Hello Tweeple (Twitter People)! .....

**Blog Update Note**: This site will constantly be updated as I familiarise myself further with Twitter so please regularly drop in & check on any updates. And if you feel the need, feel free to COMMENT in the comment section at the bottom of this blog. :)

Background: I’ve been a Twitter user since May 2007, mainly dormant, but only been active since around mid September 2009. Therefore I am still "newish" and on a learning curve. Please bear with me while I try to find my Twitter "rhythm". So much of what and how I tweet is still in the trial and error process. We are all humans after all, prone to error, in my case, every few hours :).

About Me: My username's handle “HappySoul” is the most simple and complete definition of me. This is all you need to know of me until I get to know you better with time, other than what is already on my Twitter Bio and this Blog's Profile (on right hand column of blog). I prefer to build online relationships organically, going with the flow of time, before exchanging personal and/or professional details. Hopefully one day I can meet Tweeples in person at future Tweetups (Twitter Meetups) or Twitter conferences.

Why Am I Back On Twitter? Human nature. Curiosity got the better off me. Checking what the fuss is all about. Passionate about promoting and assisting charitable causes. But most importantly, Fun Fun Fun in learning and sharing with like minded folks!

What I Am Not Here For: (a) Popularity contest, (b) Collecting followers (c) Sales of products and services including my own professional services, (d) Business ventures, (e) Promoting my blogs. If all the above do appear as a result of organic and natural process over time, so be it but not my MAIN goal. Therefore, you will not see me initiate activities relating to the above 4 items other than occasionally helping friends out.

Follow Me or Not to Follow
That is the Twitterverse Question

To manage your expectations, the What and How I tweet in order to decide whether you want to follow or unfo llow me (I do take it personnaly if you unfollow, don’t worry).

Detailed in the 6 items below are what you can expect from me and what I expect out of you so that everything is clear and upfront for both parties involved:

(1) What Types of Tweets
(2) How I Tweet
(3) Followers
(4) Retweets (RTs)
(5) Twitter Lists
(6) Follow Friday 
(click on Happysoul's Follow Friday Blog to read my Follow Friday process & recommended tweeps)

1. What Types of Tweets

Everything from everything that I personally read and review of interest to me, for example: breaking news; twitter related info; business, finance, politics and leadership; nature (flora and fauna), environment and ecosystems; technology, gadgets and sciences; social media; astronomy; architecture and interior design; art and photography; sports; health; food; lifestyle; spirituality; travel; entertainment: film, tv, music and celebrities; quotes and most favourites – humour and charitable/ altruistic causes et al.

On certain days, following Twitter tradition, I sometime participate in tweeting specific topics with the Twitter community on particular days such as:

Monday
#EcoMonday: All info relating to environment, climate, green subject matter and issues
#MusicMonday: All info relating to Music or even tweeting favourite songs

Tuesday
#TravelTuesday: All info relating to travel all over the world

Friday
#FollowFriday: Recommending a few of your followers to others to follow
(click on Happysoul Follow Friday Blog to read my Follow Friday process & recommended tweeps)

The # (hashtags) helps others in the Twitter community who are interested and/or tweeting the topic in question to find you, even if they are not following you. If you click on the hashtag topic you will be able see a list of tweeples tweeting on the same subject. For more info on this subject, please click here to view the Official Twitter Blog on hashtag.

2. How I Tweet

(2.1) Tweet Frequency – Trial and error.
There is no real set schedule of how I tweet. My frequency highly depends on my Real Life schedule.

Presently I have time to spare in between my work, travels & personal life, hence, I tweet on an hourly or half hourly basis on average throughout the day but slowly decreasing until I find the right balance for me. Once my offline life peaks again, I will only tweet once or twice a few weeks at a time. Furthermore, there are occasions I will not tweet for few hours or even a day/ days for various reasons.

If you feel the tweet frequency is too much or too less, please do not follow me or unfollow me.

