Do you remember when you first started using Twitter? I don’t mean when you first set up your Twitter account, but when you started tracking with Twitter on a regular basis?

It’s just been a couple of weeks since social media guru Melody Jones @SocMediaMelody tutored me in Twitter 101. Since that time, I have systemically assigned all those I follow on Twitter into lists. I have tweeted more, and I have started to more frequently used the @ and # symbols.

OK, for those of you who are pros at using Twitter, I know all this sounds pretty darn basic, but heck, we all have to start with the basics every time we learn something new.

Another thing I need to remind myself is that I can jump into a social media site and get something out of it without having to understand its inner workings.

Too often we hold ourselves back from new experiences because we are afraid to make a mistake, afraid we will look foolish, afraid that we will be laughed at.

Yet, like babies learning to walk by taking a few steps, falling down, taking a few more steps, until finally they walk without a fall, we find that eventually we can get the hang of something simply by giving it a go.

One of the aspects of Twitter that intrigues me is that (depending on your Twitter settings), anyone can follow you and you can follow anyone. I am so used to the protocol of LinkedIn or Facebook, where you can’t connect with someone until they agree. (OK, I know you can subscribe to someone on Facebook, but to that doesn’t appeal to me. I like to have Facebook be a two-day deal, not just me seeing what someone else is up to without them knowing who I am.)

What is tricky for me with Twitter is sorting out who I really want to follow and for what reason. I am still sorting that out.

How do you make these decisions and how to you use Twitter?

Janet Reese @bikeswimhike, a regular reader of this blog, had this to say about Twitter:

“I like using Twitter. It’s more open and less personal than Facebook; a good platform to share your political or other opinions/interests without alienating friends with differing beliefs… On Twitter, just follow those you’re interested in, and also those you want as followers yourself. You can follow and unfollow simply with a click. I change up the mix whenever I want…. Most of those I follow I don’t know personally, but I’m interested in their topics. …I also like seeing what and how people post their 140-character comments–a good study and Interesting!”

As a relative newcomer to active use of Twitter, I would love to hear from others about their approach to Twitter.

 

Joyce Feustel, Founder

Boomers’ Social Media Tutor

www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com