Just so that #Prada for example, may feel like sending me a gift for mentioning them.

 

Stranger things have happened, I have been upgraded several times on #Emirates (yes giving it another go…) on flights back to the UK for no apparent reason.  I am definitely NOT complaining.

This week, I learned there is quite a discussion about DM’s on Twitter that has been going on for a while.  DM’s are not  Doc Martens but Direct Messages.

By the way, I own a pair of these but they were hi-jacked by a daughter fairly quickly.

Back to business.

DM’s are now as long as you like!  That is if the person you are posting to is a follower. They used to be 140 characters.

Many Twitterer’s dislike DM’s intensely.  Especially, if they are being used to flog products.

The ones I receive, generally just say ‘thanks for the follow’ and here is my Linkedin address, or similar.  I can’t see much harm in that.

I was a bit precious about the first few, thinking they could not be bothered to write a reply/thank you.  Twitter has a very specific etiquette!

But even with only 10-20 new followers a day, it gets to be a bit of a chore to thank everyone personally.  However, so far I have and mostly have followed people who follow me.

Over a certain number, which is surely our aim, then DM’s are essential. I guess it is just getting the approach right.

My Twitter followers are up to around 430. I have been lucky enough to get a few major ‘influencers’ on board who have all been very helpful.

I still find it amazing that someone like Tim Fargo bothers to reply to DM’s from ‘newbies’ but I suppose that is one of the reasons he is so successful. It helps a lot though.

I discovered an app called MentionMapp .  I highly recommend you have a look.  Check who you are connected to, choose some people you would like to be connected to and find out who they are talking to on Twitter. Then follow them!

I have also subscribed to Iconosquare this week.  My next step after getting my Twitter followers up to around a thousand, will be to start working on my Instagram account.

I have chosen iconosquare to create my website with.  I hope the hype lives up to the promises, or the other way around!

Basically, I just want something that allows me to use my skills and doesn’t make life too difficult with coding issues and the like.

Instagram now allows ads. and is picking up a lot of Facebook traffic.

Call me cynical, but as FB owns Instagram, and now has so much information about all of its users that it cannot help but make money via advertising – I don’t think FB cares a fig about the average domestic user experience anymore.

 

For my part, I am glad I was part of the first tranche of FB.  I made lots of friends through various online groups and created a few, and could easily contact people I wanted to.

These days, I barely see posts from those ‘friends’ who don’t engage much.

FB – it doesn’t mean I like their posts less…! I don’t think the algorithms work well from a friendship point at all.

I’m sure they help with targeted advertising though, and that will help future clients.

So, that is a potential silver lining.

I hope this blog helps you. Clearly social media is going to be a constantly evolving medium.

So, the lesson I learned from this week is to find ‘influencers’ and find out who they are talking to and engage with them if possible.

I don’t think that will change. Oh and Twitter Lists are very important!