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| ©Holly DeWolf- #Twitter Buzz! |
Social networking is a regular daily event for many of us. It can also be one great big learning experience too. With that said, it pays to rock your networking vernacular so it counts!
Social networking isn't just about discussing your day or a great link you just found. We all use it regularly to promote ourselves. With some simple prep work we can get more out of it by expanding our clever lingo too.
When I was in High School I loved reading Shakespeare. I was often asked to read it aloud in class because I had a good understanding of it. You may think I just swerved off topic here with the literary speak but I have a twisty point to make. The main reason I love Shakespeare is this: it's word play! Just like that! Word play is fun and it can be used to market yourself online.
"No, there is too much. Let me sum it up." -Inigo Montoya, Princess Bride
"No, there is too much. Let me sum it up." -Inigo Montoya, Princess Bride
Twitter is one the best ways to get information out quickly. When you use the right buzzwords and hashtags this will help spread your information farther. But there's a trick to it-you have to do it just right within the 140 character limit. Summarizing takes practice and research.
Hashtags-
You've all seen hashtag dialect on twitter- with '#'. A very popular one is #followfriday.
Certain topics, events, groups, and trends are promoted daily with hashtags. You may ask what the purpose of all this is? Quite simply, using hashtags helps to organize information. Hashtags break down your posts into small snippets of thought. Indeed it is fragmented but if written carefully this can be very informative to your viewers.
Hashtags need context. Place informed meaning into your hashtags so it relates to what your tweeting. If you're promoting a new illustration try: #illustration #newwork #blogger #blogpost #latestnews. Make sure its relevant, serves a purpose and makes sense to your viewers.
Look up hashtags on twitter- top right hand side of your twitter page labeled '#Discover'. Type in hashtags to see if they exist and to see what type of information comes up. If you don't see any hashtags that you want to use then create your own. Just remember to be consistent. Best advice- make a list either on your computer or a notebook ...if your feeling old school!
Some hashtag wording tips:
• Always make sure you spell your hashtags correctly. Sounds pesky but if you misspell your tweet it will not go to the intended hashtag destination.
• Avoid symbols such '?', '&'. Use #creativeandtalented instead of #creative&talented.
• Avoid spaces in between words. Use #professionalillustrator instead of #professional illustrator.
• Don't overdo it! It still needs to resemble English and not something off of Star Trek!
• Avoid hashtagging every single post. Break it up.
Now that you've got a good idea of what hashtags are for and how to create them then it's time to punch up your words.
Buzzwords-
Create a buzzword list for Twitter to help create interesting tweets to go along with hashtags. Best places to jump start ideas:
• Look in your email. We all get newsletters, emails and posts from businesses, blogs and websites. Jot down any wording that gets your attention.
• Look at Magazines. Your favourite publications are full of crafty word play.
• Look at how others use words on twitter such as @Starbucks, @lifehacker, and @boingboing.
• Look at how other illustrators and designers tweet.
• Use a Thesaurus. Try the handy book edition or http://www.thesaurus.com
Buzzword tips-
• Avoid the hard sell approach.
• Write in a down to earth understandable way.
• Keep it friendly while using interesting words
Again, make a list on your laptop or in a notebook. The more you use these twitter strategies the quicker you will be a wordy champion. The time and attention you spend on your social networking will help you gain the audience you want. Keep it informative, keep it real to you and for a little extra bonus, add some humour in there often and you'll be a pro in no time.
