I find it interesting that so many people really don’t have a clue how to use Twitter for their business.

There are really only three ways to use Twitter, and if you do, you are almost guaranteed to have success.

1. Link your Twitter account to your site

There are several ways you can do this. I’ll explain two.

First. Add a link to your twitter account (somewhere visible on your blog). This is the easiest way to get more followers. Use a Twitter button, badge or icon, or the text follow me on Twitter.

Second. Put your latest tweets on your blog. All your visitors will be able to see your tweets and can follow you by clicking on your account. But if you add your tweets to your blog, you need to be aware that you might take attention away from the content on your blog.

2. Follow others

When you follow people on Twitter, most of who you follow will follow you in return. You need to follow people who you think will buy your product. You don’t want to follow people who have no interest in you or your products.

You need to get targeted followers. You can find people by using Twitter directories, there you’ll find people who are interested in certain topics (the same as you).

You can find people who are selling similar products as you, and start following them and their followers. You know that they’ll most likely be interested in you and your niche.

3. Add value

This is what most people don’t get and it’s the most important part of using Twitter (and especially if you’re using it for your business).

If you’re providing good and valuable information on Twitter, your followers will recommend you and your tweets to other Twitter users. You will end up with more followers, and your tweets will be read by more people.

You need to understand that Twitter is not just an advertising tool, you need to treat it as your email list. Focus on providing free information of high quality. Then, once in a while, you might want to promote your products. If your free information is of high quality, people will trust you and in the end buy your products.

Image: Jennie

I’ve read a few books by Tony Robbins about personal development, and from the reading I got a lot of great tips. The easiest and probably the most powerful advice was that in order to become successful I should learn and copy what successful people are doing.

When it comes to Twitter, I decided today that I wanted to take a closer look at the ten latest tweets from three well-known Twitter experts; Joel Comm, Yaro Starak and Ashton Kutcher and see if we can learn anything just by looking at the tweets.

Let’s begin.

Joel Comm is a famous blogger, author and a business person. He’s written the book Twitter Power. His 10 latest tweets are:

@barefoot_exec you are welcome! @bobhutchins is a great guy. And congrats on the super secret mojo you got workin’ less than a minute ago via web in reply to barefoot_exec

Are you going to AffCon2010? Listen to my appearance on Denver radio this morning –> http://TwitPWR.com/KEy/ (see you at AffCon!) about 2 hours ago via web

@internetdream yeah, but why not zap the huge statue in Rio to make a bigger statement? about 2 hours ago via web in reply to internetdream

Now HERE is a theological paradox! –> http://TwitPWR.com/KEl/ about 2 hours ago via web

Family-Friendly Yippy Chosen #1 Search Engine –> http://bit.ly/amkBZf about 3 hours ago via TweetMeme

Well where else are you supposed to put a goat? –> http://TwitPWR.com/KCu/ about 16 hours ago via web

@ed, you know what? You ARE Twitter. about 16 hours ago via web

Start the Presses (How to write and distribute press releases) | Top One Report http://bit.ly/dynWZ1 about 21 hours ago via TweetMeme

Breitbart.tv » Congressman Assaults Student on Washington Sidewalk: http://bit.ly/9udcnu 7:27 PM Jun 14th via mobile web

It’s a new dawn, a new day, and the world is at your fingertips. Get ‘er done! 5:10 PM Jun 14th via Twitter for iPhone

——–

Yaro Starak is a famous blogger and he’s having a huge success earning a living from his blogs, his products and as an affiliate. His latest 10 tweets are:

A really solid podcast interview I did for a paid product, just went public (free!) – Blogging For Business: http://bit.ly/acbxyT about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck

@pippostramazza I actually declined 75% of the applications last round. I’m not going to choose people I don’t think can benefit. about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to pippostramazza

@pippostramazza No, I’m not sure, there are no guarantees. I only take clients where I see potential, hence the application process. about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to pippostramazza

I just opened up my private coaching- taking FIVE new clients on for 12 weeks starting July – http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/elite/ about 5 hours ago via TweetDeck

RT @GideonShalwick: my latest video blog post: How I Make Money From Video Blogging (Video Interview) http://tinyurl.com/27wd88e about 5 hours ago via TweetDeck

@pippostramazza Convincing regarding what? about 5 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to pippostramazza

@cominback Great – let me know if you are going to apply and I’ll look for your email. about 5 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to cominback

Just paid the tax man. My bank balance hurts. about 14 hours ago via TweetDeck

GREAT coaching call folks, some really good stuff in this one. Thanks to the members who joined us and @GideonShalwick my co-host. about 15 hours ago via TweetDeck

——–

Finally, it’s time for Ashton Kutcher, the expert with the most followers. At the time I’m writing this, he has more than 5 million followers! I don’t think that I have to introduce him, you’ve heard of him for sure.

