9 Ways Twitter Lists Can Make Your Life Easier

If you have over 100 followers with any level of activity (which I’m sure you do), it’s next to impossible to stay up-to-date with everything in your feed. I don’t recommend you try and read every Tweet, but rather, your should consider Twitter lists, and how they can make your life easier.

So, what are Twitter lists?
If you’re not an active Twitter user, than you may not even realize that Twitter lists exist. To find them, either enter a URL like this: http://www.twitter.com/[insert your username here]/lists

Or, click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select “Lists”.

Twitter Lists are a way to organize different accounts on Twitter. You specify a name for a Twitter list, a brief description if you’d like (though not required), and designate whether the list will be public (visible to the public, and accounts get notified when they are added) or private (only visible to you, and accounts do not get notified). After the list is created, you can start to add members. You don’t have to follow that account, nor do they need to be following you in order to add them to a List.

Clearly, one major advantage of using Twitter lists is that you can keep track of accounts without the need to follow them. If you’re worried about your follower ratio, this may be of particular importance to you.

Now that you understand the basics of Twitter lists, here are some different ideas for using them to make your life easier.

1. Prospects

The “Prospects” list is a list best made private. Prospects are the people you want to do business with. Make a Twitter list of these people so you can engage with them on a regular basis and remember to follow up periodically.

2. Partners

Partners may include vendors, customers, or someone in your industry that doesn’t compete directly with your business. Make a list of these accounts to periodically show support or send a targeted message.

3. Supporters

Whether you’re in charge of social media management for a blog or business, it’s a good idea to keep track of the people who help spread your message and give them special attention from time to time.

4. Thought Leaders

Who are the big names in your industry? Put them on this list and regularly interact with them to start building a relationship. You should also periodically check what they’re tweeting and if it’s relevant, share with your own audience.

5. Friends and Family

For a personal Twitter account, it’s nice to separate friends and family from the rest of your feed –  especially if they have something fun to share that would otherwise get lost!

6. Twitter Chat Participants

Are you a regular participant on a weekly Twitter chat? It might not make sense to follow everyone who participates, but you can and should add them to a special Twitter list. You can use tools like IFTTT to automate this process.

7. Conference Attendees

Similar to the above idea, if you go to a conference, you should interact with attendees on Twitter for networking purposes. They’ll love that you added them to a list, and it’s a chance to keep interacting once the event is over.

8. Things to Do in Your City

It would be silly to follow every bar, restaurant and entertainment venue in your city. Instead, add your favorites to a list you can peruse for when you’re at a loss for something to do.

9. Promotions From Favorite Brands

Keep track of the best deals from your favorite companies by adding relevant Twitter accounts to a Twitter List. Just try not to buy everything.