So. Your Twitter posts are falling into a big black hole of nothing. You’re putting it out there but no one’s picking them up or sharing them.   What good is social media if you’re just spinning your wheels? What’s the use of having something to say if no one is listening?
Twitter is one of those social media beasts that does what it does very well – with the right blend of something interesting to say, hashtags and frequency, you can build a Twitter following Rhianna would envy. Believe us when we tell you, it is kind of a science. If your tweets aren’t going the distance and you feel like breaking up with Twitter, take a look at these common mistakes and see if you need to change your approach.

Common Twitter Mistakes

1. Old news. Remember, time is different in the Twitter world. If you’re just now tweeting an event that’s more than 48 hours old, you’ve missed the window. EVERYONE has been there before you. No one’s going to read it if it’s old. Stay current!
2. Inconsistency. Your audience is relying on a certain degree of predictability. Be relevant. For instance, if you’re trying to build your brand as a landscaper, tweet about landscaping. Building your audience is an exercise in trust – they’re looking to you as a subject matter expert. If you start tweeting about your political views, you’re going to lose the folks you’ve been working so hard to keep interested.
3. Crazy-town.  Coming right after relevance, remember to keep your opinions moderate. No one listens to a crank and chances are a social media savvy audience can sniff out any kind of extreme view faster than you can say Ron Paul.
4. Broken Links.  Make sure your links work. This is 101 level stuff but seriously, you’d be amazed how many people throw out broken links. There is nothing more irritating then getting all interested in a subject only to click on the provided link and end up with an error message. Argh!!
5. Hashtag Overuse. #too many hashtags #clutter #your tweets. #Keep it clean, #choose wisely. #probably not more than two or three #hashtags #for each tweet. #If you’re tempted, # to go overboard, #remember this and #just say no!!!
6. Lingo.  FYI, acronyms and in-group slang are seriously annoying. If you’re using Twitter to speak to a select group of folks in the know, that’s one thing. But if you’re trying to reach a broad audience, you need to keep your language inclusive. Failure to do so will send your audience MIA faster than you can spell it.
7. Irrelevance. Remember that your followers have their own audiences and are trying to build brands for themselves.  So as good as your marketing article is, a person tweeting about fashion may like it, but not want to RT or share it because it doesn’t fit their image.   If you focus on seeking out and following people who share your interests, you’ll be more likely to give them things they are looking for and want to share.   Check out our article on ManageFlitter to learn more about finding targeted followers.  And by the way, if you bought followers, odds of your quick-fanbase caring at all about what you have to say are slim to none!
8. Barriers on Content.  Please don’t link to content that hides behind a paywall or requires email or subscription. Yes, we know it happens but, as with broken links, content that isn’t accessible to everyone does not belong on Twitter. It’s like handing out invitations to only a few members of the group. . . that’s just rude! Keep your content party open to everyone.
9. Too long to Retweet.  Your tweet might fit into the required 140 Characters, but if it takes the whole thing, it’s less likely to get retweeted by people who might want to add a short comment or tag someone who might be interested.
10. Over-Recycled.  There is good content, and content repurposing – but do be careful that you don’t overuse the same old content, or retweet the same things over and over.    People will notice when they look at your feed that you’re not staying fresh, and will be less likely to share or follow.

So those are some of our Big Ideas when it comes to using Twitter. Social media is a really useful tool and done right, you can generate interest, audience, sales and reputation. Start with this list and see if you need to make any changes. And remember, if you’ve got questions, we’re here to help. Get in touch!  (P.S. The author below says Jacqueline Drew – but this was a team effort with Tara Klager too- thanks Tara!).    FIND US ON TWITTER – CLICK HERE!