See, the thing about Social Media is this. It rewards "the content creator". You have an active Facebook page because you create compelling, original content. You have a blog with a lot of followers because you're creatively prolific. You have a lot of Twitter followers because, frankly, people like what you tweet. You've got a tremendous amount of "gravity" on your YouTube page because you upload awesome videos.
Social Media loves content.
I love Twitter. I get Twitter. Twitter is easy. Twitter is fun.
Twitter is basically a microblog. You get 140 characters and you get to put your stamp on something. You get to state your thoughts, opinions, observations, and rather than be a limitation or a restriction, 140 characters actually pushes you to be clever, concise, elegant, witty. They make it tremendously easy to pepper your feed with all kinds of great content. You can tweet videos. You can tweet photos. You can be spontaneous, fun, and engaging. All in 140 characters (or less!).
They even facilitate this process by providing the easiest, most spontaneous integration on the planet. The cell phone. You don't need an "iPhone" or a "smartphone" or some far-out, expensive, crazy phone to tweet. All you basically need is a phone number and SMS. You can literally phone it in. See something you wanna share while you're standing in line at the Supermarket? Share it. Got a great thought or idea while the waitress is bringing you the salad? Tweet it. Driving along and inspiration strikes? Text it to 40404 at the next stoplight.
So why do you suck at it so much?
Why, when given the opportunity to show everyone how creative you are, do you choose to instead do the LEAST creative and witty thing you can with your twitter account?
In my small town (relatively small I should say. After all, we're not Chicago) I began following people who build their whole business on the idea that they provide creative content to clients. Turns out, their entire twitter feed is nothing more than ReTweeting other people's thoughts, ideas, and content. When given the opportunity to show everyone just how creative you are, you choose instead to
let someone else do the talking for you.
Think about that for a second. ReTweeting -- nothing more than clicking a button and passing something on that
someone else wrote. I mean, I do it. Heck,
everyone does it. Difference is, they don't
exclusively do it. Most people do it maybe ten... fifteen percent of the time, because they're actually busy creating content. Tweeting a blog post. Posting something from a conference they're at. Uploading pics from their phone, etc. They're sharing. They're creating content. They're winning.
Likewise with the people who do nothing but endlessly quote the Bible, Mark Twain, or some other person who apparently has far more creative and worthwhile things to say than you do. Hey, here's a tip... If I wanted to see what the Bible said, I'd read it. Of course I enjoy a Thoreau quote as much as the next person, and when the mood strikes, I might share one that's particularly inspiring, but anyone can waste their entire twitter account pasting quotes. I followed you originally because I wanted your insight, your wisdom, your experience. Instead I got a sanctimonious stream of blather that I could've gotten from a google search for "inspirational posters".
You're creative. You're in a creative business. You write. You produce. You direct. You create. Step up to the plate and show people what you're made of. Rise to the occasion. Don't just demonstrate to anyone and everyone that you're another in a long line of people who "talks the talk" but can't "walk the walk".