Scripting News - Latest Comments in Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Joe Philipson — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:18:39 -0000

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Mariva — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:55:22 -0000

I'm a Twitter newbie, having just signed up the other day. I "follow" your "Tweets" and love your comments -- (blatant suck-up, I know) -- especially the stuff about the Democratic Primaries. Good stuff!

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Marianne — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:55:58 -0000

I think some people are worried about saying something stupid and face ridicule, (as djuggler
mentioned) rejection or being ignored. I'm a tech trainer and while I can show how to use the
tools, I can't make someone join a conversation.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Koen Van der Auwera — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:46:01 -0000

Not that I agree with everything on it, but in case one didn't know it existed: http://twitter.com/10comman...

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:27:54 -0000

Replying @[username] does not imply that [username] will see your message. Depending on whether or not they follow you, how they have their preferences setup, and how closely they watch their Twitter account, they may never see the message. Do not be offended! If you want to be sure they saw your message, you can always email the link to the message which may encourage them to follow you.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:24:40 -0000

Yes. Many people live vicariously through others. They are the lurkers and nothing is wrong with that. I do think many people fear exposing themselves to potential ridicule. They are the voyeurs (perhaps introverted).

I see bloggers frequently get frustrated and say "no one comments! why do I do this?" Lack of comments and interaction do not imply lack of audience. Commenting, or replying, takes effort and commitment. Reading and absorbing information is far more passive and safe.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Mark Smith — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:04:48 -0000

Somethings that came to mind...

Post links to interesting things, like pictures, blog posts, videos, cartoons, news stories, jokes etc...

Bookmark TinyUrl.com. You might need it to shorten long Urls.

If you want to address someone directly add an '@' symbol before their name. e.g. "@marksmith Enjoy your apple crumble". When they check their replies your post will show up.

When you get your first follower, say hi to them by using the @{username} syntax.

Make sure you have a link in your profile to your blog or website so people can find out a little more about you if they are curious.

Don't post too often, people will automatically filter you out. No one likes spam.

Get a good avatar. It matters.

When you start following a new person, let them (and others) know by saying something like "I'm now following @{username}".

Start out by following people whom you are interested in, maybe you read their blogs, maybe you watch their videos, maybe you like the photos they take.

Have a look who the people you are following are following. It's likely that you'll like some of those people too.

Check your replies every now and then, you be able to see if anyone has said something directed at you using the @{username} sytax.

Every now and then have a look through your followers and have a look at their page, check out their blog/webpage if they have one. Get to know who is interested in you, you might have things in common.

Try to meet the people you are following in person. This totally changes everything. If someone is organising a meetup, go along.

Try and be helpful, if someone asks a question, if you can add good info, answer them.

Make sure you set you mobile phone up so you can Twitter via sms, so you can tell everyone about the great idea you just had on the bus.

Get a twitterfeed account (twitterfeed.com) and set it up to check your blog feed or flickr feed or any other feeds you publish every 30 mins. It will automatically post links to your new items in these feeds.

If you want to send a private message to someone use the 'direct message' feature. Only they will see it.

If you have a Facebook account but can't be bothered to log in anymore to see your friends status', then create a new private Twitter account and use Twitterfeed to read your Facebook friends status rss feed and publish the latest items to this private Twitter account. Follow your new private Twitter account from your normal Twitter account. Good if you have lots of friends that are not on Twitter.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Andrew — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:04:39 -0000

If you're building anything web based, take some time to consider ways you can leverage the twitter API.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

christopher — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 14:46:54 -0000

not being a user of twitter this advice sounds both unnecessary and ineffective because it sounds like the same excuse everyone gives about anything on the internet, or tv, or radio or art, etc. if you don't like it, no one is forcing you to experience it. it's true that it's basically that simple, but when has that ever really worked? in general humans aren't able to stop getting emotionally involved in what others are saying.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Alberto — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 13:29:08 -0000

Ignore when people (you follow) say they are bored about reading common things you are doing, not everyone needs to link to their blog or blog post through twitter

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Queco Jones — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 13:20:09 -0000

Is there a version in English (or Spanish)? I'm interested but, I can't read that...

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

anonymity — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:54:44 -0000

don't get excited when a total stranger starts to follow you. probably they're also following thousand more. the motivation is try to get new followers by exploiting the "i should follow everyone who follows me" guilt.

don't feel this pointless guilt and buy the scam. these twitter squatters never tweet worthwhile anyway.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

jeff — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:54:39 -0000

this should be longer to be a true Hitchhiker's Guide. Good point though.

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Doug McCaughan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:09:11 -0000

Follow @redcross My reasons noted at RealityMe.net.

There are 3 types of Twitters:
1) Exhibitionists, Voyeurs, Gossips
2) News feeds
3) Topic Specific
(a 4th would be Spammers/Friend collectors but you should unfollow those quickly)

The type of information or seek or produce (1,2 or 3 above) will determine how many followers you can effectively have. Twitter is far different when following 40 people than it is following 250 than it is following 7000. If you are following a low number you can be intimate with your followers and really stay abreast of each other. If you are following something in the hundreds then you are getting a wealth of information but you will miss messages that allow you to build intimate bonds with the people you are following. If you are following thousands then you likely are using Twitter as a means of driving traffic to your website or as a means of pushing information out to an already loyal audience that really wants your info (or you are a friend collector).

Link from above (incase comments don't allow links): http://realityme.net/2007/1...

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

vergil66 — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:04:12 -0000

Don't feel an obligation to follow everyone who follows you (though, if the follower isn't a spammer or a troll or really, really odd, why wouldn't you?)

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

gotbob — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:02:46 -0000

If you don't like what you are reading ---> Stop Following

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Dario Salvelli — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:59:28 -0000

Twitter isn't a chat room,it's true,but there is the possibility to create channel with Tweetchannel. I write about this here: http://www.dariosalvelli.co...

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

dave — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:36:05 -0000

Do you think people are afraid to reply?

Re: Hitchhiker's Guide to Twitter (Scripting News)

Marianne — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:34:50 -0000

Don't be afraid to reply?