Come Out of Your Shell - 3 Tips for Taking Your Twitter Profile to the Next Level

If you are new to Twitter and looking to create meaningful connections with others and gain more followers, this post is for you! Below I will share some tips to take your Twitter profile to the next level!

1. Come Out of Your Shell

One of the first things you may notice when creating a Twitter account is that your profile picture is the image of an egg. If you are a new user you may not understand the importance of changing your profile picture. Missing this very important step will limit your ability to connect and communicate with others on Twitter.

Your profile is your first impression to other Twitter users. If you are an egg, people do not know who you are - and they may even think that you are a spammer. On Twitter, there's no such thing as a "good egg."

Let's try to put it in real life terms...being an egg on Twitter is like walking around with a brown paper grocery bag over your head.

No one can see your face or who you are. People really don't want to interact with you because, let's face it - it's kind of weird to be walking around with a brown paper bag on your head. (P.S. Yes that is me with a bag on my head... Are you sure you still want to talk to me?! Sometimes I do crazy things in the name of blogging!)

I have received a lot more followers since attending the ASCA Conference this year. One thing I noticed is that there are a lot of eggs following me! I typically do not follow people back unless they have a picture of their face or the logo for their organization as their profile picture.

Changing your profile picture is an easy fix that can lead to more followers and more connections with others! To change your profile picture use these step by step instructions provided by Twitter.

2. Put Your Best Face Forward!

Once you have decided to come out of your shell, it is time to pick a new profile picture!

Here are some recommended do's and don'ts for choosing a new profile picture:

Do's

• Do choose a professional-looking headshot of yourself
• Do keep the background and your outfit simple (crazy patterns will make it difficult for people to focus on your face, which is the most important part of your profile picture!)
• Do smile! You want to look approachable! 
• Do use a school logo or a picture of your school mascot when creating a school counseling program account. Parents, students, and the school community will easily be able to identify that the account is associated with your school.

Don't

• Don't include multiple people in your picture. Your profile picture should be of just you. (As tempting as it might be to take a picture of yourself and your furry friend, don't. Unless Fluffy will be tweeting for you, she shouldn't be part of the picture.)
• Don't use a picture of an inanimate object, pet, or animal as your profile picture, unless it is your school mascot or school logo that you are using for your school counseling program account. 
• Don't be an egg... enough said.

Your picture doesn't need to be taken by a professional. You can get a pretty decent picture even by using the camera on your phone!

3. Tell Us About Yourself!

Failing to provide information about yourself in your profile is a missed opportunity! You only have 160 characters worth of information to share so be specific and purposeful.

Some things you may want to include in your profile description include:

• The level you serve - are you an elementary school counselor, middle school counselor, high school counselor, counselor educator, graduate student, director of school counseling, or president of a state school counselor association?
• Hashtags - You can include the hashtag #schoolcounselor, #scchat, or other hashtags associated with your profession or specific job
• Other things you do in your role.

This is what my Twitter profile looks like.

I took my own picture with my camera phone and changed it to black and white. I also used the same color scheme and images that I use on my blog to make all of my social media accounts have a cohesive look. 

Below are a few examples of other Twitter users who have great profile pictures and profile descriptions!

Here are some great examples of school counseling program Twitter accounts.

Using Twitter is a great way to share and connect with other school counselors! If you implement these simple tips you will be on your way to making even more connections and getting more followers! 

I look forward to tweeting with you soon! 

What tips do you have for taking your Twitter profile to the next level?

Comment below, tweet, contact Danielle, or share on the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page!

Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources. Connect with Danielle via email, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.