How To Behave on Twitter

A great conversation about measurement yesterday ended on Rachel Happe‘s blog, where she made a powerful point about how it all boils down to doing the right thing. I had some issues with that at scale (scroll down to her comments), but it’s hard to argue with the wisdom of her post.

Got me thinking about stuff we learn (or don’t learn) in the schoolyard as kids, and how important those lessons are in being effective in social media. I came across a great post by Liz Strauss, on how the best people on Twitter behave. Such people (quoting from her blog):

1. don’t seek to be the center of any universe.
2. find great conversations and get to know the people there.
3. realize that every venue has it’s own culture and rules.
4. do their own talking and their own listening.
5. talk mostly about the accomplishments of others.
6. ask intriguing questions that invite others to join the conversation.
7. don’t worry when folks don’t respond to something they say.
8. have time for new friends, talk to them, listen to them, read their sites and bios, ask them questions — avoid assumptions.
9. have a different conversation with every individual and every business.
10. take embarrassing or private conversations offline.
11. are inclusive and encourage folks who exclude people to exclude themselves.
12. shout out good news, help in emergencies, and celebrate with everyone.
13. say please, thank you, and you’re welcome, and mean them.
14. are incredibly curious about what works, what doesn’t work, seek feedback often, and look to improve what they do.
15. study the industry and trends, watch how things occur, share information about those freely, but never break a trust.
16. offer advice when people ask. Help whenever they can.
17. aren’t “shameless.” Ask for help in ways that folks are proud to pitch in.
18. are constantly connecting people and ideas in business conversations that are helpful, not hypeful.
19. get paid to strategize business, build tactical plans, but won’t “monetize” relationships.
20. ignore the trolls.
21. keep their promises.
22. can be transparent without being naked … most of us look and behave best in public with our clothes ON.
23. listen to the hive mind, but think their own thoughts.
24. send back channel “hellos” to friends when there’s no time to talk.
25. understand that the Internet is public and has no eraser.

She goes on to identify 25 people with these very same traits, like a who’s who of the enlightened Twitterati.

Brands venturing into this space would do well to take the same advice.

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Tagged as: happe, strauss, Twitter