I have been tweeting more than I have been blogging. I apologize, but tweeting on Twitter is so much easier especially from a mobile device, both in reading other peoples tweets and writing your own. I write random things that I see, thoughts that I have, respond to my tweet friends and update them on where I am in this world – all in 140 letters or less.
Recently celebrities have had the media focus on twitter, first Ashton Kutcher was on a head to head race with CNN by being the first to amass the millionth follower. Ashton won if you did not know. A few days later, Oprah joined twitter and tweeted her first tweet from her show, she quickly got told off by Shaquille O’Neal telling her that her caps where on, which is considered similar to shouting and bad Internet etiquette.
A lot of people joined and tweeted on twitter after that.
Today, I got informed by twitter that Aseel09 is following me on twitter.
Knowing that it is the Candidate Aseel Al Awadhi, I followed her back. Unfortunately, Aseel’s tweets were more like announcements of her media and campaigning activities. They don’t even look like she is the one posting her tweets. I have some advice for Aseel or any celeb whether, local or international, big or small, on how to behave on twitter:
1) If you join Twitter, first be sure that your mobile device supports it and tweet constantly from there. It is more convenient in real time for all your followers.
2) Tweet yourself, don’t let anyone tweet for you. The whole beauty of twitter is that it’s personalized, and not a tedious announcement of some event.
3) Be human, tell us your activities, spur of the momen thoughts and comments – don’t misuse it as a Public Relations form of spin.
4) Be funny, show us your humor.
5) Be interesting, tell us the story about what is happening to you, with one tweet after other.
6) Comment and reply to your followers or anyone else you may have an opinion about.
7) Using Twitter as a platform for announcements is the wrong way to tweet.
If you want to see an interesting and captivating twitterer you can check out my own tweets. (Apologies for the self promotion).
I hope Aseel listens to my advice, and if she does, she will win my vote and others.
I don’t think she should be humorous or tweet about personal matters due to our culture’s quick inaccurate assumptions. Some people might take her less seriously as a professional candidate. Also, any Public Figure’s comments must be carefully studied to avoid future costly problems.
I think Fantasia is right, in as far as public figures needing to ‘watch it’ (although I agree with many of Veto’s points) one has to watch out for when Tweeting – it can be used as self-promotion, as long as it has a ‘personal’ tinge to it.
In other words, the person could say ‘about to give a speech on development at campaign HQ without it coming across as a PR stunt.
I just find it bizarre that anyone would want to brief the world about their comings and going, and I would find it even more bizzare that someone would actually find interest in other people’s comings and goings. But, hey it’s Twitter and it’s popular, just like My Space, Facebook, and all the other stuff – it obviously is a PR Agent’s dream and a popular marketing tool so kudos to them.
Twitter is the new Facebook, although it has the potential to put a serious dent on blogging in general, which FB never did (although it follows a similar format now).
I think she is trying to reach out to everyone, and this is with the support of all the young people trying to support her, they might be a little overzealous. I do hope she wins, but Don I do agree that she would reach an interesting crowd if she twitters personally, but there is a downfall to that as well!
When I said personal, I meant it in contrast to her tweets that look like they came out of a machine.
For example, instead of saying, “campaign meeting on xyz date”, she could say, “It is bright and dusty, and I am going to my campaign meeting”. You know, a more human touch.
Good gracious!
Fantasia para una bra is on this blog! lol
Don Veto
I have come across your blog post at a most opportune time when I am trying to figure out the sense or nonsense that is Twitter.
I’m not sure Aseel tweeting merrily would be advisable at this point in time.