In Part 1, I discussed how Twitter’s core role had changed (or evolved based on your point of view) from a social media site to a source for streaming comments and links designed to sell, bookmark, promote, and gain followers.

So, after reading the above article, you have either raised your hands in the air to decide that Twitter is nothing more than a group of people focused only on their own success, or you have been intrigued by the dynamics of an online environment in constant change.

If the former describes you, it would be difficult to argue against your position. Many people, including myself, have spent a lot of time looking at Twitter feeds wondering what our lives have turned into. Is this worth it? Are there other ways to get new customers? The answer is yes. Keep in mind that businesses were succeeding long before Twitter came along. And although Twitter has been used as a successful marketing tool, any company that is legitimately capable of competing in the market does not need to depend on it.

But that doesn’t mean it’s worth stepping away from Twitter. Like any other means of communication, understanding how to use it to convey a message and how others use it to receive that message can help you make an informed decision about whether it is right for you.

While I have had a Twitter account for about a year, I spent many months following and unfollowing people of various genders before starting my own Twitter campaign. I’ve read tweets, retweets, clicked links, tracked other people’s followers, and examined people’s careers outside of the Twitter universe. Through this, I have been able to classify Twitter users into 9 unique groups:

Media celebrities

These are people who are household names. They have earned their celebrity status for their accomplishments outside of Twitter. Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian and Lance Armstrong have chosen to use Twitter as a means to communicate with their fans, keep their name in the media and promote their companies. As in real life, they are very selective who they associate with. Many celebrities follow a few people (or less) while having millions of followers. For most celebrities, dialogue with followers is minimal.

Twitter celebrities

I think if it weren’t for Twitter, there would be a surplus of fast food waiters and cooks. There are legions of Twitter experts, teachers, and gurus. What makes this group worth mentioning is that the vast majority of them don’t seem to have any legitimate history prior to their first tweet. Names like Warren Whitlock, Mari Smith, and Scott Stratten may be unfamiliar to the average person, but they are considered stars in the world of Twitter. Their success is based on their follower list and their claims that they can show anyone how to get more followers. Just don’t waste a lot of time searching for their resumes.

Corporate

Businesses large and small have only just begun to understand the importance of Twitter. From Apple to Domino’s Pizza, companies that have opened up to dialogue with consumers have seen their brands gain traction. Whether motivated by criticism or public relations, the business world sees Twitter as an effective sales and customer service tool.

Experts

Every industry has its experts. And many of them love to tweet their opinions or links to relevant articles and websites. Occasionally, experts can drift into celebrity status, like Bill Gates, while celebrities can also become experts, as Al Gore did.

Climbers

Twitter has created a unique opportunity for people who would not otherwise be heard or noticed to reach potentially millions, all while sitting behind a desk in their pajamas. For some, their egos have been revved up and focused on achieving the same social status on Twitter that they could never achieve in person. They will tweet what gets the best response. Comments, followers and retweets are the fruits of victory. A lucky few have succeeded in leveraging their Twitter fame for business consulting and speaking opportunities.

Vendors

It has been said that everyone has something to sell. The question is how obvious you want to be about it. On Twitter, both companies and individuals do business, limited-time offers, loyalty programs, and MLM schemes. They usually follow others in the hope that they will follow them. Their frequency of tweets is usually frequent.

Hikers

What is there to eat? Believe it or not, there are still people who will gladly share that information and many more who will listen. Rambling is a tweet about nothing. A new jacket you bought, a movie you saw, or just a comment about the weather. Celebrities, experts, and marketers can become hikers at some point. While I generally don’t like to ramble, I did notice that I got the best response when I tweeted about having to spend an entire day alone with my two young children. So maybe a little rambling isn’t so bad.

Collectors

First it was Facebook friends, now Twitter followers. In the eyes of some, the numbers don’t lie. Someone with 10,000 followers must be ten times more popular than someone with 1,000 followers, right? For any marketer, the question is not “how many” but “who”.

Public

Some people are just happy reading Tweets without feeling the need to contribute. And this is perfectly fine. The ones that follow can be a moody mix of news, celebrities, or anyone they find interesting.

What do you want to be? Who do you want to reach? I’m a big believer in being true to yourself, especially when it comes to marketing on a personal level. If you try to be what you think people want you to be, you end up attracting no one. If you are knowledgeable in a specific field or have a unique style, let that show through your tweets. Don’t worry about trying to be like everyone else. That’s a great way to integrate. And if you want to be noticed, you can’t mix.

My suggestion for any business looking to dive into the Twitter “group” is this: add value to your market. Focus on who you want to follow and provide tweets that will be read by that group. With all the people submitting links to silly You Tube videos, or retweeting articles that have already circulated twice in the Twitter universe, a Twitter source sending relevant and interesting tweets is like a breath of fresh air. People will follow, listen to, and retweet their own followers.

Here are 11 tips that I would suggest to anyone looking to incorporate Twitter into their marketing program:

  1. Be yourself. Talk about what you know and what interests you. Then you will attract followers who share your passion.
  2. Follow others who are in your industry, as well as anyone else you find interesting (like Conan O’Brien). After all, it is your account.
  3. According to advice n. # 2, only retweet the items that are relevant to your industry. Forget the nonsense, even if you find it amusing. Let your followers get those things from other people they expect it from.
  4. Encourage dialogue. Congratulate people on interesting tweets. Or post open questions about what is happening in your industry or company.
  5. Thank people for retweeting your stuff. This is also a great way to start the dialogue.
  6. Focus your tweets. If you’re a local restaurant, tweet about new dishes and specials, not about the state of the housing market.
  7. Don’t worry about the number of followers you have. In many cases, people with thousands of followers are still not being read.
  8. While linking tweets to other sites is fine, original content from your own site is always better. It will help you establish yourself as an expert and drive traffic to your site.
  9. Your site is the backbone of your online marketing. Relink it often in your tweets. Just make sure there is great content. A link to your home page will not cut it.
  10. What are you giving away? Are you entertained? Can you teach something? These are the reasons why people will follow you. Don’t assume that being a good boy is enough.
  11. Mention your Twitter account in all your marketing materials.

Remember, like all forms of social media on the web, Twitter is continually evolving and changing. Whether this change is for better or for worse depends only on what you are looking to get. Most importantly, you stick to your ideals, beliefs and business strategies. Keeping these traits common between all forms of social marketing, mainstream marketing, and how you interact with customers is the key to long-term success, regardless of the status of your Twitter account.