The New ABCs of X (formally Twitter)

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Sometimes we tend to overcomplicate social media, especially when there’s a big change. And these days, there’s not a bigger change around than when Twitter became X. Today I'd like to share best practices on this almost-new network.

26 Best Practices for X

1. A is for Accessibility. It’s important to be easy to find on X. This means your X handle STILL needs to be as close to your own name as possible, and your avatar (picture) is recognizable as you.

2. B is for Bio. Even though your bio on X is only 160 characters long, it’s prime real estate. It tells your audience what to expect from your tweets. In it you can—and SHOULD—include hashtags, but don’t make them the only thing you list.

3. C is for Connections. The point of X is still to connect with other people with similar interests. It’s not your private station to broadcast commercials from. Keep self-promotion to a minimum and you’ll find some valuable relationships through this social media platform.

4. D is for Discipline. Small consistent steps will result in a strong X platform. It’s not enough to share updates several days a month. Instead, set a goal for interactions at least 4 times a week. These can be your own tweets, or comments on someone else’s update. It won’t take much time, but it will pay huge dividends in visibility and reach. 

5. E is for Evaluate. Evaluate what you’re sharing on X. Is it valuable to your audience or are you just adding to the noise? 

6. F is for Focus. Even though I vary the types of updates I share on X, I keep my message (and my X personality) consistent. People who follow me know I post about writing, social media, photography, and spiritual encouragement. 

7. G is for Grandmother. I’m convinced my grandmother would have enjoyed social media. It’s a digital neighborhood, with a culture she would have understood. There’s a give and take here, and a willingness to courteous and helpful. 

8. H is for Hashtags. Hashtags are one of the best things about X. Do your best to limit yourself to no more than two or three per update. And take time to do a quick search on the search engine of choice for the best hashtag for the topic you’re tweeting about.

9. I is for Irritating. Yes, there are some people on X who are irritating. And if they waste my time, I don’t hesitate to unfollow them. I encourage you to do the same.

10. J is for Jump. Don’t be afraid to jump into the new universe that is X. The easiest way to get started it to dive right in and learn as you go. 

11. K is for Keep On. Don’t expect instant results. Like anything worth doing, growing a platform on X takes time (and don’t forget consistency). Don’t get discouraged and DO NOT give up.

12. L is Lists. Learn how to us the LISTS feature on X and gain new followers—who are interested in having true connections—and find others who share your same thoughts and opinions.

13. M is for Myself. It’s critical that we're honest and genuine on social media. We don’t have to over-share but we do need to be authentic. 

14. N is for Notifications. Notifications are a GREAT way to get noticed on X. First, find the influencers in the topics you want to become known for. Once you’ve identified them, set notifications so you know when these influencers are posting. Finally, try to be one of the first to comment. This will get you noticed and open opportunities to grow your reach.

15. O is for having an Open-Door Policy. Make yourself accessible and visible on X. The point of being on X is to be found. If you don’t want to be found, stay off social media. Don’t protect your tweets and don’t require followers to be approved.

16. P is for Promotion. Promote others ahead of yourself and you’ll find your X popularity exploding. Promote yourself ahead of others and you’ll always struggle to grow your platform.

17. Q is for Questions. Asking questions in your Tweets is a great way to get the conversation started. Don’t neglect these types of updates on X when you’re planning your social media interactions.

18. R is for Reciprocate. The etiquette on X leans heavily on reciprocal relationships. If someone follows me, it’s proper etiquette for me to follow them back. The only reason I don’t is if the profile appears to be spam or share updates I consider inappropriate. Just because they seem to share updates that are far from my topic isn’t reason enough to not follow them back. I’ve found a lot of good connections because I took a chance and followed someone back who appeared—at first—to not share similar interests.

19. S is for Schedule. Make sure you take advantage of scheduling options on X. Don’t send all your updates out at once, but spread them throughout the day so you reach more of your audience.

20. T is for Time. Watch the clock when you’re on social media. There’s a law of diminishing returns that comes into play after about thirty minutes on any social media network—X included. Spend no more than thirty minutes a day and you’ll get the most return on your time investment.

21. U is for Understand. Learn the new dynamics of X. Take time to research the influencers in the topic you want to be known for. Follow them, interact with them. Research the different ways to monetize X and the advantages you can have if you invest in getting verified.

22. V is Verified. If you want to monetize X—and make valuable connections, spend the money and get verified. I fought investing the money for far too long. Now that I’m verified there are so many fun and valuable parts of X I can participate in—from conversations to videos and more.

23. W is for Wisdom. Be wise online. Don’t share your vacation plans in advance or while you’re gone. Don’t make yourself a target by sharing your location when you’re out. Most important, don’t share ANY images of the children in your family. AI is being used for horrific pornography using real images of children. Don’t put the young ones you love at risk! There are people out there who are looking for such carelessness and by not being wise you are raising the risk of becoming a victim. 

24. X is for X-ray. Learn the bones of a good X update and you’ll never lack for something to say. I use headline writing techniques to compose my tweets and it’s the perfect way to connect with your audience in short bursts of information.

25. Y is for Yelling. Writing an X update in all caps is LIKE YELLING. Use this sparingly. 

26. Z is for Zoo. Yes, at first glance X can seem like a zoo. It can be mistaken for a series of unrelated updates that make no sense to anyone. But take time to get to know your way around and you’ll find a gold mine of relationships and connections waiting for you. 

This is my NEW X alphabet, I'd love to know what you'd add to it. Be sure to leave your thoughts and questions in the comments section below. 

Don't forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

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The New ABCs of X (formally Twitter) from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, entrepreneurs, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives.Connect with her on her website, through Facebook, X (formally Twitter) and on Instagram.