Everyday I wake up and the first thing I do is I check my twitter (Don’t have to feel guilty, you’re not alone). It has been nearly one and a half year for me. Not as long as @Ed though, he’s been on twitter and connecting with people since 2006. One thing I want to say is twitter has been nothing but great! I’ve even connected deeper relationship with people on twitter through DM’s and emails.
I’ve gotten to know and was touched bout the story @AdamsConsulting shared during our interview at An Inside Look at One of Twitter’s Amazing Influences @adamsconsulting
I’ve learned so much from twitter and I can say that twitter allowed me to grow to be who I am today.
One thing I love twitter is it allowed me to continue to learn. This is something which I love about twitter so much, it allowed me to continue to learn since I ask a lot. I’ve been learning so much from great people who had the opportunity to connect with on twitter. @JeffBullas teaches so many great things on his blog and even created a blog post when I asked him a question on twitter. @gupshupblog who gave me some advice on SEO when we had a chat in our DM. @adamsconsulting, @terrinakamura, @peri37 who are a super positive influence and a role model. The name are endless. I know there are people who says “you can get this in real life too you know” sure of course! I’m just saying that twitter is an add on to my life. I don’t really see all just “twitter” though. I look at twitter as simply a tool that helps me connect with all this amazing people. I doubt if I was on twitter, I will able to meet some of the amazing people that I’ve met today. I’ve even connected with a lot of them on linkedin and facebook as well. Twitter has been like a firefox add on for my firefox web-browser. Yes I am on PC.
So here are some tips to help you build relationships, these aren’t the only tips though. If you are doing others, share with us what you’ve done in the comment section below. There is no right way or wrong way of using twitter. Everyone have their own methods of connecting with people online. Here are mine:
Always have a list
I can’t tell you how important it is to have a list. I use list to connect with people and retweet people. I even use list to follow a lot of people who I find interesting, have great personalities even follow experts in fields that I am interested in. I also use twitter search functions to look at what people are talking and sometimes I jump in to help.
Connect with 5 people a day
This has to be the easiest thing you can do, don’t worry if you have a busy schedule, try to comment tweets from your friends or followers in a day. Jump in conversations and comment to let them know you’re reading the tweets. Drop by to comment on something they are talking about. If you see someone that you’ve not talked to for a while, drop by to say HELLO or if they connect their facebook page, try to add them on facebook too. If helps you to remember people and build closer relationship with them.
Retweet tweets
I always retweet tweets if you notice on my time line, almost all of my tweets are retweets from other because they share great stuff and I read them. So after I usually will retweet then whenever I find them interesting. They have to “pass” the cut first. Retweets are the “love” on twitter. Share them often and you will receive them in return.
We’re Not Just An Avatar
Up to today, I’ve met so many amazing people on twitter, I plan to meet up with a lot of them after I graduate. Someone who I talk to a lot on twitter mentioning to me that we’re not just an avatar, I truly agree with that statement, I’ve been here for a while to see many people leaving twitter and so many people staying. I’ve connect with great people who I have the utmost respect for. Some of them are:
@joycecherrier who is a great fitness guru (she owes me surfing lessons), @mistygirlph who has a great personality and we had a little talk on facebook lately, @suuperG who needs to start her own free hugs campaign giving away free hugs on twitter. @krystynchong who’s personality is always bubbly and fun. @shellykramer who is professional and goofy at the same time.
Notice all names are actually women? Oops! Guys! Ladies first! Some great guys who I met on twitter who I respect a lot are @DannyBrown who I started reading his blog and now stalk him on twitter, facebook, and linkedin. Danny has his own company and runs 12for12k which raises 12k for 12 charities in 12months. @flipbooks aka Mr.Retweet who may seem unapproachable on twitter but is very approachable in DM’s. @mayhemstudios aka Calvin Lee who is my alike. He used to be a little shy (like me.. I still am) but goes to events and meets up with people now. @Paul_steele who’s is a great personality and a great influence doing twitter singups and recently one video on the oil spill. @masismore who I think is one of the funniest guy I met on twitter besides me :P. We joke a lot on twitter and on facebook. oh the list just got started. I can write a whole book! 😛
What I am trying to say is, everyone has their own story. Even YOU. I believe everyone is interesting in their own ways. Some may love you, some may not. Don’t worry. I am in that situation too. One thing I learnt from @guykawasaki is “if people don’t like it, they can UFM (UnFollow Me) ” Continue connecting with people. I’m approachable too. You can connect with me on twitter, facebook, linkedin or even on my blog. If you want to email me you can use the contact form and send me an email. I reply 99% of the time. The 1% usually end up in my junk mail for some apparent reasons. If I don’t reply on twitter I might miss it but usually I get back pretty quickly or maybe I might miss it. I do apologies for that.
Congrats on finishing reading this post, you just read a blog post that contains more than 1,000 words.
