Credit: scienceblogs.com

You can’t get complacent with Twitter. You may not know you’ve done so, and here’s a few suggested pulse points:

• Do you only follow the same tweeps each day and respond to them and no one else?
• When was the last time you opened a new link to a new tweep’s blog and engaged?
• Are typically the same people replying to your tweets and RTs?

It’s easy to get comfortable on Twitter, reading the same blogs and getting more acquainted with the same gaggle of folk. We’re human after all; not many people like to step out of their comfort zone, but I’m encouraging you to reflect on your Twitter habits and spiff up a boring stream.

The dawn of a new year is a perfect time to ask the following questions:

• Am I merely engaging with peers in my own profession?
• Am I learning another vertical?
• Has someone ticked you off with their behavior on Twitter?
• What are you gaining from your Twitter experience?

When you explore your original objectives about Twitter engagement (and you fast learn it’s much more than “hi, I’m going on a hot date tonight,”) then ask and answer the aforementioned questions.

Peers in Your Space

Professionals in your space are most likely to support your commentary. I love Davina Brewer @3hatscomm for her always banter around my public relations opinions. We’re in the same field. She’s not likely to send business to me nor I to her; perhaps we’d team up on a project, yet we’ve never discussed it. So, in essence, we’re competitors yet friendly and supportive. Love that. Our Twitter engagement is top notch, and I’m not likely to unfollow her any time soon.

Learning Another Vertical

Everyone knows enough about an industry to be dangerous. So, dive in to an entire stream of tweeps expert in health care or engineering. What you can glean from them is a treasure; trust me, because I did it in social media a few years ago. Twitter was my training ground in social media, and the pace was fast and furious. All those online courses – for the birds.

Ticked Off?

There was a woman I had been following for a good year. I noticed how she flitted from blog to blog and arrogantly posted a criticism and lofty opinion and then moved on without responding twice. Then, I watched her comments on a chat forum and began slowly to become annoyed with this behavior. I cleaned my stream and that was that. Better balance all in all. You can do the same and keep the peace.

Gaining from Twitter?

Twitter’s hidden gifts are numerous, myriad; like a new galaxy. If you can’t list 10 perqs off the bat, you’ve got a problem and you’re likely using Twitter the wrong way. I bet if you ask yourself “what am I gaining from Twitter?” you’ll be surprised what’s in the treasure chest.

There’s no way any of this can happen if  you complacently watch the tweets roll in. Change your Twitter habits and keep your stream fresh. Lead Twiter instead of letting it lead you; what a great business goal for 2011.