Featured Tweeter @BuildingMoxie

Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @BuildingMoxie
Twitter Bio: Building a regionally-focused home improvement support service. Oh! and we blog too. It’s about doing & learning. Would you like to contribute?
City/State: Baltimore, MD
Main Website: buildingmoxie.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/buildingmoxie
Admin Name:  JB Bartkowiak
Klout Score: 63
Followers: 2,653
Following:Follower Ratio: .98

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

July 1, 2009. I created an account so I could add a widget to the business website I was developing. I thought it would be a smart (and economical) option for real-time communication.  That is, to let visitors know my current whereabouts and what I was currently doing. (Boy! Was that naïve.)

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

Was?  I guess when I first started, the challenge was simply learning the conventions. I seriously had to post on Facebook to ask about different things. “What’s an RT? And why would I use that? And what’s the pound sign used for? What does that mean?” From that, it was just a matter of using it … and using it and then obstacles faded away.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I don’t really have a schedule per se; but twitter has evolved into just one of any other related (business) activities, like having an email box open. Twitter (actually Hootsuite) is open throughout the day and I monitor mentions most days 9-5. I’ll hop on at night if I have time around household duties. I’m usually offline most weekends, but I monitor via my cell phone occasionally.

I will say that since I am a blogger I will repeat tweets (often tweaked slightly) on a day we have posted. My site auto-tweets first thing in the morning (6ish EST) then I try to go every three to four hours – say, about 11, 3, and 7 or 8 PM. If the day’s post was especially good, maybe I’ll do one about 11PM. I don’t do anything automated (other than that initial post tweet) and my philosophy is simple: chat at me and I’ll chat back.

4. What is your recommendation to new people on twitter?

Within reason, respond to everyone that mentions you – every time and always. Tweet and be tweeted. Retweet and be retweeted. It’s easy.

5. What is your favorite hashtag and why.

You know it’s funny that you ask this one. I’ve said many times that I am not a big hashtag user. Sure I have saved streams on #remodeling and such, but I’m not really the type of user that can get in and get focused on any one thing for more than a minute or two. Seriously! So, that kind of rules out any of the more prominent chats for me (#intdesignerchat, #kbtribechat, #designtv, etc.).

#ff, at times, can be a little burdensome because I do try to respond to everyone – and at this point, I get a lot of #ffs. #fblt is nice (Have you heard of it? Some kooky ladies started it ). Otherwise, it’s really good and it stands for Facebook Like Tuesday.

6. Did you have a twitter mentor? How did that come about?

I think in life, in general, we are all mentors to each other. And Twitter has been no different. But, if I had to highlight a few, and returning to Question 2, I learned the ropes mainly from real life friends John Trader @John_Trader1 and Laura Keeney @onnabugeisha.

7. Can you recommend a twitter account that we should be following?

You could follow my Agents of Moxie list for a good core group.

Beyond that, I say just follow (and engage) @bobborson & @Paul_Anater and do whatever they do (within a month of them doing it) and you will be successful in social media.

Additional Comments:

Just be yourself (even if you are running an account for a company), have a personality, and follow all commonly excepted rules of civilized society … please, thank you, tip on good service, form friendships . . . and so on.

A quick thank you to friend Bridget Willard and Riggins for having me as a Featured Tweeter. It was fun.

More Featured Tweeters

2 thoughts on “Featured Tweeter @BuildingMoxie

  1. Paul Hamtil

    So funny that everyone is baffled by RT’s and hashtags at first! I remember spending hours reading online about what all this stuff means. Great feature today on JB! I’d say he is someone who has NO problem letting personality shine out on twitter!

    Reply

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