Proper Twitter Etiquette

Let’s make one thing clear – I love Twitter! And my followers on Twitter are fantastic! But not everyone is like me. I find there are two types of people: those who love Twitter and those who hate it. There is hardly a middle ground. And those who fall into the “love” category are quick to point out when one of the “others” do not follow proper Twitter etiquette.

Whether you are well versed, just getting started, or completely hate Twitter, you can’t deny that it’s a large part of the communications in today’s world. You can’t escape the fact that Twitter is here to stay (especially if they figure out how to monetize the darn thing). So knowing how to properly handle yourself on Twitter is a must for today’s internet users.

So before you crunch down your message to 140 characters or less (and retweet this article!), check out my top 3 Quick and Dirty Tips for proper Twitter etiquette:

Tip #1 – Know the Vernacular

I get that not everyone is a fan of Twitter, I do. I blame that mainly on the funky vernacular associated with it. From retweets, to Direct Messages (DMs), to “Why are you using the @ symbol?” to hashtags, Twitter has a certain language of its own that, if you open yourself up to it, is quite easy to follow. In fact, you don’t even have to have a million followers to understand that a tweet is a message and retweet is like forwarding your message to all your friends (in a nut shell). There are the two key features of Twitter, just to get you started. But if you are going to use Twitter, throwing around incorrect terminology is like ordering a Zima at a bar…or just buying Zima at all. It’s just something you don’t want to get caught doing.

For starters, if you want to really catch up on Twitter–speak, check out the Twitter Basics page that shows all the terms, what they mean, and how to use them properly. Do you have to memorize all of them? No way. But it’s still nice to know them so you can get by in a business conversation/meeting. Calling a tweet a “twit” or that you are “twitting” is like telling a fashion designer you are fan of “Lewis” Vuitton. You could hear the record skip.

After checking out the Basics page, talk to some friends, ask them how they use it, and see if they can help you learn the terms and how to use them better. It never hurts to learn another trick of the trade.

Tip #2 – Watch What You Post

I don’t think we need to point out all the details of “tweets gone bad”… but then again, it is kind of fun. From Anthony Weiner’s embarrassing photos that he sent over Twitter (yeah, that was a good idea!), to comedian Gilbert Gottfried’s improper tweet about the Tsunami victims, to random drunk tweets from every corner of the world – people keep forgetting that once something goes live on Twitter, it GOES LIVE! Yes, you can delete a tweet, but if someone already saw it (as was the case with Anthony Weiner, and a savvy journalist who picked it up) it stays on their feed, until they refresh or scroll away. So, the wise Twitter users usually take a screen shot of said tweet to use as ammo. In some cases it’s a good idea to let those who tweeted improperly suffer the consequences so they can’t run from their posting (yes, you Mr. Weiner). But in all cases, the best thing to do is to just watch what you send out into the Twittersphere.

Ranting online is always the quickest way to react to something. After all, you’re very brave behind that computer and quite bold when it comes to your opinions. As well, you find yourself rather hilarious and feel that everyone will surely get your sense of humor (as was the case with Gilbert). Still, it goes back to your childhood days when your mom said: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” This simple lesson is key in everyday life and also on Twitter. What happens if you DO want to be vocal? Then I say, have at it. Speak your mind and fight for your beliefs, but always remember that if you think you are going to offend someone, chances are they will be offended.

To add on, if you are going to tweet, don’t be a robot. By that, I mean don’t tweet the same thing over and over again. If you want to tweet the same issue or topic, that is fine, but mix it up. People will tune out if they feel like you’re trying to cram something down their throats repeatedly.

Tip #3 – Don’t Feel Pressured

The biggest complaint I get from people when they say they don’t want to get on Twitter, is “I don’t want to have to tell people what I ate for breakfast.” This is a way of dumbing down the impact and fun of Twitter. It’s like saying you won’t go to a restaurant because you don’t like one of their dishes, and don’t care to try anything else on the menu. Not every tweet you see will be poetic, philosophical, and enlightening. But that’s the beauty of Twitter: you don’t have to tweet every day and you don’t even need followers to keep up on things. Your Twitter feed is up to you to control and manage. If you are only interested in Northeastern politics, then just follow people and organizations that cover that. If you’re only interested in vegan cooking – well guess what, there are tons of vegans on Twitter and they’ll be happy to tell you about the latest awesome way to cook tofu.

Twitter is a chance to connect with people from all over the globe and see what else is going on in the world. But there is not law that says you HAVE to tweet. Nor is there a law that says you HAVE to have followers. I have one account that I use just to follow news trends. I tweet from it, yes, but not as much as I do from my Modern Manners Guy account. Mainly it’s just to keep up with news that interests me. It’s like reading the newspaper everyday – you don’t have to email the writer and say you liked the article, just because you read it. Twitter is an opt-in system. So if you are active, great! If not, no biggie. You can be a passive observer. Just don’t knock it until you try it.

Do you have a great story about improper Twitter etiquette? Post all the details in Comments below. 

As always, if you have another manners question, I look forward to hearing from you at manners@quickanddirtytips.com. Check out my Modern Manners Guy Facebook page, follow me on Twitter @MannersQDT. And of course, check back next week for more Modern Manners Guy tips.

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