(2.2) Tweet Repeats
Due to followers existing in several world timezones, you will often see my tweet posts repeated. I believe there are a few exceptional tweets which are important to share with my followers so I schedule and automate tweets to be posted for different timezones within usually a 24 to 48 hours timeline. So shoot or sue me or just megabytze me for being a repeat offender. Sharing is caring :)

If the tweet repeats bother you, please do not follow me or unfollow me. 

(2.3) Semi-Automated Tweeting
I like to share information that interests and fascinates me. Rather than tweet all of the info in one tweet session when I'm online and risk of spamming my followers, I plan them out and schedule through automated tweets to show up at a later time or date such as in the case of Tweet Repeats above. This means I am unable to respond to you immediately because actually I'm not online and my tweets are posted and scheduled automatically.

Nonetheless, if you leave me a Mention @happysoul or DM, I will ALWAYS try to personally REPLY to you. Not necessarily immediately but definitely within a few hours or following few days. Due to increase of followers and tweets in my Mentions column, I've noticed I do sometime miss Tweeps' Mentions to me. If I've not replied to your Mentions, please do send me a reminder Mention again. I am not ignoring you on purpose.

I find it ethically and morally unacceptable to ignore and appreciate someone’s efforts to write to you (unless you’re an annoying spammer), regardless of how big of a following you have.

However, in the last December 2009 month, I've been unable to reply and/or thank RTs, Follow Fridays, inclusion in Lists and even some Mentions. Sincere apologies for this. My Real Life took over and I could only be online for brief moments, only enough time to schedule and broadcast info tweets in my timeline. Saying all this, I do manually post tweets often and you will know I am around when I reply to Mentions and also reply to your DMs.

If the semi-automated tweeting bothers you, please do not follow me or unfollow me.

3. Followers
(Welcome DM, Follow Back, Automated DMs and Blocks)
I am not here for a popularity contest or collect as many followers as possible. I like the Twitter culture of sharing and exchanging info supported by a take and give of mutual generosity. Consequently, I’d rather have quality and loyal followers who follow me because they like my tweets rather than wanting me to follow them back purely to increase their follower numbers. I do not judge but I have no interest to interact with such tweeps because I feel the personal interaction would be disingenious. Each to their own preferences and motives to be on Twitter. This is mine.

(3.1) Welcome DM
Initially I have personally DM’d new followers and followed back quite often if I find their Twitter page of content value for me.

I do not autofollow or use automated DMs or use generalised welcome greetings. Each DM is written based on info read of your bio, website (if provided in bio) and tweets. I feel this is the best way to get to individually know my followers and, in turn, for you to get to know me in our first few communication exchanges. 

Unfortunately with increasing followers and Real Life busy schedule, I no longer write welcome DMs. I do once in a while when I have time but it is more of a rare occurrence these days.

However, please feel free to drop me a Mention or DM to say hello anytime. Unfortunately, of recent times, I rarely check on who is following me on daily basis due to time constraints after reading and posting tweets. I do sometime check on new followers every few weeks.

(3.2) Follow Back
Please do not take it personally if I don’t follow you back. The best way to get me to follow you back is to initiate contact and establish rappor with me through sending Mentions and/or RTs @happysoul. I will always reply and over a period of time, perhaps follow you back once we have exchanged a few tweets.

I conduct my online relationships very much like my face to face relationships. I do not follow people for follow sake. If I feel there is no positive value and contribution in the tweets and/or the person, I will not follow you. Nothing personal. In reverse roles, I take nothing personal if you decide not to follow me or drop me. I am very comfortable in my own skin and do not need external validation to confirm my self worth in that I do not feel a sense of rejection if you do not initially follow or after a while unfollow me.

Every few weeks or so, when I have time, I personally screen all my new follower's profile one by one. I check your bio, your url link(s), and your tweets and who you are connected to (if these are people I trust and connected to).  If there is any indication of constant and obtrusive sales type tweets, be it for your blog, be it to increase followers counts or be it for your business, I will definitely unfollow you.

