I had plans to blog about Facebook etiquette today, but sometimes life throws you a curveball. In a not so “mannerly” way, my Twitter account was hacked yesterday. Thus the change in plans and the reason for today’s blog post:
You Are Who You Tweet.
Twitter Tip #1: Log in to your Twitter account today and change your password to something that includes both upper and lowercase letters, numbers AND symbols. It’s not quite as easy to remember, but you’ll have a bit more assurance that you’ll be protected from your own account being hacked.
My Twitter etiquette tips will be posted in three parts over the coming weeks:
You Are Who You Tweet
You Are What You Tweet
Twitter Etiquette Tips
You are Who You Tweet
Just as you are judged by the company you keep in your daily life, the virtual company you keep online is also a reflection of you. Here are a few Twitter etiquette tips to keep in mind as you’re forming relationships on Twitter.
1. A picture is worth a thousand words. A profile picture, that is. Provocative poses or other photos that are in poor taste may indicate the
kind of tweets this person has to share with you. A friendly and professional-looking photo may be a good indication of positive tweets, but don’t stop there.
2. A bio speaks volumes. You’d be surprised how much a person may reveal about himself/herself in just a few short bio sentences. Take the time to read his/her bio. Are there any red flags?
3. What message are his/her tweets sending? Do a quick scan of his/her tweets. Are they profanity-laden or hostile in tone? Use your good judgment.
4. Be courteous. Remember to thank your Twitter friends whenever they mention you in a tweet or retweet something you’ve said.
5. Create lists to keep up with your Twitter friends. You’ll notice that as your follower/following lists grow, it can become difficult to keep up with your tweet stream. Creating lists (house & home, dining, fashion, etc.) will help you keep up Twitter friends, since you can jump from one list to another.
Be sure to visit next week, when I’ll be sharing part two of the Twitter series, You Are What You Tweet. Until then, happy tweeting! @DianeGottsman
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How frustrating! sorry about that, but this is a great article!
Thank you Diane. Both my Twitter and Facebook accounts were recently hacked. I remember you mentioned a post about this happening to you. I have had to change all of my passwords numerous times. I hope this does not happen to you again dear friend. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I appreciate it. Sharon
Sharon, So sorry to hear you were hacked. It truly is such a violation – in so many ways. Take care, my friend…
~ Diane
Hey Diane
Love your site, excellent suggestions (especially re: changing your password). Just a brief comment — I agree with you how much a BIO, however short, can reveal about a person. It astounds me how many people on Twitter don’t take the time to be creative, or have fun with it. The “straight up” BIO should be reserved for resumes or LinkedIn profiles, as far as I’m concerned — but on Twitter, we have the opportunity to identify our profession, but also say something about ourselves in a way that is original. Reading BIOs is one of my favorite things to do on Twitter, and a fantastic conversation starter!
Jessica,
Thanks for stopping by! I’m in the process of re-writing my Twitter bio and will be sure to share the updated, sassy version with you when it’s published! Take Care, Diane