First there was MySpace. Then along came Facebook. And then Twitter. But is it just another social network site?
All you have to do is follow our 20 Top Twitter tips and let everyone else follow you.

Twitter Tip 1.

Don’t mix business with pleasure. Even though you’re on an informal and friendly social networking site, remember to keep in mind that you are still at work and representing your business. Colleagues might want to hear about your Saturday night antics but clients will be put off by them, so keep it professional.

Twitter Tip 2.

This doesn’t mean one has to speak in a formal tone on each post. Be chatty and welcoming!

Twitter Tip 3.

Just because you’re on the business’ twitter, doesn’t mean every post has to be strictly business related. You are still human so think around your business. Use this opportunity to get to know your clients. Tweet about their interests and hobbies.

Twitter Tip 4.

Let your customers follow you and follow back. Follow others- your colleagues, your boss, other companies and start networking. It’s not necessarily about who has the most followers, if about building a community.

Twitter Tip 5.

Twitter lets you search for people with the same interest and follow them. That way, you can speak to your target audience directly.

Twitter Tip 6.

In addition, retweet, comment and connect! You don’t have to comment on every tweet and retweet every post you like but you don’t want to seem inactive. Especially when someone links/ tags you. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with them.

Twitter Tip 7.

And if you do retweet, always give the credit, stealing is a no-go. Simply ‘RT <@the person’s name>’  before the retweet.

Twitter Tip 8.

Be active, tweet on a regular basis. Showing that you’re active and tweeting means you’re going to be popping up on Twitter a few times and can be reminding followers of your business or blog.

Twitter Tip 9.

Tweets don’t have to be statements or links. Ask questions and see what interesting answers you get!

Twitter Tip 10.

Twitter gives you the platform to shout about your business and let others know. So you can sing a song and dance every once in a while but don’t spam everyone. Try and think of a plan as part of a strategy.

Twitter Tip 11.

Drive your business or brand, not your products. Twitter is a place to network and marketing but not a place for sales.

Twitter Tip 12.

Promote others like you’d promote yourself. With the simple ‘@’ you can mention and highlight others in your tweet. Help around your Twitter community.

Twitter Tip 13.

Along with being helpful, be useful on Twitter. Spread news, be entertaining, share videos, pass on wisdom, advice etc! It’s another good way to connect.

Twitter Tip 14.

Start a trend. You can mark important keywords or topics in your tweet with a ‘#’ and make it easy for people to search and follow. If you and all your colleagues did this together, maybe you could try and get mentioned in the sidebar!

Twitter Tip 15.

If you have a blog, don’t link it up to Twitter so everything you post comes up as a tweet. Keep them separate. I hear you thinking “But how do I show my followers my blog?” Every now and again, post a link to your blog with a short interesting blurb. For example, “Just baked some pretty awesome cookies, try them yourself.

Twitter Tip 16.

Oh, and try TinyURL and other URL shortening services to make the most of your limited characters and keeping your tweets, short and sweet. This also leaves room for others to retweet and add words of their own!

Twitter Tip 17.

Twitter is great to drive traffic to your blog but also to upcoming events. For instance, if your business to popping up at a one day market, tweet about it in the weeks prior! This will broadcast the news fast and hello traffic!

Twitter Tip 18.

Keep your eye on the ball. Read other tweets and figure out what’s popular news and what’s old news. Use this to your business’ advantage.

Twitter Tip 19.

You can also see what they’re saying about your business (if they’re tweeting about it of course) through the Twitter search. This is very useful for improving customer service and answering to clients’ needs.

Twitter Tip 20.

Invite others to join Twitter! No point sitting alone in cyberspace.

Now you know the important tips for Twitter, your boss shouldn’t be too upset with you for being on Twitter. Unless you’re on there all day, I know it can be addictive, but remember you’re at work. So tweet, retweet, follow, comment, search, mention, hashtag and most importantly network. Now back to work.