It sad, but many embrace Twitter Marketing like a long last love, only to abandon Twitter faster than Lady Gaga changes outfits, once they realize it takes commitment, focus and engagement.

1) It’s time consuming and marketing ROI is not always apparent – it can take months to really get established, especially if you are B2B focused.

2) Many do not realize you have to connect other social communities to leverage the Twitter content; i.e. LinkedIn, Blog, Squidoo, Facebook, etc.  Treating it solely as a social media content publishing publishing does not leverage avaialble technology, good content distribution and syndication models.

3) Effective Twitter marketing has it’s own social etiquette and rules of the road – many don’t get this. I still see large corporate accounts using Twitter that have no clue about using how/who to Follow, Hashtags, Follow Friday, Follower etiquette, Paying it Forward/ReTweets, Tweetups, integrating images, etc.

4) Users don’t comprehend Twitter marketing is a virtual door opener – I’ve found new clients, strategic partners and others after engaging with them via Twitter and moving to real world connections, including that ancient analog device, the telephone.

5) Lots of  users don’t have the right content strategy – for example,  if you are a SaaS company and targeting a pharmaceutical vertical but only Tweet about the SaaS market, your content strategy will not resonate with the target market.

6) There are hundreds/thousands of applications that now extend Twitter’s platform and usefulness encompassing CRM and lead generation (as examples). Many new Twitter marketing types don’t ever grasp how these apps can extend their branding and drive associated marketing ROI.

7) It’s a fair knock on Twitter about many thinking it’s just a social media platform where people post about lunch, upload Twitpics of events/significant others/dogs/cats – you name it. I branded these folks at “Egnoscenti” via a Blog Post: “Whats Your Twitter Personality.” But, many just think this is all the digital DNA Twitter has………(sadly).

8) Many see Twitter as a broadcast stream only. It’s not, far from it – it’s a viable forum for engaging, granted can be challenging at times dealing with folks with classical attention deficit disorder symptoms,  but you can get traction if you are persistent and creative.

9) Finally, most don’t think of Twitter as a Newsstream, Competitive Analysis & Intelligence tool, Market Research and “finger on the pulse” of vibrant markets tool par excellance. Twitter marketing takes time but it will deliver this capability if you embrace the “digital beast” – although it’s like grabbing a 220 volt line and holding on!!

Connect with me here on Twitter or to hire me to set up a dynamic Twitter Marketing Campaign just click and send here.

The mere mention of Twitter, depending on the company you keep, can elicit groans, fist bumps, diatribes, etc. – it’s become a cultural Tsunami, whether you like it or not. So, love it or leave it, our take on the personality types found on Twitter, segueing from the bottom of the Twitter food chain up to the top.

Spammers - yep, we got em on Twitter, but I have to say the filterologists at Twitter have done a good job playing the digital cat and mouse game and are keeping spam to a minimum.

Follow Fanatics – these folks follow anyone that has a digital pulse, regardless of the Follower’s profile, content, focus, etc. They are intensely focused on building a Follower base, chasing that endless popularity contest (“I’ve got more than you”) that many think is what determines how cool they are on Twitter. Guy Kawasaki is one of them (“follow everybody”) but we dear readers,  disagree with this strategy.

Content Chummers (think white sharks metaphorically) – they’ll throw anything/everything into their Twitter stream, regardless of it’s being new, fresh or insightful.  The geeky version of the “content chummer” is integrating a Google Feed into their “Tweetstream” to automate their content flow, although few will admit to it.

Twitterholics - spend 24/7/365 on Twitter with a rapid fire delivery in 140 characters that makes the opening scene/conversation in “The Social Network” look L.A. laid back in comparison. When do these people, sleep, eat and have a real life?

Egnoscenti (play on Cognoscenti) – half their time on Twitter is spent repeating at signs (@) messaging to and from with other egonoscenti: personalities/notables/writers/bloggers/celebrities/etc. while they talk about how cool this trip, flavor of the month technology or event was. Yawn………

Corporati -  driving that brand down the social highway, listening to the Tweets from their followers as they search for positive or negative sentiment Tweets and then amplifying or replying and throwing in news about or around the brand. All good…….

Pay It Forwarders – have built a Following on Twitter by engaging with their Followers and including Tweets that help others – you’ll find this characteristic in many “authentic” types as well (see next category).

Authentics – broadcasting and engaging, using a mixture of news, events and bon mots that pique the interests of their Followers, incorporating some pay it forward components and honestly trying to establish themselves in the Twittersphere.

If we missed a personality type then let us know via comments – if you are new to Twitter, check out our Blog Post: “Using Twitter for Business.” Catch us on Twitter via: LinkedMedia – our personality speaks for itself!