We've all heard of "Word of Mouth" marketing, but have you stopped to consider the worth in your words? Today I realized the phrase "Worth of Mouth", which I presume was a Freudian translation.
Twitter is utilized as a part of our web presence solutions and being out there in the world of social media on a daily basis, I see many who are providing social networking tips, specifically for Twitter as of late.
Although the service has been around since 2006, there is a continuous stream of people from all over the world who are joining the network.
Twitter prompts users with the question, "What are you doing?" and "Answers must be under 140 characters in length and can be sent via mobile texting, instant message, or the web.
" This is an opportunity to use "word of mouth" marketing in a whole new way via technology.
But in a time where information can be obtained in a matter of seconds, if not instantly, it's important to think about the value in your updates.
Is your update something that your connections would be interested in or can relate to? Is it helpful in some way? It's also important to remember that people use Twitter for many different reasons - whether it's to stay connected with friends, family, media, making business connections or spreading the word about a product, service, event or worthy organization.
Not everyone is there for the same reason, and that holds true in the Social Networking world as well.
If you have a product or service and all you ever do is link to that product or service in your updates, you might find that you'll be ignored by many.
I find that if you're using Social Networking tools for business, it is critical to balance your updates with a nice mix of personal greetings and communications as well as informational and promotional updates.
Your followers will appreciate the fact that your brand is friendly, approachable, and personable.
My personal Twitter tip is this: If you are new to Twitter, and you own a business, you must have a Public profile.
Private profiles are an option on the service, but are best used for those who only wish to communicate with those they know personally.
If you want to get the word out about your business, you have to participate on the Public stream.
Always take time to preview your new follower's profiles and make sure they are legitimate - this includes previewing their photo, bio and tweet history.
If something doesn't look right to you, you have the power to block them.
Be courteous of legitimate followers and follow them back.
Note that they will not be able to send a "DM" (direct message) to you unless you are following them in return, and you might find that this simple reciprocation could be a great help to you someday.
Be sure to recognize your connections, what their interests are and why you're connected.
Try to provide them with valuable updates, share interesting thoughts and enjoy the fact that you're connected to one another - nurturing those connections, just as you would any friend, in the best way you can.