Do you have a Twitter account yet? Do you use it? What I know about twitter I learned from Michelle Schaeffer the co-host of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I attended a free video conference a while back and she gave tips and tools on how she uses twitter. You can find her Twitter toolkit on her blog.
This will take you through what Twitter is, how to use it and how best to use it for marketing your blog. You’ll find a number of video tutorials on how to make a Twitter list as well as how to follow people.
Back when I started on Twitter I really didn’t see the point of it. I don’t have an iPhone or even texting so I don’t use it on the go. I only use in on my desktop. It totally makes since to me to have 140 character posts when your out and about.
A Lesson About Carefully Reading the Terms of Service
Recently I opened another twitter account for this blog (@crochetbusiness). I started following people from my first account that I knew. They followed me back and I thought everything was okay. I started tweeting some blog posts and replying to some messages. The next day when I tried to use my account it had the little ribbon on top that said “your account has been suspended“. I was floored – sad – and a little depressed.
I had to ask my 17 year old what I did wrong. I wasn’t doing anything different than what I do with my original account. He told me it was because all I was doing was posting links to blog posts or to other peoples posts. Okay. I amended this behavior by adding tips for crochet blogging without a link.
I read an article on Twitter etiquette which said I should thank people for RT’s and following. I did that. The following day the little suspension ribbon is on the account again. Apparently since I only had 20 followers and I was commenting numerous times and following people back that was suspicious behavior. Oh, but that’s not all, oh no.
In the terms of service there is a little clause that states:
Serial Accounts: You may not create serial accounts for disruptive or abusive purposes, or with overlapping use cases. Mass account creation may result in suspension of all related accounts. Please note that any violation of the Twitter Rules is cause for permanent suspension of all accounts.
I unknowingly was a “mass account creator with overlapping use cases“. I had an account for each of my blogs. I have since disabled those accounts but the @crochetbusiness account is not able to be suspended. I have to appeal the decision in order to get it un-suspended in order for me to close the account. I think that’s silly but it goes to show you that you need to read those terms and know the rules in order to play.
Conclusion:
I still doubt my Twitter usage, am I posting too many links am i a ‘gulp’ spammer?
Twitter thinks so:
“If your updates consist mainly of links, and not personal updates;” and “If you post duplicate content over multiple accounts or multiple duplicate updates on one account;”
My son thinks so. He says that Twitter is for communicating with people and every now and again you can share a link. Twitter states that it isn’t a social media network but rather an information network. I don’t know because just about everyone I follow shares links to their articles, their blogs, their etsy shops etc…
For now, I have to refer you to Michelle because she seems to know the strokes of Twitter. I on the other hand am a Twitflop.
Update: 7/7/2012
I just received a note from Twitter stated that my account was included in an automatic cleanse of suspect accounts and that my account should be re-opened within a couple of hours. I will still delete it and use only one account but this is definitely going into my “lessons learned” file.
Today’s Assignment:
Set up a Twitter account, read the terms Today’s post is “Tweet My Bell”
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Join the 31 Days of Crochet Blogging July 2012, Buy the eBook Hooking for Cash and visit us on Facebook and Twitter. #crochetbusiness
Linking up with the Ultimate Blog Challenge July 2012 – Won’t you Join Us? #blogboost
About Sara Duggan
I'm impressed that people can manage multiple accounts. I can barely handle my one.
Thanks for sharing what you learned. I never read the TOS – I'd rather have someone just tell me the Cliff Notes version. There's just so much information out there that I have to wonder how much I can take into my brain.
Kimberly
I have 6 Twitter accounts, but I only use 2 regularly. They display different info and what-not and are for different businesses and different markets. I will be gearing up a third one late this year, but it will be all automated all the time.
An easy way to not include links all the time is just to put in motivational quotes. I do that regularly (okay, my VA does it), and so that's probably why I haven't been suspended. Possibly the only reason.
I don't tend to read all the TOS because it often turns out to be BS that companies change all the time. Good to know, and sorry you got suspended. But now you can just say you're a Twitter Rebel!
@Kimberly, I try to read the tos when I sign up but after that initial time I rarely reread it. They did get back to me and said it was a mistake – that my account got looped in one of their auto suspensions but after happening twice, I decided to only have one account.
@Ame, 6 is a huge number – That is what I was doing – an account for each blog but the blogs were on similar subjects (crochet) so I'm thinking that had something to do with it. I have started included just quotes or notes without links.
That is rough but thanks for sharing the info Sara. I have one account and I've had networked blogs posting my blog posts but I'm getting ready to stop that. I tweet and RT a lot of links but I use HootSuite (paid version) to schedule out quotes x2 a day. I bet that has been my only saving grace…. Even at that… I rotate between lists of quotes so perhaps I should make some more so they don't repeat that often. I think right now it's about every 45-50ish days one will repeat. Yikes.