Twitter eBook Project

by Justin McCullough on April 18, 2010

Friends and fellow twitter rockstars, I know many exist, but not a single one of them includes you and us in a format like this. Let’s make an eBook together.  I’m happy to put it together, and distribute it back out to the contributors.

All you need to do:
Contribute 300 words or less
in the form of best practices,
a quote, advice, top 10 list,
or blog post.

All contributors recognized with:
twitter link, website link and twitter avatar displayed next to contribution.

Purpose:
Provide newbies and folks who are struggling to embrace twitter with short, concise, helpful instruction on what twitter is and how to use it.  In short, this will help tell folks what we wish they knew about twitter so they are more fun, engaging, and twitter friendly!

And yep, if you only want to do it to promote you personal brand, blog, or twitter link – that’s fine with me, just make sure to contribute something of value that will help new twitter users.

No One Person Owns This Ebook & Anyone Can Re-Purpose and Redistribute:
You agree to allow others to share and distribute the completed ebook. You agree to let others re-purpose the content so long as it keeps your contribution and recognition in tact.  You agree that anyone can take your contribution and put it in a different format such as a blog post so long as they credit you as the source.

Submission info:
Submit here at leader4hire.net/twitter-ebook-project in comments or email directly to me at leader4hire (at) Yahoo (dotcom).  Or if you want, blog your contribution and email, DM, me or comment the link to your blog and I’ll pull your contribution from your blog post. Hey, I’m flexible, so lets do it and have fun!

And, I’m trying to make this as simple, straight-forward, and concise as possible, so just bang it out and send it over – I’ll get it back to you asap.

Deadline
One last thing.  Since it’s only 300 words or less and this is a subject that you are undoubtedly comfortable with, lets have all submissions in by April 30th. (We’ll keep it open a bit longer, keep ‘em comin!) Thanks!


  • http://idea2opportunity.com/ Jason Kellie

    Kewl! Having just started on Twitter Novemberish of 09 I'm still a n00b but I'd be happy to contribute some things I've learned the hard way. I've gotta admit that I really wish this ebook would have existed BEFORE I made those mistakes. :)

    Thanks for all you do Justin!

  • http://will.crosscutcommunications.com William Reichard

    The best advice I could give for those just starting on Twitter is this: Twitter can be incredibly fun, but it's going to take a little time. I was a skeptic too and got involved only in the second major wave of Twitter. In the beginning, it's best of think of it as pure entertainment. Just plan to wander (happily) for a while amid scenes of incredible bustle as you get your legs.

    At first, it's a little like being teleported to Times Square after growing up on a deserted island. You have to know there are riches to be found there and that it's safe and that, in time, it becomes an amazing source of information, feedback, personal and professional support, and connection. It's different from almost anything you've tried before, so plan to give yourself some time to truly evaluate it. Look for the people who make it a point to help others, and they'll help you too. It's a remarkably friendly and polite culture. In fact, one of the great strengths of Twitter is that it doesn't require relationships to be two-way, so you can meet new people very easily–it's built into the culture.

    Twitter rocks if you can invest a little time in learning the ropes! Hope you can join us.

  • http://MohammedAltaee.com Mohammed Al-Taee, PMP

    Great Idea Justin …

    Quote: “Anyone not busy learning is busy dying.” ~ Felx Dennis

    Advice 1: Favorite #FollowFriday #FF tweets and use it as a testimonials in your resume or Blog.

    Ex: http://twitter.com/maltaee/favorites

    Details: http://altaeeblog.com/dont-have-a-testimonial-yet-try-twitter-testimonials

    Advice 2: Use your Twitter feeds in your identity website.

    Ex: http://MohammedAltaee.com

    Advice 3: Make each tweet memorable, don’t just say Thanks or hi! Also, try to include part of old tweets in the new one if it’s conversational or chat. Make everyone understand your tweets. GET THEM IN :)

    Blog Post: http://altaeeblog.com/how-to-wow-your-twitter-profile

    Good Luck!

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  • http://www.BrendanWenzel.net/ Brendan Wenzel
  • Misako Lauritzen

    Hi Justin! This is really fun! Let me think if I can come up with something… You are so awesome, creating a community of passion and facilitating our contribution to the world. Thanks.

  • http://www.humorcarbons.com Humorcarbons

    To succeed at tweeting, u need to reciprocate. If someone follows u, reciprocate by becoming a follower. If someone Retweets ur Tweet, do the same when u feel its the right content to Retweet. And don't forget to thank you your followers for retweets.

  • http://twitter.com/MarkBrimm Mark Brimm

    My Shortened Guide for Using Twitter for Business
    (by @MarkBrimm)

    The big temptation in Twitter is to jump headlong into taxing projects and learn the ropes later. You can do this, but it's good to go slow down and experiment a while in a safe environment. The important thing is NOT to merely focus on ramping up followers and subscribers like a superhero out of the gate. Quality follows are everything, and software can't teach you how to use it wisely. Slow down for the good of your cause.

