This article discusses: how to use Twitter for online brown-nosing, the .@ command, plus a slick tool for analyzing followers (followerwonk) and new limitations to an old favorite tool (manageflitter).
Note: If you're as confused by Twitter terminology and features as I was, see this simple -- I hope -- Twitter glossary I created.
I) Twitter Brown-Nosing
Twitter includes several features that allow you to get someone's attention even if they're not following you.1) Use the @ to include someone's Twitter handle in a Tweet.
For example, in this Tweet, I'm flattering Author Who Can Help Me.
He could see this Tweet in his list of Mentions, under his @Connect menu, whether or not he is following me. Depending on his settings, he may also receive an e-mail letting him know that's he's been mentioned. In addition, people who follow both of us on Twitter will see this.
2) Use .@ to shoot this Tweet to your Followers and further flatter your subject.
Adding the "." in front of @Authorwhocanhelpme means that all my followers -- including those who are not following Author Who Can Help Me will see this Tweet. This is another way of adding content to my Twitter stream and boosting Author Who Can Help Me's reach on Twitter.
3) Retweet Tweets from Author Who Can Help Me
If I'm following Author Who Can Help Me, I
can also Retweet his posts to my followers and he will know that I've mentioned him.
- If your target is very popular, they may not check their Mentions.
- But, if your target is a Twitter addict, they may have all Mentions forwarded to their e-mail.
- I have received thank-yous from popular folks for Retweeting a popular person's posts.
4) For More on Online Stalking...
This is an old, but great article on techniques and strategies for engaging others to help boost your Web traffic and online presence: Stalking for Links
II) Tools Update
1) Followerwonk
The free version of this tool supplies some useful data on your followers. I'd read somewhere that the best time to Tweet was before and after work. The Followerwonk chart below shows that most of my followers are checking Twitter during work or on their lunch breaks (if they're on the East Coast). Time to readjust my posting strategy?
2) ManageFlitter
This was a great tool for finding and dumping up to 100 people a day who were not following you back. A graphical feature allowed you to click and dump quickly. But recent changes to the tool, mean that you have to manually click each person you want to ditch. Bummer.