As I was going through my updates on Twitter (follow me @edprofesssional), I noticed there are not much people in the education industry yet on Twitterverse yet (or at least as far as I have been on Twitter).

I know there are new age educators already out there engaging in blogs and social networking sites. In fact I’ve noticed great resources featured on Education at Alltop.Com.

However, a refresher guide on the basics of social media will always be helpful for those who are still starting in the social networking scene. Here are a few tips I’ve come up, applicable not only for Twitter but also for other social networking sites 

1. Be Genuine! – The reason why Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites, emerged as a phenomenon in because it created a “habit” or “way of life” in the conversations of people around you. Let them know what you’re doing, your thoughts, or even the silliest thing you see around you. Whether you’re describing your delicious breakfast or you’re sharing an article from the Gulf News, don’t hesitate to post it. Add your unique “voice” and “style” in handling your personal profiles.

1. Don’t forget to give out important sources – As you go on with your new online habits in social media, you’ll get to know the respected Icons in the industry like Guy Kawasaki, Chris Borgan, or Sugar Rae. One thing they have in common is that they share valuable information related to their industry. That is why people follow or have connections with them because the public is genuinely interested to what they’re saying. Ergo, research and share the finds that you have. The more resources and valuable the information you share, the more you will be followed, thus increasing more your network.

1. Connect and Engage – The word social does not mean all you have to do is just talk and listen to the people within your network. Look for people whom you think your expertise and knowledge, or potential clients. There are a lot of tools within social networking sites in finding the relevant people. Be sure to connect with people you are genuinely interested in or else the essence would be lost. So judge carefully who you network with.

1. Acknowledge – When people start connecting with you already, acknowledge or thank them for the follow/connection. Again, engage in conversations rather than just ignoring them as they include you in their circle. Don’t ever use auto-response as what others may use. Trust me, a lot of people get offended with not-so-personal approaches on either social media sites.

1. Regularly Update – Some people average 4-6 hours while others just for a few minutes like checking their mails in the morning, whatever amount of time you devote to invest on social networking, make sure you do it regularly. Have time to view at those who have replied to both your messages and posts or just simply post what not’s of your daily life. Be visible and be a regular. Believe it or not, as you progress, people will expect to see your updates regularly and it will be unwise to disappoint them at any point in time.

There you go, I hope I didn’t sound as geeky as I should be. But ever since I started my social habits, I’ve been a regular especially in the Dubai network. There are still a few of us and hopefully will grow even more. I have other personal social media accounts but I’m sticking to Twitter because it displays the very basic fundamentals of Social Media Networking.

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