Every few months, I do a purge of all my followers and unfollow people of whom (1) never engage with me or cease to interact with me anymore through Mentions, DMs or RTs and (2) continuously post sales type tweets without engaging to anyone.

Please do NOT ask me in Mentions to follow you. I'll do the exact opposite. Let the interaction grow naturally. For more information, please read next info blog below.

What you see is what you get. What you twit-learn is what I tweet.

(3.3) Automated DMs
Most Twitter community absolutely loathes automated DMs so please try to refrain from using it. Better not to do DMs at all than sending an automatic generated and impersonal DM, especially for welcome and thanking DMs to a new follower. Not doing yourself any favours in terms of first impressions.

(3.4) Blocks (love this feature)
BE WARNED all Spammers and Auto Robots (AutoBots). READ and DIGEST the  information below thoroughly:

(a) Autobots: If your Twitter page only consists of tweets of your products/ services with numerous Mentions to a whole block of Twitter usernames, you are an AutoBot spammer to me, you will be BLOCKED to infinity and beyond.

May the Twitter black hole spit you out and feed you to Twitter astroids for infinite galaxial consumptions.

(b) Unsolicited Spam: If you sell me your products and services via DM or Mention the moment you follow me, you are BLOCKED for life.

See above Autobot block and I wish you to suffer the same inevitable dire fate: eternal pixelated damnation.

(c)Spam Group Mention: If you post a Mention @happysoul attached to a list of Twitter usernames for the sole intention to spam me and other users on the same list with some outlandish sales scheme, you will definitely share the same BLOCK fate as the above two “waste-of-everyone’s-time” SPAM types.

(d) Official Twitter Block & Spam Feature: To top it all of, you'd be happy to note, I will report you to the Twitter Powers that Be for Spam and, most possibly, you'd be BLOCKED by Twitter itself. Read Twitter's Terms of Services and you'll understand why.

4. Retweets (RTs)
(RT Guiding Principle, RT Style, RT New & Old Features, Short URLs, Thanks for RTs)

(4.1) RT Guiding Principle
My only request for followers is to respect users’ tweets & give credit where credit is due. If you cannot fit all usernames which RT’d the tweet in 140 characters, then my humble suggestion is to include, at the very least, the username of the first person who RT'd the tweet or originator of tweet. And if characters are still available include the username who RT'd the tweet the latest, in this way, one can track all the kind users who RT'd the tweet back from latest to the originator. There are many other solutions to this so please observe other Twitter ethics on RTs.

In the time I’ve been active on Twitter, I’ve observed prominent Twitter users, from professionals to celebrities, totally abusing crediting RTs. In my view, this abuse is solely to promote one’s own popularity or to gain some type of 15 Twitseconds RT fame. This behaviour baffles me due to the basic lack of respect one has for common decency amongst Tweeples. In many ways this behaviour is a simple form of “light” plagiarism and outrightly disrespectful to the tweet originator as well really to the "plagiarist" (often in denial or completely void of moral ethics and obviously totally insecure about their self-worth to go to such levels).

(4.2) RT Style
(Twitter vs Happysoul's RT Format, Tools for Easy RT)

(a) Twitter RT Standard Format:
Twitter uses the following conventional RT format:
"RT @username: (Tweet Message) (url shortened link)"

Example:
"RT @happysoul: Happysoul's Welcome & Intro Blog http://happysoul.posterous.com"

(b) Happysoul's RT Preferred Format:
I use my own style based on what I think is the most user friendly in Ergonomics/ Human Factors design.

FYI: Ergonomics or Human Factors is the science of understanding how humans work and live around a particular work environment, system or application. This understanding will then be applied to the design, development and implementation of a more effective and efficient usability of the particular work environment, system or application. As a result of the redesign, the human will work more efficiently and effectively too.