His 10 latest tweets are:

Good luck today @realkaka http://brizzly.com/pic/2RVJ about 1 hour ago via Brizzly

Y does it seem like the only GOOD thing on the news is the occasional weather report & sports. 2day a lot of healthy babies were born! about 17 hours ago via Brizzly

new music (and wisdom) from the PS22 Chorus – http://youtu.be/XQ65FvokArM about 17 hours ago via Brizzly

CONGRATS!! RT @caro: PS22 Chorus wins Webby artist of the year award, comes onstage for live performance. Huge applause. about 18 hours ago via Brizzly

Pick up the jacket… 5:47 PM Jun 14th via Brizzly

@moonfrye GL!! 5:20 PM Jun 14th via Brizzly in reply to moonfrye

My prediction for game 6. The team with the most points will win! 6:01 AM Jun 14th via Brizzly

Of the lakers lose today what are the chances they can still win the series? 4:04 AM Jun 14th via Brizzly

@AXLSN it’s not mine it’s the car from killers 2:06 AM Jun 14th via Brizzly in reply to AXLSN

I would but its a loaner I gotta give it back RT @lnascimento_rj: I hate @aplusk hahahahahaha, can you lend me 2:06 AM Jun 14th via Brizzly

I think we can learn at least five things from this experiment:

- We need to be personal
- We should answer and ask questions
- We should retweet interesting conversations and resources
- We should use whatever Twitter application we enjoy
- We should tweet at least 5 times a day

Did you learn anything different?

I’m not sure if I’m right about this, but I don’t think that there’s a way to filter direct messages in Twitter.

Hence.

I never use direct messages, I have, but not anymore.

The reason I stopped, is that the messages I receive are close to all, either automated or spam.

Just read the last 10 direct messages I have received:

#1 – Hey Thanks for Following Me! Many More Tips on My Blog (link) or on FB (link)

#2 – Multiply your follow count FAST! (link)

#3 – Thanks for the Follow. Please check out Newbie Rewards. 1000s of ebooks, videos courses and more. Free Memberships (link)

#4 – Were is the love. Please download this free app because its a win win for both of us. (link)

#5 – Hey, I’ve been using Digsby and thought you would find it very useful. Check out the demo video: (link)

#6 – Twitter Software, Mac or PC, Auto Tweet or Reply, Mass Follow/Unfollow, Proxy Support, Niche Marketing, It does it all! (link)

#7 – Twitter Software, Mac or PC, Auto Tweet or Reply, Mass Follow/Unfollow, Proxy Support, Niche Marketing, It does it all! (link)

#8 – If you’re one of those that says ‘Just Say No To Another Juice Company’ – (link)

#9 – Guys buy in total safety!!! (link)

#10 – Thx for following! Stop by for good cheer. Can I help you achieve? Smokers, have you seen the cleaner cigarette? Go to, (link)

And it continues, the messages never stops.

It takes forever to read all new direct messages, and when 99% of them are not interesting, then I don’t think I have any choice but to not read them at all.

That’s until I find a way to deal with them, filter them, or stop spam and automated (boring) messages.

What about you, are you using direct messages on Twitter?

As I’m writing this, I’m on the island of Rhodes. That’s in Greece. The weather is awesome and I’m currently at the beach.

I’m here for fourteen days. It’s my vacation.

I could have updated all my followers every hour or so.

“I’m swimming in a beautiful sea.”

“I’m finally getting a tan.”

“I’m playing fetch with my kids. They’re like dogs, only better.”

“I’m eating lunch, ahhh tzatziki.”

“I’m swimming again. not with dolphins, but fish.”

“Ahh, the sun is hot. Finally, I’m red.”

“Nothing tastes better than a really cold Coca-Cola under the sun.”

But I don’t.

When I’m on vacation, I’m on vacation from everything.

I’m not using Twitter regularly. I’m not blogging. I’m not checking my e-mail, I’m not updated on current events, I don’t know what’s going on in the world, nothing.

I’m just spending the time with my family, and I’m currently spending most of my time in the sun, without a mobile device, without a computer.

I’m reading books, and I’m writing using a pen and a notepad. That’s it.

This blog post was written with a pen, then, a few days later, I used a computer.

Vacations are very important to me. I need to be offline, I need to quit everything I don on a regular basis. That’s how I survive, that’s my secret to eternal life.

Well, almost.

I have written a blog post, and I’ll probably write another. But when I do, I have to do it in a different way.

I’m not doing any research. I’m writing it on paper, either at the beach or by the pool. Then, when I feel like it, I’ll find a computer and I’ll go online to publish it. That’s what happens if I’ll be sending a tweet. it feels like a completely different world.

So far, I have published a few tweets, but they’ve been scheduled. They don’t really count.

I could have used Twitter to plan my vacation, and I could have published several questions about Rhodes in order to find the best restaurants, the awesome beaches and interesting places to visit. I’m sure I would have received a few tips.

I’m doing it the old-way, by reading books. I have recently bought “a complete travel guide to Rhodes (a book that includes information about archeological sties, nature, beaches, maps, history etc.).

