Twitter QuickTip #2 ~ Maximize Your @Replies
Do you simply hit the reply button when responding to tweets? If you do, it’s like having a semiprivate conversation. Your tweet will start with “@UserName” and your response will only be visible to the people who follow both you and the person to whom you responded. The same applies when you start tweets that include @Mentions with “@UserName”.
Starting tweets in the above manner limits the reach of your message.
Unless you intend to communicate with a limited audience, avoid leading your tweets with @Replies and @Mentions. You can easily broaden the reach of your Twitter replies and mentions by adding a period before the “@” symbol of the Twitter username for your message target (i.e., .@BrooksLisaR). The leading period will make the tweet visible in the normal manner–to anyone who follows you.
As mentioned in our Twitter QuickTip #1 ~ Use Hashtags, sharing your tweets with a broad audience maximizes the networking possibilities of your social media time. By combining the strategy of using a period before the “@” symbol at the beginning of a tweet with the use of appropriate hashtags, you will optimize the potential reach of yourTwitter posts.
Of course, sometimes it is appropriate or desired to have a semiprivate conversation on Twitter. In that case, starting your tweets with an @Reply or @Mention is not only a good idea, but recommended.
Copyright © 2014 Lisa Rayne. All Rights Reserved.