My RTs are styled as follows:
"(Tweet Message). RT @username (url shortened link) [Personal Comment, if any]"

Example:
"Happysoul's Welcome & Intro Blog RT @happysoul http://happysoul.posterous.com [Interesting Info]"

Why? For ease of tweet scanning and screening. I prefer seeing the actual tweet message first rather than wading through a bunch of retweeters/ usernames before seeing the actual message itself. It's just more user friendly and easier to read.

Similar to my preferred RT format, here is an excellent Retweet article on suggested format for RTs by my goodfriend @RuhaniRabin: "The Art of Retweets ~ http://j.mp/q3eY"

The suggested RT format is slightly different than mine in that the placement of the url link is not at the end of the tweet but @RuhaniRabin's reasonings for this change in RT style format is to ensure cleanliness in tweet for ease of reading.

EXCEPTION: I do use the Twitter RT standard format when I want to add a comment to an RT with several comments from different retweeters such as in this following example: "Agree RT @milagro88: Ditto for me RT @terrinakamura: I don't like the New RTfeature http://example.com"

With my preferred Happysoul RT format, this tweet will be more difficult to read.

Alternatively, there are more ways to add comments to Retweet by this excellent and funny article by @Unmarketing: "How to ReTweet ~ http://bit.ly/3ayg8c"

(4.3) Tools for Easy RT:
Other than the RT (Retweet) button on the main Twitter page, most of the Twitter Client Apps (applications) such as Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, Seeismic, etc as well as Twitter Apps for Mobiles has an automated RT button along with auto/ semi-automated short urls (shortens long urls to shorter characters). All Twitter Apps use the Twitter RT standard format.

When using the Twitter Client, if you want to use my preferred RT format and/or @RuhaniRabin's RT format suggestions, you would have to manually edit the RT before posting the tweet.

(4.4) RT New & Old Features

(a) New RT Feature: The new RT is quite automated and less useful than I originally expected. There are several articles on the subject included in one of the sources of all info at www.mashable.com.

According to Mashable's recent poll, about 65% of Tweeps do not use new RT feature and prefer to use the old RT style, which most have the options to choose the old or new RT feature from their Twitter Apps.

There are 2 reasons why people dislike the New RT feature: (1) Cannot include any personal comment to RT and (2) You can only see who RT'd you by going to the Twitter page in the "Retweet" section on left hand side column under "Favorites".

If you usually tweet daily from a Twitter Client like I do, one would not see who RT'd you like the Old RT feature which shows up in your Mention column, unless of course you manually check daily your Twitter page's "Retweet" section. Consequently, the probable communications opportunities and interactions you might have between Retweeter and RT originator is null and void unless they manually check the Twitter page daily.

I have only used the New RT feature once and NEVER again will I use this RT feature. I have to confess apologetically that I've not even thanked anyone who RT'd me through the New RT feature as I keep forgetting to check.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you want me to acknowledge you in thanking you or interacting you, best to keep me updated that you've RT'd me with the New RT feature, either via Mentions or DMs.

(b) Old RT Feature: I ONLY use the Old RT feature. I am only able to see RTs from tweeps who use the Old RT Feature because it comes into my Mentions Column. I rarely check my Twitter Page's "Retweets" section so I'd rarely know you have RT'd me if you use the New RT feature. Most people in Twitter seems to not check either. 

(4.5) Short URLs
In the past, I used ow.ly mostly for my short url tool which is available on Hootsuite (one of Twitter Client Apps). Now I only use j.mp (owned by bit.ly) as well as bit.ly. Bit.ly is the short url used by default in Tweetdeck and Seeismic.

With all of these short urls tools/ websites, it's easy to track how many people actually clicks on the url (website) links if you are interested in stats, especially useful for businesses. But the clicks are not based only on your tweet or RT, it seems to be the total of clicks from the online universe since the original content was posted in that particular url page.

It is only feasible if the original content where the url link is from has never been retweeted by anyone else in the online universe.

