This is How I Do Twitter -- YMMV (Your mileage may vary)
Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels
Advice for advocates using twitter from Kathy Flaherty, Executive Director of the Connecticut Legal Rights Project
Follow Kathy at @ConnConnection
Think about accessibility - do not tweet images without including alt-text. Use camel case (exact letterforms) on hashtags, for example #AdvocacyToolbox NOT #advocacytoolbox.
The great thing about Twitter is you can have a conversation (even if it’s only with yourself) any time of day, unless you’re participating in a Twitter chat or tweetstorm, where the goal is to have the conversation at a designated time.
Use hashtags relevant to your community: #CripTheVote, #DisabilityTwitter, #Insulin4All, etc
How do I fit it into my day? When I look at my phone I tend to open Twitter. It’s like a break from whatever I’m dealing with.
Know that it’s OK to lurk and just read and learn from other people. Follow a variety of people including people you don’t 100% agree with.
Don’t feel obligated to give your energy to trolls. There are people out there whose sole reason for being on Twitter seems to be riling people up. Spend your time writing/sharing tweets about things that matter to you.
Be real. You don’t have to have perfectly crafted tweets all the time, especially on a personal account.
Typos are OK. Everyone makes them. You’ll hate getting notifications of tweets that become popular but have a typo in them (I do).
Blocking people means you’re setting boundaries. If you get blocked by someone, they are setting a boundary. Boundaries are good things. You can also mute individual tweets, conversations, or entire accounts. Sometimes we get tired of a conversation and need to walk away. That’s OK.
Be a true ally. Lift other voices. It’s OK to not have an opinion on everything. It’s also OK to have and express opinions on lots of things - just be aware when you’re not really the person whose opinions should be at the center of a particular conversation