I’m sure Twitter could have helped me, but it’s more important to me to be offline and to be focusing on being on vacation.

Twitter is not part of my plans, but what about you?

Are you using Twitter during your vacations?

To me, your Twitter profile is important. The first thing I’ll look at is your picture. You need to have a real Twitter profile picture. If not, I’m not so sure I’ll trust you.

But I might.

Then, just after I have glansed at your picture, I’ll take a look at your Twitter background. If it’s the default, I’ll stop and think.

Why?

- Don’t you want to change it?
- You’re obviously no designer.
- Don’t you know how to do the switch?
- Can’t afford to hire a designer?
- Don’t you know where to find a free theme?

Please change it.

You’re different, we all are.

There are no reasons why you should stick with the default.

If you don’t know how, I’ll help you.

I won’t help you design it, because I’m no designer. I’ll help you change it.

I have been using several types of Twitter backgrounds. Like all members, I started from scratch, using the default, and I ended up with the one I’m currently using. You can view it at my profile @berget.

Here’s a screenshot:

The real reason

The reason you need your own Twitter profile background is because it represents you. It’s you and your brand.

When people look at it, they’re looking at who you are on Twitter.

In real life, you might be boring, you might not want to stand out. When you’re on Twitter, you might be different. You might be what Dave Gahan is like on stage. If you don’t know who Dave is, let me just tell you that he’s awesome.

Hence, if you want to stand out, you need to be different. If not, stay default.

I’m not saying that you need to hire a professional designer, I’m only saying that you need to be different than default.

It’s not hard.

Sometimes, all you need is a free background.

- TwitBacks
- Twitpaper
- Template Monster
- Twitter-Images
- Twitter Gallery
- Free Twitter Designer
- Tweety Got Back

Use a background that represents who you are on Twitter. If you’re a fairly regular Norwegian guy, do something similar to what I’ve done.

A picture
A Name
A website (or three)

I’m curious. If you were as fortunate as Conan O’Brien with more than 765,000 followers on Twitter and you were going to follow one person, that’s what he’s doing. Who would that one person be?

Would it be a random fan?
Would it be one of your friends?
Would it be a member of your family?
Would it be a person you admire?

I changed my mind.

Skip the thought of being Conan O’Brien. You’re back, you are nobody but yourself, and I’m just me. For now.

But you’re still just following one person.

The problem with picking just one person is that this person should be really different. If I was a famous person, I would probably pick one person in order to help. I would pick someone that really needed the attention, someone who could turn the attention to something important. I would choose a person involved with a charity, maybe someone who love animals and work day and night to turn the world into a better place.

I wouldn’t pick one of my friends, because if I did, my other friend would be upset.

I wouldn’t follow one member of my family, because I wouldn’t be interested in reading the tweets.

Since I’m no Conan O’Brien, and it wouldn’t matter to the world who I followed on Twitter, I would follow someone I admire or someone I can learn a lot from.

The answer should probably be Barack Obama. It seems that he is writing his own tweets, and he is doing a very important job. He really is, and it’s interesting to follow every move he makes. But, I can read that somewhere else. I really wanted the person to be him or Dalai Lama, but they have no dialogue on Twitter.

So, it’s got to be different.

The answer is Shaquille O’Neal also known as THE REAL SHAQ. He’s writing his own tweets, he’s funny, he replies, he retweets, he is awesome when it comes to using twitter. I can learn a lot from him, not just when it comes to playing basketball. So, Mr. O’Neal it is.

It’s important to me that the one person to follow is not just using Twitter to tweet news, but that he or she is using Twitter the right way.

What do you think, who would your one person to follow be?

I’m currently using just one Twitter account, although I have created two accounts. I published about ten tweets from the second account, but then I stopped. What I’m saying is, I have one active Twitter account.

The reason why I created two, and thought about creating more than two, was that I wanted to segment my tweets.

I wanted my followers to be as targeted as possible.

For instance, if I was going to tweet about how to use Facebook. I wanted all my followers to be interested in how to use Facebook. If I was going to tweet about article marketing, I thought that I would get the most out of Twitter if all my followers were looking for article marketing tips. The same goes for my thoughts on vegetarianism and animal welfare.

The problem with segmenting my tweets, and creating multiple accounts, is that I don’t really have a passion for more than one topic.

That topic is me, and my interests. I want to be personal, and I want to tweet about whatever comes to my mind. Not just the specific topic related to the specific Twitter account.

I want to be impuslive. I want to brag about the cheddar cheese pie I just made, and I want to tell all my followers that I’ll be participating in Earth Hour.

Now. Using one account, I’m tweeting without always thinking about if the tweet is the right one.

It’s about me, not the topic.

Just after I created my second account, I came to realize that Twitter is not about the amount of followers, and their interests, but the relationship with the followers.

That’s the reason why I don’t care much for multiple Twitter accounts. One account makes using Twitter more personal to me.

Now. Let me ask you the question.

Are you using more than one Twitter account? And if you are, is it because you’re segmenting your tweets?