Twitter the company does have rules and suggested best practices you should follow. But beyond that, what’s true is:
Twitter rule #1: Make your own rules.
(c) Jennifer Berman, Humerus Cartoons
If someone tells you you’re doing Twitter wrong, feel free to ignore them.
Did you know that many of Twitter’s features were invented by users? @msgs, #hashtags and retweets were all invented by users.
Part of Twitter’s magic is that you create your own experience! (You might want to read “Quit worrying about people that don’t want to follow you.”) There are an infinite number of ways to use Twitter. But because this is true, also remember…
Twitter rule #2: Be open to learning.
There are a lot of great ways to get more out of Twitter that you can learn from others.
If someone gives you Twitter advice, feel free to think about it. Ask questions. Investigate. Don’t take what you know for granted. Part of Twitter’s magic is that there are an infinite number of new things to learn about how it can be used.
How to tell if an article about Twitter gives bad advice: It relies on one point of view. When someone says “Twitter is about this one thing” they are automatically wrong.
Twitter is about a lot of things, not just any one thing. But because this is true, remember…
Twitter rule #3: Engage with and help others.
Once you learn how powerful connecting with and helping others is on Twitter, you can forget all the other rules 
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Nobody showed me how to use twitter I did it on my own and my own rules! How can anybody tell me I’m doing it wrong? I DID IT MY WAY AND IT WORKS! so there
A great comprehensive & short list of rules, I like it, thank you!
Saved. Favourited. And retweeted tonight, hopefully for the attention of those who think that the way some tweeps do twitter needs some thoughtful caring “tips”
I always say that’s Y Uneed2Know another “language” in order 2;) really understand where anyone is coming from. After all if all the Crazy” ppl call U crazy what duz that make u? Taking advice OK 2 keep in mind but u can’t think in terms of what others R doing unless U can understand context of use.Trying 2Reda sum1 in their own frame of reference means uneed 2 understand(or research) where they’re coming from. words can mean what u want them 2mean.If it quacks like a duck duzn’t mean u have 2 turn over evry rock.U only believe things in your frame of reference. Thats why knowing MC is like knowing a language-somany shortcuts & background meanings. The “real” truth is the only constant!;) If keeping it short isn’t UR style then that’s how u can spot REALPPL.BTW-Happy Bday shouts to a great man Norbert Bollow. While in US kids are named Dot bcuz folks like how it sounds, in EU named after patron saint of day u were born .STNorbert wuz born on 7/2…Buttt u have 2know that frame of reference in order2 understand. Uneed2Know many languages in order 2 get it!
ThatsY u always need2Verify and never ass U me!;-)Trus no1 2 tellU anything-Research!
awesome
Of all the posts that list rules on how to use Twitter, this is the ONLY one I agree with. Well done.
Somebody had to say it
Love it!
Hilarious image, but the rule of “don’t follow the rules” is good advice to the uninitiated.
There’s a lot that’s worth knowing about Twitter, but it’s used in so many different ways that folks going around telling others what to do hasn’t proved itself very useful.
that’s the beauty of the fishnet in the ocean:)Like life,it’s flexible, but the reel truth will always cum thru if i knowa what2look4;)The hard part is getting over the SNR (signal2noise ratio;)Sumtimes u guista wanna not have2 B distraxcted. Thats why I don’t envy Rachel. I cudnT do what she duz so well cuz Ima not her!Back in the 60′s U CUD always spot “daman” cuz was in a trenchcoat-nowadays not so much!;)Now they’re pretty mutch under evry rock;)
At office I try to follow rule No.1.(Boss is always right) At twitter I am fascinated…there are no rules.
That could be why Twitter is more popular than work
I do agree on rule#2 and #3, anyhow #1 is quite too close to look merely ownself. This is a social !!!, therefore, we need to play, fun, each other like team.
actuly “social”,”Teem”,”play” can bTaken many dfrnt weighs. THINK outsdeda;) [BOX]One mans (OR womans;) “joke” can lead to problems $A shuttlenaut lvng in suncuntryAZ..;)
Twitter rule #4 Listen, thought of good[high] quality!
Agreed. I seriously considered adding that, as it belongs here. But I wrote this to try to help the “Twitter Police” (as Ewan calls them) consider the error in their ways…and so I decided to keep it short.
Thanks , Now that i know rule # 1 , buzz off n stop preaching – i take on from here
@vikaspgoel
I think you have created the shortest possible summary
I agree…but I thin k you have them in reverse order
A friend of mine who is into spirituality read this and said “Those are the laws of Freedom, Growth, and Love you’ve posted.”
Looking at it that way, I agree with you that love comes first
But I wrote this post to help me when I want to remind someone that if you want freedom for yourself, remember to give it to others.
Thank you for this! I’m going to send a link to this everytime i run into another one of the “Twiter Police” too many people think they know better than you running around twitter telling people what they should do
That image is hilarious!
I couldn’t open Photoshop fast enough when I had that idea
ROTFLMAO to that last image!!
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