How to twitter (guest post)

My brother Mike (@mclawyer)
send me the following

Here's my quick and dirty guide to twitter:
1. The first thing is activity. Use an app like buffer to enhance your presence online so you can be active when your followers are, even if you're asleep at that time. Use an app like socialbro to figure out when your followers are active.

2. The minimum viable tweet is a headline and a link to an article you find interesting. This is even better if you have enough charatcters to say something (i.e. interesting, needs more research, pompous but insightful, etc.)

3. tweet about events you're at. These tend to have hash tags and are the best way to pick up new followers. If they're interested in the event, they're interested in the people at the event.

4. mix up your types of tweets. The occasional funny or odd hobby are appreciated. Twitter values you being a real person. Ideally you develop a rough formula for this. i.e. 2 tweets about science a day, 1 tweet about side project (diving, shooting, skiing, whateves) 1 tweet you found funny, 1 tweet about things you just think are cool, 1 tweet of your content. This can be varied depending on what you actually want to tweet about, but don't feel bound by message discipline concerns.

5. grow by getting the attention of the slightly bigger than you. use @mentions to start conversations with people. Remember this is a digital cocktail party and social paring matters. Someone with 10,000 followers will not likely respond to an @mention from someone with 10 followers unless your timing is really good or you say something really funny. On the other hand someone with 300 followers will respond to every @message that isn't selling penis pills. You can climb, but you have to take it steps at a time.

6. retweets are sort of like saying +1. give them generously, people love love.

7. Actually read other peoples tweets - it is a two way communication stream. That said, don't feel like you have to read them all. That's like saying you'll watch youtube, all of it. can't be done.