by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: October 08, 2010   Last Updated: February 09, 2011

In learning how to build a personal brand on Twitter, first of all, it's helpful to distinguish between a personal brand and a business brand. The word, brand, throws the reader off when first encountering the notion of a personal brand. A personal brand is how one is perceived on Twitter, Facebook or on any one of the other networking sites. Is this a helpful person passing out tips on how to succeed in whatever endeavor; an entrepreneur who goes all out in search for effective involvement of their ideas;  are they business oriented but friendly and helpful;  or is this person out to make that fast buck no matter in what way; or are they perceived as spammers and are to be shunned? 

To become an effective online presence, anywhere, on blogs, as  a content writer, an interactive presence on Facebook and others, etc., having something to say that other will want to hear, is important. That takes practice. To begin, one has to be sincere in the effort. Genuinely care about the remarks, the tips, the guiding forces behind your comments. Because of the limitation of the characters on the social network in question, this demands effort. Anyone can sign in and spout off about pretty much anything, but for what purpose, to be ignored? 

* The first tip is to have a reason to tweet. Maybe at first, you have a delightful - what you perceive to be delightful, tweet about some ongoing news story, or whatever, and want to share it. That is excellent, there is no better reason to tweet. A picture forms in the mind of a bird perched high on a limb, surveying the world below and wants to make known his glee. He tweets. Unfortunately, not all tweets are this innocent, some have a more carefully crafted purpose, that of promoting a business, and making some inroads on getting blogs read, or finding genuine friendships. 

*The second tip is to hone the message down to its basic meaning. For a genuine effort at directing attention to some worthy cause the world may benefit from; to ease the discomfort of someone in stress; to alert others to a new way of on-line learning; or for whatever hopeful way an online presence is perceived, tweets properly tweeted, can help convey a desired personal brand. 

* The third tip is to learn how to make use of this newer form of communication and not to worry or fret over how one is being read, or if read. If the effort is sincere, is aimed at understanding, and is not in the form of some trick to divert the efforts of others, or to bask in the glory genuinely belonging to others, then an honest little tweet will win over a hateful cackle anytime. 

* Perseverance is necessary. Out with your tweets at least one or two a week, if not everyday. At the pace of the Internet and its way of moving on, those who irregularly, when the spirit moves them, interact socially on-line, will be passed over and not taken seriously. 

* Decide on you label - your name - and stick with it. It takes time for it to become a presence and if it is constantly changed, how can anyone hope to be recognized for their genuine efforts online. If it is maligned, then defend it, don't skulk off and try another label. That kind of action is always open to suspicion. 

How you are known on-line, and especially on networking sites such as Twitter, and others, is best done by being yourself, hopefully your better self on all sites. You cannot take on a different persona that suits your mood whenever and wherever you are. These remarks are permanent. Make your presence something that say you, and make it one that you will not be ashamed to claim as your own. Don't wash your dirty laundry on-line, that needs be done in your own private laundry room. 

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