Talking with your community on Twitter is the whole reason why you use Twitter. However, with a plan and a little self-discipline, you can accomplish your business goals in just a few minutes scattered throughout your day.

• Before You Start: You have a business Twitter account.
• Learning level: 3 | Building Skills
• Article Last Updated:  Saturday, August 11, 2012

Twitter Community Engagement

Engaging your community on Twitter is the reason you use Twitter. It’s the activity that takes the biggest chunk of your Twitter time. This is where you accomplish your business goal for Twitter. Your time on Twitter is an important part of your day. But it is also important that you stay focused on your goals and manage your time on Twitter. You don’t want Twitter to eat into your productivity.

Throughout each day, you perform these acts:

• Compose and send tweets.
• Read direct messages (DMs) sent to you and reply to them.
• Read @replies sent to you and reply to them.
• Read (skim) the timeline.
• Follow interesting links in tweets.
• Mark tweets as favorites.
• Reply to tweets (jump into an ongoing conversation).

Twitter Routine

Set up a routine for yourself each time you get on Twitter, and schedule Twitter breaks throughout your day. In five minutes or less, you can complete these tasks:

1. Check for direct messages and reply.
2. Check for @replies and reply.
3. Skim the recent timeline (limit how far back you view tweets) and reply to tweets.
4. Click on interesting links (sometimes favorite them for later reading).
5. Retweet the really good or important information.

Focus on the most important tasks first, the direct messages and @replies sent specifically to you. If you are pressed for time, you can stop after you complete the first two tasks. Many times, you can complete the first two tasks in under 1 minute.

Your turn: What routines and schedule have you found to help you effectively and efficiently spend your time on Twitter? Share you tips and insights here.

Related Articles:

• Are You Really Engaging Your Customers?
• Understanding Your Twitter Community
• Ebook: Twitter For Beginners
• Grow Your Twitter Community
• Social Media Communications Audit
• Twitter Conversation Checklist
• Write A Great Twitter Bio