How to use Twitter as a networking tool – Part 1
Social Media Management
30 May 2013
How to use Twitter as a networking tool
An introduction to Twitter
Twitter is a much loved micro blogging tool used by business professionals the world over. One of the reasons why it is so popular is because of its character count limit of 140 characters. This means that updates must be short, punchy and to-the-point. No long updates, no in-depth discussions, no ‘waffle’.Whilst some see this as a huge limitation – sure, if you want to dive deep into conversation then Twitter is not the tool for you – many more see it as an incredibly powerful way of communicating with other like-minded business professionals. Being limited to such a short message means that ‘Tweets’ must be well thought out.
To help users find themed conversations faster, Twitter introduced the hyperlinking of hashtags (#) in mid 2009. Hashtags in Twitter categorise conversations and therefore allow users to search and categorise by hashtag(s), an example being the London 2012 Olympics could be followed via one of many hashtags including #London2012.
If you’re a busy professional with limited availability then Twitter could just be the tool for you. It is easy to setup, only requiring you to enter your name, email address, password and a username, AKA Twitter handle, e.g. @careerintel. Your handle is unique to you, so anyone who adds your handle with the ‘@’ before it to a tweet will be including you publicly in that tweet, and you will be notified of this message.
How can Twitter work for me as a business professional?
There are many uses for Twitter, which include connecting with like-minded industry professionals, friends, family and colleagues, but other beneficial reasons could be to connect with news channel accounts, e.g. The Times or Gulf News. By following a Twitter user account you will automatically receive their updates (known as ‘Tweets’) in your news feed. This allows for a live update of Tweets throughout the day – the more users you follow, especially if they’re very active users, the more updates you will see in your feed. Whilst many of us would like to sit down and read the newspaper every morning at breakfast there often isn’t time, but with Twitter you can quickly scroll through your news feed, and if you were to follow the top news network accounts, you would be updated with the current headlines and breaking news! You can also create Twitter lists, which act like a group of users, so that you can follow specific groups of users and gain updates from a particular group of users, such as business colleagues or friends & family.
From a business point-of-view, Twitter can be used in a number of ways, including as a business networking tool. An example of this could be using Twitter to connect with fellow business professionals and industry peers who are going to the same event as you in the near future. You might want to discuss the event, arrange some one-to-one meetings or just keep up-to-date with the conversation surrounding the event, so networking via Twitter could present you with some invaluable opportunities to do so. The easiest way to go about this is to check out the event’s website and social media channels. You will most likely find that they too have a Twitter account and they might even have created their own hashtag. By connecting with the event’s Twitter account, starting a conversation with them and searching Tweets containing their hashtag you can quickly gain access to relevant Tweets and Twitter users. You can then continue to track this hashtag and use it yourself during the build-up to the event, at the event and post-event. An example of using a hashtag and connecting with the Twitter account of an event would be, “Heading to the @XEvent next week. Any Media professionals attending? #XEvent2013″.
How Can I Make The Most Out of My Connections?
As mentioned above, Twitter is a powerful networking tool that can be used effectively at events and industry meet-ups as it allows people with a common interest (and in this case, the event) to discover each other and meet up. The aim with Twitter – from the point of view of a business professional using it as a networking tool – is to build an engaged following and build connections with like-minded professionals. In some cases it will be possible to connect with your high value connections on a one-to-one basis, such as a meet-up at an event you’re attending.
You should look at Twitter as the starting point and see it as your introduction tool, so that you can turn high value connections into real-life personal connections. Whether the person be a fellow industry professional, an industry thought leader, a potential employer or even a recruiter/ headhunter, Twitter provides a mutual ground from which to build upon your connection, allowing you to nurture your relationship in a way and at a speed that you feel comfortable with. This is less pressurised than a one-to-one meeting with someone you’ve never met before at an event/ meeting where you’re limited to a very short time frame and you have to be very quick on your feet if you’re to make a great and lasting first impression.
Understanding the Twitter protocols and language is just as important as understanding what it is capable of. Business and professional language via email has changed and been adapted over the years . In the early days of email, people would write them in a similar way to a formal letter, but over the years they have become much less formal. With the introduction of social networks such as Twitter, the tone of language has adapted once again. This is partly due to the nature of this social network, but also the character limit (140 characters), so ensuring that you understand the acceptable terminologies and commonly accepted practices in a professional context is key. Below are some examples of how a variety of Senior Executives are constructing their Tweets:
Musk: Mainstream Tesla Model 3-4 Years Out, Will Be 20 Percent Smaller than Model S http://flip.it/QsenH
Peter Aceto
@CEO_INGDIRECT
Listening to Sarah Sajedi CEO discussing challenges of being a woman in technology. Wonderful leader. #CATAGala2013 pic.twitter.com/ErLlOw9E9e
Andrew Lark
@kiwilark
Great day in San Fran. Visited ETNZ, Dalts and the team doing an amazing job. Boats r stunning. Sponsors should be proud #EMiratesTeamNZ
