I start with a disclaimer: the title is somewhat disingenuous, as this is less about what every media person thinks, and more about me just venting about my pet Twitter peeves.
Now that you know the truth, feel free to close the browser down.
For everyone else, here’s how the story goes:
The title came to me totally out of the blue this morning, and – unlike much of the other ‘How To’ blogs I write – I’m starting and finishing this in a day (as opposed to several weeks).
Shout out to Matt Brooks, Angel Sonshine, Toni Bono and Ric Rocstarr for suggesting I actually write this…
This is essentially me moaning about things that get on my nerves about the way some people use social media (and Twitter in particular), especially when they are looking for me to help promote their project(s).
I’ll split it in two: ‘The Pet Peeve Tweets’, and the ‘Tweets that Make Me Go ‘Oooooooh’’
Final word: this is by no means a definitive list, just some random thoughts bouncing around my head all day today. Take it – or feel free to leave it.
The Pet Peeve Tweets
- Grrrrrr at the ‘Pay Me to Promote Me’ Tweet…
Don’t point me to your music purchase links. I don’t want your iTunes, Amazon or Bandcamp links. If you need my help to promote your music project or event, why in the world should I pay for the privilege???
- The ‘Production Line’ Tweet
Don’t add my name to your spam campaign on your Twitter stream…
Believe it or not, I actually read every tweet I’m sent. How I respond after checking out your page depends on what I find when I check out your profile in the first instance.
Spam tweets (a loose definition: when you send the same tweet to everyone you think will respond – including Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga) get no love from me.
- The ‘Spiritual Blackmail’ Tweet
We all do what we do based on the same book. You can safely assume we’re on the same page.
And – to employ one more cliché – strange as it might sound, we’re already singing from the same hymn sheet. I actually find requests to retweet or respond to something because it’s ‘kingdom business’ quite irritating.
It’s why we’re here. We’re all doing kingdom business.
Tell me what you want without the thinly-veiled spiritual blackmail…
- ‘The Over-Familiar Tweet’
Social media is just that – social. Like you, I need time to get to know people and develop a relationship.
An out of the blue, ‘What’s good, fam?’ tweet freaks me out. My first instinct is almost always: ‘this is someone I must know from somewhere’. I then find it very irritating to discover I actually don’t know you from Adam…
I’m pretty sure this is just me, though. Other people are surely more accommodating…
- ‘The Psychic Tweet (1)’
I’m tired of being tweeted a link supported with a ‘this will bless you’, or words to the effect. Tweet me by all means, but do let me make up my own mind, if you don’t mind…
- ‘The Psychic Tweet (2)’
Don’t tweet me with just a link and no supporting information whatsoever. Chances are I’d have left my mind-reading machine at home that same morning…
- ‘The Hit and Run Tweet’
This is more irritating on Facebook, but I get it on Twitter as well:
Don’t pop up on Facebook chat, send me your link without so much as a ‘hello, can you believe this mad weather…?’, and then disappear, quite obviously on your long journey to spam everyone else that’s currently showing up in your chat window and/or timeline…
Tweets That Make Me Go ‘Ooooh!’
Yes, this is a moan post, but I thought I’d share some of the good practice I’ve also seen recently.
- The ‘I’ve put the work in’ tweet.
Send me to a dedicated press release or media friendly page on your blog or site, and you already have my immediate attention.
In other words: make a bit of an effort to present something that actually looks compelling and attractive (and not even necesarily in the visual sense). See below for an example
- The ‘here’s some context’ tweet
Tweets that don’t just send me to your new video or website or whatever, but also explain why you’re sending me where you’re sending me get ratings.
Here’s a great example from Tearfund’s Twitter stream from 9th December 2011:
“Some Good News on International Anti-Corruption Day from Tearfund’s JustPolicy blog http://justpolicy.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/some-good-news-on-international-anti-corruption-day”
It’s all there in the one post. Excellent.
Thank you, and good bye.
I’m off to check my @s on Twitter – if you want to, follow me at @UKGospel
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