get much joy from. I’ll try Hootsuite’s app and give that a go based on what you wrote.

  • http://twitter.com/frauenmesse Christine Hartmann

    Thank you, Chris. It´s very informative, you´re doing a good job.

    See you on twitter :-)
    frauenmesse

  • http://twitter.com/frauenmesse Christine Hartmann

    Thank you, Chris. It´s very informative, you´re doing a good job.

    See you on twitter :-)
    frauenmesse

  • http://viktorsald.blogspot.com/ Viktor Shaldybin

    Замечательно..,удачи!

    • http://viktorsald.blogspot.com/ Viktor Shaldybin

      Всем привет..!

    • http://viktorsald.blogspot.com/ Viktor Shaldybin

      Всем привет..!

  • http://viktorsald.blogspot.com/ Viktor Shaldybin

    Замечательно..,удачи!

  • http://www.highlyrelevant.com/social-media-marketing.html Mike

    Thanks Chris. I’m not a fan of Seesmic either. Tweetdeck is my app of choice. I like the realtime growl-like updates that it provides; especially for monitoring live events, conferences, ect. Will check out SocialToo.

  • http://macausocialmedia.tumblr.com/ Paulo Calisto

    Hi Chris, i really enjoy your posts but to call me a jerk is quite… Never forget that machines are not perfect and by choosing one machine to choose who you follow, or no, it may not be the perfect to decide who is a jerk or no!

Newer Comments →