Fluent Simplicity

What is needed to succeed on Twitter? Let’s cut through the posts concerning tools and case studies and distill the essential elements. First off: Let’s get in the right mindset. Twitter – or any microblogging platform – is a channel for your organization. It’s not about technology, it’s about engagement.

I see four measurable elements in microblog use:

1. Frequency of posts — How active is the account?
2. Level of Interaction — Does the account holder interact with followers?
3. Type of Content — What is the general nature of the account? Promotional, news, et al?
4. Personality — The vibe and tone of the tweets… what would grab a stranger and make them follow?

All of these factors influence people to follow the account and form the basis for long term engagement. One factor that is perhaps the most difficult to describe and measure is personality (I’ve referred to this as the p-factor; yes, I like those types of monikers;-) Microblogging limits you to 140 characters, so you need to connect with the community. Take a look at the following tweet from @MarkDykeman:

Came across a field, from one of our legacy systems, named ISCRAP. Who says IT isn’t transparent?

If you read this Tweet, would you be motivated to click on his username and possibly follow the account? Now look at this version that I rewrote for comparison – talk about a wet blanket:

Came across a field, from one of our legacy systems, named ISCRAP. Need to examine ERD for further detail.

Is personality needed? Yes, for most uses. What are the exceptions? Recognized brands, political leaders and media channels to name a few. Does @BarackObama need to inject personality in tweets? With over 107,000 followers, the answer would be a resounding no. For those of us without an established offline image, personality contributes to the value proposition we offer followers. Is it possible to take personality too far? Look around on Twitter… I won’t start any flame wars by listing them here;-)