Monday, February 16th, 2009...9:54 am

Twitter for Wedding Photographers: A Primer

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What is Twitter?

Zounds and zounds of people are potentially asking this question. Twitter is becoming more and more mainstream. Coverage has become more ubiquitous and many mainstream figures are accepting and tapping into the power of twitter. Twitter is exponentially growing and becoming more and more ubiquitous. It is hard to stop all the buzz nowadays. Nowadays the big brands are catching on and are on twitter: CNN, Starbucks, Wholefoods, Barack Obama, Southwest Airlines. Twitter basically asks what are you doing? In the 90s this was equivalent to checking everyone’s away messages; when instant messaging was very popular.

In a Few Words Twitter is…

A place where you can meet and talk to people within 140 characters. Twitter is the next generation of what phone party lines where. Anyone has a say and can contribute to this large collective network of individuals.

Twitter Requirements

  • An open mind friendly Attitute
  • A Web Browser or Twitter Application or SMS enabled mobile phone
  • Internet Connection

Where or how do i find people to talk to?

  • Search
  • Tweetup (Twitter Meetup)

Search Ask your friends and seek who actively participates within your network. Search within your city with Twitter Search by location and see if there are individuals who live near you. Most likely if you’re near a metropolis area you’ll be able to find someone that tweets (Tweet as in post twitter)

Twitter Slang

Before you get all confused lets cover some twitter slang.

  • @ : The @ sign is used to reply or add someones username to the topic or current tweet.
  • Tweet: A twitter post
  • Twit: Someone who tweets (Not standard slang or heavily used)
  • Tweeple: People on twitter; or people who tweet or twit
  • Tweetup: Twitter Meetup
  • Re-Tweet: Reposting or passing along another tweet (more later)
  • RT: Short for Retweet
  • Hashtag: Used to cover topics. A tag followed by the #. Example: #photography at the end of a tweet.
  • OH: Overheard
  • Direct Message (or DM): The use of a private message where your tweet can only be seen by you and the other party.

Tweetup Twitter is one of the first social media type arenas where face to face meetings (known as tweetups are common). People take conversations online and occasionally take them offline. Many major cities nowadayas have a leader or someone that organizes a tweetup (Twitter Meetup). Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts

  • Twitter is very simple. It is focused on microblogging or writing within 140 characters. The limitation is what makes twitter special. You can blog about anything you’d like. it’s more casual and does not take much effort or time. I sometimes tweet about what i’m doing (right now it says i’m blogging). I would still try to maintain sentence structure so others can comprehend what you’re saying.
  • Good: I walked the dog today. I’m excited about my new Canon Camera! (Notice i use proper sentence structure still). Bad: wlk dog 2day ir xctd abt my new canon camra! (less coherent)
  • Blog Content Applies: Write good meaningful content that will draw users.
  • Ask questions to your followers. Followers love that you reward them by participation to your question.
  • Use Retweets: Pass along good information to others by using RT.
  • Post links of your favorite photos or photography
  • Make sure you create a good username that is memorable and has some association to you or your brand.

What is Re-Tweeting(RT)? When another follower provides you good information. Copy their text and add their username and RT before the username. This can be easily done via a client application. If this makes your head spin it’ll all make sense in a second. Example Feed. Say your username is @weddingphotographyblog @chrisjlee Check out these great wedding photos! http://www.holymoleephoto.com/blog/ You retweet by writing this in twitter: RT @chrisjlee Check out these great wedding photos! http://www.holymoleephoto.com/blog/

How do i make this profitable for wedding photography? How do i expand my following?

  • Word spreads fast on twitter: Find potential clients or develop your brand through using twitter.
  • Authority: Provide and demonstrate that you command leadership or expertise in the area of photography by providing photography tips or answers to common FAQ’s.
  • Utilizing social media is essential for any small business. In my previous series, Wedding photography blog covers how to wedding photographers can utilize facebook in order to leverage and build brand awareness.
  • It’s becoming a good way to connect and create dialogue. My first suggestion for starting a campaign is to find all your friends on twitter. Start by creating an account and just let twitter find your friends through email.
  • I would try utilizing the search and start following people within your area. Start replying and commenting on other peoples tweet. Or start searching for other photography twitterers. Usually when someone replies to your tweet a lot of people will become exposed to your username. This will eventually lead to more followers. Long story short: Find people, reply to them, become helpful and you’ll eventually get more followers.
  • Connect and discuss or answer question from your favorite wedding photographer or photography artists.
  • Engage your followers or potential followers who’d you like to follow.
  • Use twitter as a lead into a Rich Content Media: Blog post, podcast, vodcast, etc.
  • Provide your followers with interesting viral information.
  • Be a good connector. Help, network and meet as many people as you can with reasonable limits. Make sure you develop a meaningful relationship and brand yourself as the wedding photographer.
  • Install the facebook application. This way you’ll find followers if you already have a large network on facebook.
  • Pimp your username on your web resources and other networks

Still don’t get it? Here are seven videos that just explain twitter:
Carri Bugbee, impersonator of Peggy Olson from Doug MacMillan on Vimeo.

MC Hammer, musician from Doug MacMillan on Vimeo.

Rick Sanchez, CNN anchor from Doug MacMillan on Vimeo.

Gary Vaynerchuk, Wine Library TV from Doug MacMillan on Vimeo.

Rich Tucker, CruiseSource from Doug MacMillan on Vimeo.

Martha Van Inwegen, Action Wipes from Doug MacMillan on Vimeo.

Hunter Burgan, bass guitarist for AFI from Doug MacMillan on Vimeo. Any questions? Follow me on twitter @chrisjlee and feel free to ask me any questions.

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