Guest post by Elena Verlee, founder of Cross Border Communications.
If you’ve been on Twitter a while, you’re probably stuck in a rut. We all know we’re supposed to engage, share links to valuable information, and re-tweet others. What else is there?
If you want to spice up your Twitter feed, here are 15 ideas to get you going.
1. Twitpic something – Photos of you and other Twitter friends, a painting you like, almost anything will do. A picture is worth a thousand words, or in Twitter’s case, 140 characters.
2. Events – #Hashtag a conference you’re heading to and you can meet someone new even before you get there. Sometimes the most powerful thing about social networking is taking it to the next step – and meeting in person.
3. Comments on a story – Leaving a thoughtful comment on a reporter’s or blogger’s story, then tweeting it out and spreading the word, may help you get that media attention you’ve been seeking. You might just be a source for their next story.
4. All your favorite blogs, all at once – Create a My Alltop page with all the blogs you follow and tweet it out. Building this page also gives you a great resource for interesting links to share.
5. Ask a question – Promote discussion and different perspectives and you’ll get to know who’s in your community better.
6. Ask for help – Whether you’re fixing a technical snafu on your blog or hiring someone for your team, try asking your community for help. You’ll be surprised at the speed and quality of response you’ll get.
7. Be helpful – Tweet a cause or charity and how people can help out. You can create a ripple effect to change the world, one tweet at a time.
8. Share your opinion – Go ahead, let it out! Especially if you can share a lesson about business, customer service, or whatever expertise you have, that your followers don’t.
9. #FollowFridays, #ThankfulThursdays – Promote another brand or person unabashedly. It’s a great way to introduce some of your favorite people and get known as a connector.
10. Share your success – Yes, there is a “ME” in Social MEdia. As long as you don’t go over the top, people are more than happy to congratulate you. Do the same for others.
11. Announcements – Speaking at a conference? Launching a new product? Writing a book? Tell others as you go along and build up anticipation at the same time.
12. Groupon, giveaways, and discounts – Share the news and the savings. Everybody loves deals.
13. Foursquare – Tweet where you are at the moment and maybe a Twitter friend you’ve been wanting to meet is at the exact same location. Meet up!
14. Be quotable – Who doesn’t love an inspiring quote? Share some life wisdom with others and remember: “Be Yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” (Oscar Wilde)
15. Share a video – A funny video or your favorite song can add personality to your account. Here’s one of my all-time faves: 8 Irresistible Principles of Fun.
Still stuck? Then tweet about your loves – have fun with Twitter and share your passions. We can never, ever, have enough of that.
What else do you like to tweet about?
Author of the blog PR in Your Pajamas, Elena Verlee is a passionate publicist, professional coach, and entrepreneur who has sold two businesses. She is also the founder of Cross Border Communications, which helps companies use both traditional and digital marketing strategies to achieve their business goals.