If you're on Twitter, there's a possibility that you or someone you follow is probably making Twitter mistakes. Is it really possible to use a social media site "wrong?" Well, maybe not — you do you and all that — but it is possible to miss using it to its fullest potential, as well as possible to abuse that full potential and accidentally over do it. So in order to avoid being "That Person," here are some important particulars involved with using Twitter that are important to remember — because the great thing about making mistakes is that you can always learn from them, right?
In case you have somehow managed to exist on the Internet for this long without knowing what Twitter is (in which case, I applaud you), Twitter is a social networking site that allows you to post 140 character messages, either to the world or your particular set of followers depending on how you have your privacy settings set up. You can follow other people's Twitter accounts to see what 140-character things they're chirping about, and if you really like what they have to say, you can favorite their tweets or even retweet them so they show up on your own Twitter profile. It's worth noting that there are rumors that the 140 character limit might be disappearing at some point, but that monumental change to the platform hasn't yet come to pass.
Most Twitter users follow a mix between their friends, notable people within their profession, news outlets, and celebrities or other public figures. My Twitter feed is usually a jumble of funny tweets posted by my friends, photos posted by Kim Kardashian, breaking news posted by Al Jazeera, and TV criticism posted by Emily Nussbaum. These folks all tend to be Twitter pros — so if you, too, would like to become a master of the platform, here are five common mistakes to avoid. Just a few easy fixes will make your feed into the ultimate fun-to-follow, retweetable Twitter account.
1. You're Subtweeting Too Much
Look, I've been there. Your ex dumps you like a total jerk, and you can't help but go on Twitter and complain and #subtweet them #AllTheTime. Here's the thing, though: I hate to break it to y'all, but your post-romance Twitter beef — whether it's one-sided or a two-way conversation — just makes people feel uncomfortable and awkward. Furthermore, it doesn't typically do anything to advance a productive narrative between you and your ex, or between you and whomever you're subtweeting. Take a step back — and if you really feel like you need to put something rude on the Internet, scream into the void instead.
2. You Don't Have a Pinned Tweet
Every now and then everyone comes up with a brilliant tweet that gets favorites on favorites and retweets on retweets. Don't like that glorious tweet slip away into the abyss that is your Twitter feed! Take advantage of one of Twitter's newer features, where you can pin one Tweet to the top of your page so people will always see it first. It can help people get a feel for what your Twitter is like and it help you maintain your reputation, even if it is as a one-hit wonder.
3. You Try To Exceed The 140 Character Limit
The beauty of Twitter is that even though you can tweet as many times as you want, but the length of your ramblings has to be limited. There are a lot of hacks out there that will let you ignore the length constraints and write tweets much longer than the 140 character limit... but resist the temptation. People aren't on Twitter to read your novel-length thoughts; they're on there to see small, concise tidbits. Think of it as a writing exercise where the constraint is the length and the goal is to craft the message as poignantly as you can within those constraints.
4. You Don't Use Hashtags
Hashtags were originally meant to be Twitter's way of grouping together lots of topics to help both users and developers see what people are saying about what topics — but now, hashtags have moved far beyond that. They have transcended the original function, becoming a form of communication in of and themselves. For example, saying I'm blessed and saying I'm #blessed have two different meanings: The former may carry religious or spiritual undertones while the latter may suggest that I listen to a lot of Drake or copiously consume pop culture. Either way, your usage conveys something about you to your audience, so using them is in your best interest if you want to gain followers.
5. You Use Too Many Hashtags
#Hashtagging #is #an #art. #Don't #overdo #it.
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