@benblack gives ten tips to getting started on Twitter and ten people to follow
‘How can I encourage tenants to use Twitter?’
That was the tweet I once posted and the replies were simple and persuasive. If you work in housing and you are not on Twitter you are missing out. You can find out what people and organisations are doing and learn from them. Here are five other reasons in reply to my tweet:
‘If your are stuck on something, someone will have the answer on Twitter.’
‘Have learned lots, met some brilliant people, shared good practice, had a great laugh.’
‘Following the appropriate people (for me) condenses all the news, sport and comedy items that I wish to see in a day. Marvellous.’
‘Twitter is the bat phone to decision makers.’
‘Hopefully demonstrate \’tenants\’ are you and I, they\’re no different!’
So here are my ten tips to get started on Twitter
1. Twitter is about people you want to know. Facebook is about people you used to know. I like this explanation on the difference between the two.
2. Decide what you want to get out of Twitter. If you only want to find out about your favourite football simply follow all the players. Easy. The next step would be to follow journalists who write about your club. Don\’t think Twitter is about celebrities showing off. You simply don\’t follow them. You can be selfish with who follow based on the information you need and no-one cares.
3. Include a photo of yourself and fill in the biography. Twitter is about people. It helps when you go to events to find people you want to meet.
4. Don\’t lock your account. I rarely follow anyone who has a locked account. I always wonder ‘what are they hiding?’
5. Check if your organisation has a social media policy. If it doesn\’t just remember that Twitter is public and before you say anything ask yourself if you would shout your tweet out loud in your office canteen or to your manager? One of my favourite tips is from @helreynolds who says \’just be nice\’.
6. Be helpful. If you spot someone on Twitter asking for help and you have the answer share it with them. People on Twitter like to help others.
7. Once you follow someone who is sharing useful information have a look at who they follow. It is likely the people they find interesting will also interest you. Follow them as well.
8. Don\’t be afraid to say hello to someone. Twitter is a friendly place – especially among Welsh housing staff.
9. If you find an interesting story, blog or YouTube video copy the link and share on Twitter. People like to follow people who find useful content.
10. Twitter is a brilliant search engine. You can use Twitter search to find people who are saying things now about a topic. Don\’t just use Google to search the web. Using Twitter search will show you conversations that are happening now about a topic.
I asked two Twitter fans from Wales to share five people they follow and the reason why.
Brett Sadler, assistant director, neighbourhoods at North Wales Housing – @brettsadler77
1. Nick Atkin (@nickatkin_hht) – chief executive of Halton Housing Trust – A real advocate for pushing the boundaries of digital innovation in housing.
2. Paul Taylor (@paulbromford) – innovation coach at Bromford – A fountain of knowledge on customer experience and social media.
3. Keith Edwards (@keithedwardscih) – director of Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru – The first person to introduce me to Twitter!
4. Helen Reynolds (@helreynolds) – digital & social media manager at Monmouthshire CC – A recognised social media expert working for a local authority? Enough said!
5. John Popham (@johnpopham) – social media trainer and advisor – tweeting about social media, digital inclusion and a rural broadband expert.
Keith Edwards, director of CIH Cymru- @keithedwardscih
1. @Tregolwyn – Paul Roberts\’s alter-ego, hovering over his Twitter button 24/7, cheeky but almost never, ever rude.
2. @PaulDiggoryNWH – Doyen of the bad pun, encyclopaedia of rock trivia and guaranteed to either devise or promote a new # (hashtag).
3. @JasonWroe – Spends his life in conferences or in lycra or both – always plenty to say – about housing, lycra or both.
4. @JulieNCIH – Best newcomer – sharp policy stuff, sound politics and don\’t expect a pay rise – this is it.
5. @NotTHEJonBarnes – Always weird, occasionally profound.
Ben Black @benblack is communications and marketing manager at Bron Afon Community Housing