My Twitter Lessons

I crossed the 40k mark on Twitter this morning. I'm truly grateful for the followership. It's truly humbling.

I called a colleague in another location for assistance during the week. I'd never met him before and while introducing myself to him, he answered by saying, "Who doesn't know you? Your tweets are everywhere". It was then the weight of responsibility dawned on me.

I've learnt a few lessons these past few months using Twitter. Just sharing 7 critical ones.

First, be intentional.

Be deliberate and strategic about your use of social media. Why are you on social media? What do you intend to achieve? Choose your purpose. Engage by design. Define your scope. For me, it's about spreading hope. Sharing positive vibes.

And stay within the limits. For me, it's career, finance, leadership and faith. It's not that I can't engage in other areas but these remain my core. I engage in such a way that if you think about a subject expert in any of the aforementioned, my name comes to mind.

Second, add value.

You will get value when you add value. People will remember you for the value you add. That should be at the back of your mind as you tweet or engage on social media. Share vital information. Engage from the standpoint of value-addition.

People will follow when they see value. This doesn't mean one cannot flex or have fun. Don't be up-tight, please.

Third, content is king.

Your content determines how far you can go. If you choose to drop nudes or sultry pictures to attract attention, you will need to drop even more sultry ones to engage attention. But take note that you'll trend for 24 hours and that's all.

Very few will bookmark. And after a while, it gets boring since we've seen it all no matter the angles or locations of the pictures. There will be newer and bigger bosoms to see on the timeline for those who care. That kind of content has an expiry date.

Same goes for controversial tweets. Controversy may get you the attention but it can never be a strategy. People will see through it after some time.

Think through your contents. People are hungry for great content. Choose subjects you're comfortable with. Make it your niche. Own it. There is so much to write about if we can think. Your content should stem from the needs around you. Be creative. Be well read. Give your best.

Fourth, choose your style. 

While content is king, your style is the container. The way you deliver matters too. For me, it's storytelling. Thankfully, I discovered that early. I think I got that from my dad. He's the best story-teller I know. He talks in pictures.

To finally settle on your style, you may need to explore various styles before settling for the one you're most comfortable with. The advantage of a personal style is that people can easily identify what you've written even if your name is not there.

Fifth, choose your medium 

My initial challenge with twitter was the 140-chatacter field. Stories can't be told in just 140 characters. I've always written long articles. I thought I wouldn't fit in but I decided to stay true to my mode of communication. I write threads.

So writing is my thing. Yours can be video. Animation. Poetry. Pidgin. Your native language. It's endless. For some it's Twitter. Others, it's Instagram or Facebook.

Sixth, be consistent

Rome wasn't built in a day. Don't get discouraged that your tweets don't get engaged. For years, I didn't go beyond the 1.5k mark.

But in a single day, I rose from 1.5k to 8k. And the rest is history, as we say. Don't give up. Keep at it. Engage others respectfully. Follow those you can learn from.

Seventh, do it well.

Social media is the new CV. Your handle is you. Handle your handle very well. Don't be flippant with it. Make every effort to write well. Take some extra efforts with your pictures. Put your best foot forward. This is how we live now. Excellence is key

I'm grateful for the lessons learnt. I'm still work in progress. And I remain grateful to you all. Without you there is no me. 

©Bayo Adeyinka

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