help! i'm on twitter, but i don't know what to do!

The title of this blog is an actual question that came via email last night!

Over the past month Twitter has gone from "broad niche" (which is usually when I get involved in things!) to "everywhere"!

I started Twittering on January 20th, both personally (@janetfrasier) and for the Museum (@UMNH). I started because I wanted to hear what what going on, and have spent the past two months “finding my voice”, both in my personal Twitter network and that of the Museum

As I've said before, my first questions of anyone wanting help venturing into any form of social media is:

• What is it you are trying to accomplish??

• Why are you doing this particular tool or network?

• With whom are you trying to connect??

I have entered into Social Media (Facebook since April '08 and Twitter since January '09) quietly and slowly with eyes and ears wide open in order to develop the answers to those questions. I think social media is by its nature “social” and must be learned at a personal level, must be handled at a personal level.

Social media is a potentially powerful tool to provide public individuals and institutions a way to become personal — allows us to take people behind the entrance gate, the admissions desk, the exhibits, the platform, the public persona, the prepared speech, the edited column, the final broadcast. At least this is my instinct. Time will tell on how “effective” it is.

Corporations and public institutions must NOT use it as a place to deliver the corporate message — that’s boring. That’s NOT personal. That’s an insult to me. In the world of social media it is really, really, really easy to “stop following”, so if you are irrelevant, well “Click”!

Twitter Tips, Tools, Status — they send out a lot (too much, but about every 2 – 3 days they send a link that it is really informative. They comb blogs, etc. so it is an easier way to find information about Twitter (there was one directed to new users from a couple of weeks ago that I will find for you...)

I’m in Twitter primarily to (a) build local connections to the Museum, (b) to learn the “ju-ju” on how young mothers (my target audience to “get into the Museum today!”) are using it and (c) to track how other museums, museum professionals, tourism destinations, etc. are using it.

If you are a NPR fan, follow @nprscottsimon. I like the way he is using it, enjoy listening to the Saturday morning broadcast having a feeling of knowing the back story. Note: pay attention to how the Twitter experience makes you FEEL...I think developing your own personal instinct is important in helping you answer the “what is the job here” questions.

There are other things to consider:

• How are YOU accessing/checking/interacting with Twitter — desktop computer vs. handheld? How are your users most-likely checking it? The fact that I use an iPhone has shaped the way that I send info from the Museum. I don't like having to link to other sites for the info -- I want it all there in the 140 characters! I want the instant gratification of the Tweet without having to go further! Occassionally something is so intriguing to me that I'll check it from the iPhone (slow but okay if I have time), or will check later from my desktop.
  

• There are many, many, many third party tools that enable you to manage your Tweets — particularly good if you are managing multiple account. I use HootSuite.com, which I’ve been happy with so far. The amazing thing about this space is the rapid product development! I’ve been tweeting for 8 weeks and HootSuite has already done 2 or 3 major product revisions that have made it easier to use!

• Authenticity — if your client is using this to create a personal connection with constituents, but then has someone tweeting for him, it better not show!! Everyone accepts that President Obama is not really emailing, tweeting or messaging me in Facebook. But don't insult us! I recently read an example of John Edwards sending out a tweet right before a debate: he was ON CAMERA as the debate was warming up, hands FIRMLY and VISIBLY on the podium, and a tweet went out to followers — from him. Not cool in TweetLand!! Phoney. (Think how cool it would have been if you could have seen him tweeting on camera! But that was a different era!!)
  

• I am finding that my time on Twitter is expanding my network in a few key ways — I’ll share that at another time..

• Don't let anyone tell you "Just hire an 18 year old" to run your Twitter account! It bugs me that professionals of our age and stature leave social and new media “to the 18 year olds”. We must own them for ourselves! Why else would the fast growing demographic be 35+. The 18 yearsolds are doing something else, we need to watch them to be ready for the next thing! But these tools are here to stay, one way or another. I have theories about that too!

Please weigh in on your experiences!