    The important thing to stay focused on what you hope to accomplish with social media tools like Twitter in the first place, and to have fun learning. If you are in business for yourself, or want to be, listen to me carefully: you are NOT “doing it wrong”, no matter what anyone tells you! Never let anyone stunt your creative process. We are a becoming, not a born-finished product. No two people use Twitter in the same way, because we're not robots, we're individuals. Any social media guru worth listening to will empower you and energize you to explore your own style and what will work for you, not attempt to shut you down with preconceived, static rules based on their own personality type and inner resources.

    For more in-depth perspectives, see Marcana.com or my social media blog, MarkBrimm.com. Meanwhile, here is my 4-step simplified Twitter learning process for the easily stressed, designed to impart how easy it can be to start learning–and using–Twitter for your cause) :

    1) Experiment with every new social media item that comes out–under an experimental profile, not your “main” one.
    2) Learn from your experiments and from those of others.
    3) Plan your “big” social media projects AFTER you have your bearings, not before.
    4) Rinse and repeat!

  • berniebay

    Hey Justin,
    I wrote a blog post and published it as a Knol article last year. Feel free to repurpose it.
    http://knol.google.com/k/twitter-and-tweet-from…

    However, the post is more than 30o words. So, here's the shortened version.

    Be interesting. Post remarks others may find interesting. No one is interested in where you are.

    Share links. Post links to good articles. Share, share, share. Mom taught you that, didn't she?

    Re-tweet. Showing Twitter love is through the re-tweet. It's the ultimate compliment on Twitter.

    Use Direct Messaging (DM) wisely. A DM is a private message. Use it sparingly but wisely.

    Don't auto DM new followers with a sales pitch. I often unfollow someone I followed if they DM me with a sales pitch and a link to their get rich quick scheme. Barf!

    Hope this is helpful.
    Cheers,
    Bernie Borges

  • sheilazaldivar

    Hi Justin … I just discovered your site via Michelle Mangen's facebook!

    I'm not sure if this is within the scope of your ebook, but I did several posts on how to customize twitter. 3 easy to follow tutorials for online freelancers/ virtual assistants. Perhaps you can have a look and decide. Meanwhile, I'll browse around your site. Thanks

    Downloadable Slideshare/PDF files for the 3 tutorials
    http://createownwebsite.vatrainingonline.com/cu…

    18 Resources that helps customize twitter
    http://createownwebsite.vatrainingonline.com/re…

  • http://www.mikemerrill.com Mike D. Merrill

    Here you go Justin. “What to Share on Twitter”
    http://mikemerrill.com/wordpress/2010/04/what-t…

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Hi Sheila,
    Thanks for jumping in. I reviewed the links you provided and it looks like great content and very useful. In this ebook, I'm looking to share best practices, advice on how to use twitter, and things that will help a new twitter user embrace twitter and use the tool for engagement. If you have anything along those lines, I would love to included it. The links you gave above are great – just not sure how to fit it in to still be on topic.

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Great post Mike. Got it!

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Hey Bernie,
    Your Knol article is great. This shorter version posted above is more in tune with the length I have in mind. I'll find the happy medium between the two for the ebook. Thanks Bernie!

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Nice contribution Mark! Which website do you want me to list – marcana.com or markbrimm.com ?

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Hi Mateen, Thanks for the advice for the ebook. What is your twitter name so I can include it in the ebook?

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Thanks Misako. I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions!

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Will,
    Thanks for the post, it'll be included in the ebook!

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Mohommad, Thanks for sharing your thoughts for the ebook. Nicely done.

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Ha! Well, now you can make an impact on the new wave of users :)

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Thanks Brendan, Just grabbed it. Good stuff.

  • http://www.BrendanWenzel.net/ Brendan Wenzel

    The favorites idea is a very good one. I always favorite tweets when people say something really good about me.

  • berniebay

    Thanks for the opp to contribute. Keep up the great content!

    Regards,
    Bernie

  • http://www.marcana.com Mark Brimm
  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Dave-Barger/902650303 Dave Barger

    Great to meet at #SobCon. Here's my 33rd day entry:

    Broadcast Bologna.

    In the social realm there are several online cocktail party social networks, the biggest being Twitter. Many people that have been there for a while, have an expectation of participation versus being broadcasted to.

    Much of the broadcasting I’m referring to is the online Command Center “one post gets you everywhere” method of a getting a message out. These services let you make one update and it automatically posts to multiple social networks for you. It is in effect broadcasting an illusion of participation. It’s not about a conversation at this point, or a relationship, it’s just broadcasting. Or as Joseph Jaffe put it in a podcast with Jeremiah Owyang, it’s “communication not conversation”.

