Twitter has taken the social media world by storm. If you’re a travel writer and you’re not using Twitter, you don’t know what you’re missing! Almost everyone is on Twitter. Many organizations such as Travel Channel International and many other travel sites can be found on Twitter.
In a nutshell, Twitter is simply a form of what is called “micro-blogging” – a short post (no more than 140 characters) to let your “followers” know what you’re doing, what’s new with you, or how your day is going. It started as a way for groups of friends to keep in touch, and while it still is that, it’s also morphed into a way for businesses to update their customers, announce new products, solicit (and respond to) customer feedback, improve brand perception, and much more.
So what can Twitter do for you? For starters, it can dramatically broaden your audience quickly. By regularly “tweeting” about what’s new on your website, you’ll gain links quickly. I addition to being a good way to drive traffic to your website, you’ll gain contacts — some that may be of great value in your travel writing career. Remember that networking is part of the plan to grow your travel writing.
What we like
Here’s what we like about Twitter:
- Free to sign up with Twitter.
- You can (and should) customize your Twitter page.
- People can send you email.
- Fast and easy to use (most of the time).
- You can decline people if find their websites offensive — you have control.
- Twitter is a great place to “meet” other travel writers.
What we don’t like
Of course, there’s some stuff we don’t like about Twitter:
- Seems to be over capacity some of the time with Tweets.
- Some people may follow you, but their website may not be relevant to yours.
- You may feel obligated to follow people because they are following you.
- Some occasional technical issues, such as difficulty changing picture or design.
Tips & Tricks
- Follow people that are relevant to your website or niche.
- Pick a unique layout — match the look and colors to your website if you have one.
- Build relationships with people. Visit their website and leave comments on blog posts or articles ( Read our post: 10 Secrets to Leaving a Comment on a Travel Blog [2]).
- Tweet as often as you can, at least once per day (or a little more).
- But, don’t over do it — Tweet too frequently and you may lose followers.
- Let some of your personality shine through in your Tweets – your followers will look forward to what you have to say!
Over all, Twitter is a great social media tool. It’s fast and easy. You can get in, Tweet, and get out in less than a minute! Many mobile phones offer Twitter applications that allow you to Tweet from your cell phone. So…..go and sign up for your free Twitter account today!
And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter [3] too!
~ Rebecca
Do you have a Twitter account? How many times a day do you Tweet?