Recently I’ve been testing the grounds with my twitter account and have started to follow the B2B trade publications and editors that I work with on a daily basis. I initially did it because I wanted to see a) if they had a presence on twitter and b) if they use it as a way to enhance their stories and seek commentary.

The first point was important, but to me the second point was even more essential. I wanted to know if I was missing key opportunities for my clients because editors were first going to social media to look for what they need to fulfill a story.

As I’ve been reading and watching what is happening on my twitter account, I’ve realized how beneficial this can be and also have a few tips worth sharing to anyone else out there who may be ready and willing to step out from the pack of your fellow public relations colleagues and use social media to connect with your desired audience.

The benefits are potentially endless, but what I have noticed is that I can now log into my twitter account and monitor what is new and noteworthy at a moment’s notice on publications’ websites in one location. With twitter I don’t need to log on to each site individually or wait for a Google Alert to come into my email inbox searching for my clients’ news. Most publications are tweeting about the items that are hitting the news sections of their websites, so all the publications are showing up on my twitter feed at the same time.  Not only can I easily monitor if my clients are getting coverage this way, but I can also keep track of what their competitors are doing or current industry trends. If I see something I like, I click on it and read more.

Now for some tips:

1. What twitter account do I use? If you have a personal twitter account by all means use it! Make sure your name and handle is easily recognizable, as most editors you will follow will know you by your name. That being said, just because you follow an editor doesn’t mean they will follow you back. If they have protected accounts and they need to confirm the follower requests they receive, it helps if they can recognize your name.  And while this should go without needing to be said, make sure the content on your personal account is clean. If an editor follows you back, remember they will see everything you tweet. But don’t stop tweeting fun stuff, it shows you have a life and helps them get to know you better, just keep it clean! This also applies to your profile, mine for instance, is both professional and personal. I note what I do and where I work, along with my hobbies and activities, which makes me seem human and shows off my personality a little bit. You never know, if an editor likes hiking just like you do, it may be a conversation starter, which could lead to professional opportunities.
2. Start with those editors you know well. Trying to figure out who to start following may be daunting when you have a large list of publications you deal with for your clients. So start by following the top 10 or so publications you work with. But, don’t just follow the publication, also follow the key editors you work with at those publications. Since these are the top publications, most likely you have some sort of relationship with these editors already, so following them individually may not be “weird,” if you are still unsure and think this whole process is.
3. Build a list. Once you have identified, searched for and followed the publications and editors you are interested in, move them into a separate list. This helps you stay organized. When you log on to your main twitter feed you will see their tweets grouped with all the others you may receive, but if they are also on a list, when you are using your account for professional purposes you will be able to view their tweets and see what is happening without being sidetracked.
4. Monitor what they are saying before jumping in.  The first few days I was following editors via twitter, I monitored what they were saying, how they were saying it and how often they tweeted. I wanted to see trends and catch on to how they used the social network before I started in. It helped to boost my confidence when I finally started.
5. When pitching an editor on twitter, use a direct message. Once you are ready to try pitching an editor, do so using a direct message. If other editors are following you for competing publications, you don’t want them to see what you are offering to their competitors. Think about it, when you pitch an editor with a story opportunity via email, you don’t copy competing publications for them to see, or if you are using a phone, you don’t set up a conference call to let every editor know what is happening and the opportunity you have. The same basic principles still apply.
6. Post what’s happening with your clients.  If you’ve just distributed a press release, tweet about it! Most of my clients post their news and information to their website, so link back to it in your tweet. Who knows, the editors that follow you may check their twitter feed more than their email. Or, your email may be lost in their inbox buried under many other releases they received that day, so stand out from the crowd and tweet about it!

Now, time to get back to twitter and see what’s happening in the trades. It’s been about 30 minutes, so I’m sure I have a few new tweets waiting for me!