Twitiquette 101

I have been using Twitter for nearly 6 months now and have come to realize there are points of etiquette that fellow Twitterers should defer to when tweeting, following and being followed. Twitter allows synchronous and asynchronous communication via live tweets or direct messaging. I use Twitter as a social and professional networking tool, and also to stay on top of new web technologies. With that in mind, what do you use Twitter for and why do you follow those that you follow? Shelisrael tweeted recently about a good rule for getting started with Twitter and recommended posting a few tweets first before starting to follow folks. Twitterers like @Sheisrael @Factoryjoe @GuyKawasaki @Scobleizer @Missrogue and the gregarious @ijustine have so many followers/followees I know it must be impossible to keep up with the tweets.

I will break down Twitiquette in 4 categories: Getting started, Following and Being Followed and Simplifying your Brood.

Getting Started
What is your goal with Twitter? Social, professional or both? Even if you have no goal other than curiosity it is good to lay a nice foundation first.
1. Fill out your profile- I am less likely to follow someone if I don’t know what they are about and have no links to their blog or website.
2. Establish connections with those in your city or with friends and family. (Chareston, SC Tweet-Up is a good example)
3. Roll out a few tweets and get accustomed to tweeting.
4. Now you can expand your brood.

Tips for getting started matter most if you are trying to establish good professional connections or relationships.

Following
Twitter is a social web, so it seems kind of banal to set the ground for following. You follow people you have an interest in following, right? I think there are a few points that are good for consideration, which are geared mostly at professional networking with Twitter.
1. Before following someone I go to their Twitter profile and see if I have a common interest, whether it is professional or social. Often I find that the socialization around Twitter leads to a professional connection.
2. Read their tweets and learn more about them; check out their links on their profile and those posted in their tweets.
3. Follow that bird!

Being Followed
It is great to expand your followers and make new connections, but sometimes I really wonder why someone is following me that I have no common interest with. It would be great if Twitter would have a text field beside the follow button that would allow 140 characters to let someone know why you are following them.
1. I am not keen on follow-bots and prefer to grow my brood organically.
2. If I can’t tell by your profile or links why you may be following me, then I am less likely to follow you.
3. When searching for people to follow I look for those with regular updates, and if you have no tweets for over a month I will assume you have passed away and will not follow you. If you are going on a Twitter sabbatical let your last tweet signify that as a courtesy to your followers-hopefully noting the date of your return.
4. If you protect your updates, then some may be less likely to follow you in return.

Simplifying Your Brood
There comes a time when you have to let go some of your followers, whether it is because your brood is too big or for other reasons. Here are some reasons why you may stop following others.
1. You are following too many people, possibly out of courtesy and it has become unmanageable to maintain contact.
2. If tweets are in bad taste or offensive.
3. Think about your avatar. If you are a power tweeter and your picture or avatar is not soothing to the eyes, this may also be a reason for parting ways.
4. If you don’t find posts to be appealing or of interest.
5. Someone who has not posted in a while is taking up valuable real estate.

I would love to know what others think about Twitettiquette, agree or disagree, other comments?