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Used the right way, Twitter can be a great tool for building your professional profile and boosting your company’s brand online. Used the wrong way, it can quickly earn you a bad reputation.

How can you tell right from wrong? The following tips will help.

1. Twitter is not for hard-selling. As a social media site, Twitter appeals to people first and foremost as a way to communicate with one another and exchange interesting, funny, topical or useful information. Become that kind of resource via your Twitter account, and you’ll be sure to attract more loyal followers, re-Tweeters and potential customers over time.
2. Be consistent. You don’t have to Tweet 10 times a day if you don’t have anything of value to offer that often. But if you do Tweet 10 times a day as you build your following, you should try to keep up that kind of pace. People will come to expect to hear from you on a regular basis, so whatever schedule you establish, try to stay consistent with it.
3. Don’t repeat yourself. It’s fine to Tweet two or three differently worded reminders of a coming expo or free webinar over a period of a day or two. But Tweeting the same message multiple times a day will turn off your followers quickly. Think quality over quantity.
4. Remember you’re speaking to fellow humans. People catch on pretty fast when it’s obvious the only reason you’re Tweeting is to generate sales. Instead, think of your Tweets as bite-sized samples of conversations you might have with people at a casual networking event.
5. Listen. Just as you would at a networking event, you should also spend time listening to others. Pay attention to what your followers are saying on Twitter, and offer suggestions or advice where appropriate.

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