    Because the broadcaster isn’t actually in the network participating in the conversation, it’s akin to direct mail, broadcast email or texting. This is not genuine and far from authentic. I’ll cave to the fact that my definition of genuine in these networks may be old fashioned in a traditional 2.0 sense, but right now, I still enjoy remembering when I’m on Twitter, that I am in fact “on twitter” participating in a conversation. I enjoyed the illusion of seeing a tweet and thinking there is a person in this conversation with me. NOT some social version of the ‘man behind the curtain pulling levers’ and hitting the “broadcast” button.

    If your traditional mindset has you viewing these online communities as one more place you can direct your commercialized ray-gun megaphone, please rethink your approach. Drop your weapons and go hand-in-hand, this is not combat. You don't get to power or automate the conversation.

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Excellent contribution Dave! Thank you!

  • http://twitter.com/SheilaS Sheila Scarborough

    Twitter is your own handpicked group of interesting people tweeting interesting things, across all time zones, in lots of countries, all day and all night.

    This is what makes Twitter a magnificent source of knowledge and the most powerful network you've ever had if you pick the right people to follow….and also a magnificent low vacuum area time-suck for your entire freakin' life.

    Log into Twitter and it's ALWAYS hopping. If you're in the U.S., when you start your day the Europeans are about 8 hours ahead in tweeting cool stuff. If you're up too late, the fun Aussies and everybody in Asia piles on Twitter and keeps you up all night with their links and insights.

    It'll kill you if you aren't careful.

    Get in, but set a timer and get out when you have to. I speak from painful experience of many “wasted days and wasted nights.”

    If it's important enough and you're following the right plugged-in people, that key link or info nugget will find you. Trust me.

  • http://twitter.com/missdestructo Miss Destructo

    Here’s my submission: How To Be A Social Media Superhero. http://missdestructo.com/2009/06/how-to-be-a-social-media-superhero/

  • mmangen

    Sheila – so glad you found Justin's site through my Facebook post. He's a great guy!

  • mmangen

    Justin:

    Oh where to start!?

    Advice I'd give to people just starting out would include:

    1. Commit to spending at least two 15 minute segments on your account per day. Spend that time either finding new people to follow, retweeting stuff that resonates with you that others have posted, jumping in on a conversation or reading a blog of one of your followers and commenting (publicly with why you like it as well as the link).

    2. Find a tool that works for you – such as HootSuite, MyVBO, Pluggio, TweetDeck or Seesmic and get comfortable with it. Many also allow you to connect your Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.

    3. If you are interested in finding people to follow set up a keyword search in SocialOomph and have the results delivered to you, via email, on a daily basis (you can use this for locations, special interests, etc.). When you follow those people reach out to them – comment on some status update they recently sent out

    4. As much as it's a cliche and seemingly over-used people love quotes and affirmations and those are the highest RT'd items on Twitter.

    5. Only very, very sparingly “broadcast” about yourself….don't be the pushy salesperson

  • http://www.leader4hire.net Leader4hire

    Great advice Michelle. Thank you!

  • bencurnett

    Hi Justin. Haven't connected since SOBCon, good to see you again. Here's my addition:

    Follow a twitter mentor. Let that person know that you like the way they use the platform, and that you're trying to learn from them. If twitter is about connections that lead where you want to go, use it to connect with someone you see as a leader, and go there.

  • http://ernohannink.com ernohannink

    Why do you want to Twitter?

    What is Twitter – is not very difficult to explain. You can also find great tutorials of How you can use Twitter. The most important question is of course Why you want to use Twitter.

    Why do you want to use Twitter has a relation with Why you are in business, Why do you get up in the morning. What is it that you bring to this world that makes it a better place for the people around you?

    When you have the answer to that “Why?”, Twitter is a great platform to spread your message and find fans. Please remember that your website or blog on your own domain hosted by yourself is your first platform, your hub. Do not build a movement on a platform that is not yours because the risk that it will not be there one day is just to big.

    Why is Twitter such a great platform? You have only 140 characters to bring your message. Fans or haters have only 140 characters to respond to your message. You have to think about what you want to say because you only have 140 characters. It is easy to write book, but it is difficult to remove enough words so that the book becomes outstanding. So you have to think really hard what you want to say in 140 characters that will touch the people around you.

    Reading @lizstrauss' tweets you will probably understand what I mean here.

    So here is the 3 step plan:
    1. Find your answer to the WHY? question.
    2. Build your website or blog, your HUB, to spread your message
    3. Attract FANS on a platform like Twitter to come to your hub.

    This way you will build trust with your followers. Once we trust you, we can start to LOVE you. When people LOVE you they will follow you.

  • http://ernohannink.com ernohannink

    So here is the full article on my site http://ernohannink.com/why-do-you-want-to-twitter/

  • bencurnett

    Hi Justin. Haven't connected since SOBCon, good to see you again. Here's my addition:

    Follow a twitter mentor. Let that person know that you like the way they use the platform, and that you're trying to learn from them. If twitter is about connections that lead where you want to go, use it to connect with someone you see as a leader, and go there.