6 Ways to Maximize the Use of Your 140 Character

Here are some tips for making the most of those few characters you get to use.

1) Use shorthand codes. BRB, LOL, RT, TY, etc. Some may call it tech speak or leet speak. Acronyms and abbreviations for commonly used words and phrases. Check out this list of popular Twitter shorthands and if you like to use more colorful shorthand there is also a NSFW shorthand list. That’s Not-Safe-For-Work for you shorthand beginners.

2) Be clear and concise. Make sure you are not being redundant. Remove any words that might be irrelevant to what you are trying to convey.

3) Use URL shortening. This one is pretty obvious and is even built in to Twitter. However, there are some URL shortening services that can save you a few more characters than TinyURL. I use IS.GD and another popular one is XR.COM which even allows you to customize the URL.

4) Use special symbol characters. You may not know it, but Twitter accepts more than just normal characters. You can actually create hearts, stars, smilies and other symbols that can represent words or ideas in just 1 character. TheNextWeb has created a great tool called TwitterKeys which allows you to have all these symbols at your fingertips.

5) Use labels. Labeling your tweet has some cool benefits. A label is like a tag at the beginning of your tweet. Your followers will know exactly what you are sharing right away and they may even increase your chances of being re-tweeted. Here are some examples… (Reading:, Stumbling:, Digging:, etc.)

6) Be simple. This is a writing tip from Copyblogger, “…simple words work better than big ones. Write ‘get’ instead of ‘procure.’ Write ‘use’ rather than ‘utilize.’ Use the longer words only if your meaning is so precise there is no simpler word to use.”

How-To Become a Kick Ass Blogger

Becoming a kick ass blogger is something many of us are trying to accomplish either personally, professionally, or both. The problem is that millions of people and businesses now have blogs, the good the bad and the ugly, and they are all competing with you for subscribers, comments, and overall attention. So the question is, what can you do to stand out from the crowd?

What should I write about?

Become your audience: What I mean by this is simple. Determine who your customer is, give him or her a name, and deliver them the content they are wanting to read. If you typical customer is female, age 28-42, married with 1.2 kids, watches the Food Network and reality TV, and is generally interested in family activities then write about topics that interest that person. Remember, not everything you write has to be directly tied to your product or service. Simply becoming a resource for your audience, developing trust, and keeping them coming back to your site is a benefit, both long term and short.

How do I get more comments?

1. Ask questions

2. Be Controversial

3. Leave part of the topic untouched

How can I get more people to find my blog?

1. Use the search tool to determine what keywords/phrases are most searched for your area of expertise.

2. Use those keywords in your page title, page URL, headers & body, and the description of the blog. This will help your SEO.

3. Use email marketing, both to your list and relevant rented lists. Offer these people something for joining such as a white-paper, eBook, free trial of a product, discounts, etc.

4. Publish your blogs on third party sites within your industry. This will expose your company, blog, products & services to a much larger audience. This also helps you establish authoritative back-links to your site which greatly enhances your SEO.