Additional Notes: You can find these short url tools respectively in http://ow.ly or http://j.mp or http://bit.ly

(4.6) Thanking RTs
Concerning good RT ethics and practice, best to always appreciate and show gratitude by thanking Tweeples who RT'd your tweets.

If these good people think your tweet is valuable enough to RT and willing to promote YOU  and content of your tweet to the Twittersphere, at the very least you can give is a few thankful words in a Mention/ DM to show your appreciation of their efforts in supporting and promoting you and your tweet. 

Try not to send your thanks in one bulk if there is quite a number of Tweeples to be thanked. Suggest to stagger and spread out the thanks at every 15 to 30 minutes or so to minimise spam and irritating your readers and followers.

Alternatively create a @namereply account solely dedicated to thanking RTs, Mentions and Follow Friday lists. Mine is @HSReply solely created to thank RTs, Follow Fridays and Lists and avoid spamming followers in my @Happysoul account. However, the @HSReply account is set to private. Please do NOT send any communications to @HSReply account. Only send any replies or communications to my main account @Happysoul.

Sincere apologies to all my followers for my behaviour in December 2009 where I've hardly thanked anyone for their Mentions, RTs, Follow Fridays, and inclusion in their Twitter Lists. My RL has been quite busy and have had not much time to be online other than scheduling tweets and responding to emails. When I do have time, I've been lax at replying as I just want to tweet and interact with tweeps available in the short time I am able to be online.

From 2010 onwards, I'll probably not have much time to continue thanking individual tweeps. In exchange, I'll send indirectly my thanks through Retweeting in return for every Mention, RT, Follow Friday, and inclusion in Twitter Lists that my friends have kindly bestowed upon me. For more info, please click my recent personal Thank You Blog.

To understand and learn How to Get Retweeted, please read one of the best articles from one of the most Retweeted Twitter User (over 100,000 RTs to date) and one of my goodfriends that is @Flipbooks: "How @Flipbooks Hit Over 80,000 RTs ~ http://bit.ly/4wPXTV"

What to Remember for RTs & Twitter in General:
Twitter is about being less focussed on you and to be more appreciative of others if you want to be fully embraced by its culture. Consequently, the more you RT other people's tweets, the more you will also be RT'd in return.

5. Twitter Lists

How I Do My Lists?
I divided my Lists in 2 Sections: (1) Lists for Tweeps consisting of 7 Lists in total and (2) Lists for Information Feed totalling 12 Lists

Each Sections are explained below. If you want further descriptions of each Twitter Lists and direct links to go to the respective Twitter LIst Pages, click on Happysoul's Twitter Lists.

(a) Lists for Tweeps
These 7 lists consist of Tweeps/ Friends of whom I recommend for their great tweets, helpfulness, genuineness, friendliness, and fun interaction. 

(b) Lists for Information (RSS) Feed
These 12 lists consists of subject matters I am interested in and tweet regularly. They represent my real time information (RSS) feed.

6. Follow Friday
(Selection, Process & System, Mention, Thank You, Follow Friday in 2010)

Please click my Happysoul's Follow Friday Blog for details on (1) how I select my Follow Friday recommendations, (2) what process and system I use to share my Follow Fridays to Twitter, (3) how I communicate this in the traditional Friday's mentions, (4) my views on thanking peeps for Follow Friday mentions/ shout outs, and finally (5) my new Follow Friday process for 2010.

In conclusion,

Twitter is about being less focussed on you and to be more appreciative of others if you want to be fully embraced by its culture.

Let's enjoy sharing info in Twitterville and enjoy the ride. In the meanwhile, please feel free to comment my blog in the COMMENT section below or even better send me a Mention/DM @happysoul if you just want to say hello, comment on this blog or need any help.

May you be blessed with a smile permeating positivity throughout your entire soul on this fine day!

Happy Tweeting and See You in Twitterverse!
(◕‿◕) Happysoul (◕‿◕)