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I have to admit that I am a little worst than you because I check my tweets even in the middle of my sleep–that is whenever I got wakened up whether its by the calling of nature or by the sudden disruption! LOL I also check my fb and my whatsapp!
Jen.
ROFLMAO! I love the last sentence! I'm so proud of myself! 1000 words! Woah! ;-p
Seriously… Great post and a nice insight on you and your twitter life. I also loved the UFM… LOL cool one! 🙂
And the cutest thing? You are shy? Awww! (^_^)
Hi Aaron,
1000 words read and appreciated! I agree, Twitter is a great tool for connecting with people around the world. You never know where you'll end up?! I landed here, enjoyed the atmosphere and no airfare was required.
Cheers!
Thank you Aaron for the wonderful article and just like you I check Twitter when I wake up LOL, I guess for us Twitter lovers that is one thing we have in common. I agree with you, that yes, we have our offline lives too, but if we like connecting online it is our choice, if we love meeting people from all over the world, Twitter is one of the best platforms there is.
Building relationships on Twitter is not really hard, most specially if they have you as a good friend on their stream! 😀
I do the same when I wake up in the morning 🙂 love Twitter – met some great and wondeful people from there – and they are noe good friends not only on twitter but iRL as well.
Fab article Aaron. Although I have been on Twitter for 6 months now I still find it really hard to get the right balance to connect with people without looking like you are stalking them so your advice and reassurance is much appreciated.
And yes I do check as soon as I wake up and yes, I do feel guilty about it, at least I now know I am not alone.
Cheers
Tony
Great tips, Aaron. My tip also is to show appreciation to whoever retweets your tweet, blog post, or article. Cos it will make the person know you appreciate what he or she did, and thus will cause the person to have the urge of doing it more often :).
There are people who don't check on Twitter the minute they get up?? O___O L0L
Anyway, to others reading, I can attest to Aaron's being extremely approachable. He always replies and helps – and he has made my Twitter experience so much more enjoyable 🙂
Aaron, this post is GREAT and it touches on some things I was discussing with a friend a few nights ago. I am honored that you included me and that you think I'm so funny. Hopefully, you didn't mean funny looking ;). Your tips are right on! Thank you for sharing yourself and your words with the world! My Twitter experience would be severely lacking without you 🙂
Agree. Twitter ties up me and my university friends together.
Aaron, great post! I'm so honored to be mentioned here. You're one of a small group of people who has made an effort to establish a friendship with me beyond the Twitter time line. Getting to know you (Alex, too!) has been a pure joy, and I truly hope you will one day visit me here in Seattle so I can give you (((HUGS))) in person! Keep up the good work 🙂
Hi buddy 🙂
I am very glad and also honored to be mentioned here. I never taught that my helping nature for everyone will bring me here in your awesome post. I always admire my grandpa who used to tell me “Keep on doing good,never think of results”.
Thanks for making me remember my grandpa 🙂 , As always I do follow your tips and words, But one question which always strikes me is “Asking for RT through DM” is a good sign of a twitter user ?? 🙂
Waiting for your reply 🙂
You put the A in Awesome, Aaron. Not just a gem to behold – you are a twittering trailblazer, informative and excellently crafted blogger whose articles bring knowledge and joy to all of us every day. Very happy to know you as a friend and learn from the best!
Kudos here. Love your writings.
Aaron, I love this entire post! It shows your heart behind your Tweeting. I particularly like the “Connect with 5 People” …and I intend to make sure to do JUST that: seek out those I haven't hugged (*wink*) or laughed or chatted with in a while to let them know I still dig them muuchly 🙂 It's almost like a real life “pop in” but I won't see the dishes in the sink or the laundry being folded on the sofa. heehee Keep them coming Aaron, and thank you in a BIG way for mentioning me. So glad you feel my hugs from such a long distance! ((((huug))))
Aaron, I am amazed at what you have accomplished in a year and a half using twitter (especially while still in school). I've been on twitter for about the same amount of time and been in business for decades yet I have learned a lot of valuable things from you. You are a talented communicator and I can only imagine what you will accomplish in the years ahead with your ever-growing community of friends and social media contacts.
Keep up the great work and I'll keep following your lead Aaron. Thanks for all you share.
Dear Gina,
thank you so much for leaving a comment on my blog and being on of my first few readers on my blog. Here is a big hugs for you ~hugs~
Thank you so much Krys,
Can i say you put the K in KISS 🙂 thank you so much for being such a great friend, glad we met and talked on twitter ~hugs~
Dear Jen,
Now I know that I am not alone 🙂
Dear Billy,
thank you so much for taking the time and leaving a comment. Appreciate it a lot mate. Also thanks for the support and being part of my blog reader. I appreciate that too. Don't just learn from me mate, teach me stuff too 🙂 i love to learn 🙂
(((Aaron!!!!))) You're checking in!!! :))) You are so very missed…I always have big hugs and admiration and love for you! Hope you are doing well and know that we think about you often. Thank you for hugs 🙂 MWUAH! G