As a marketer with a mantra of ‘be targeted’ – then I always raise an eyebrow when I receive messages from Twitter followers advising me how to get 1000 new followers in 48 hours! And, I certainly don’t follow back those on Twitter who clearly only have the goal of creating a huge number of followers (but to what end!).

I find Twitter a really useful resource – but that’s because I am following – and largely being followed, in a targeted way.

I’ve conversed with my followers to bounce ideas around and get feedback from – and given that I am talking to a relatively targeted audience – then it’s all highly relevant.

To assist me in my targeted strategy – I’ve been using TweetBeep (http://www.tweetbeep.com) – I am aware that there are other alert apps out there – but this is the one I started with – and it’s doing the job marvellously.

Effectively, I use the alert process for a number of things:

• I set my alerts on certain keywords that are relevant to my interests, eg: user experience, social media marketing, usability and online psychology.
• I get alerted via a TweetBeep email each time these keywords are triggered.
• This allows me to read through the messages –check out who the people are – and decide whether to follow them or not. If relevant, I do.
• It’s also been really useful in identifying areas where I can assist and share information. For example – when I saw messages from people looking for a social media strategy outline – I was able to send across a document I had put together. Without the TweetBeep, I wouldn’t have been able to help. I add value to them, they then start following me – subscribe into my blog etc – they’ve found a ‘relevant’ contact.
• Likewise – I’ve found relevant contacts in the same way – and have found some really useful people to follow.
• It also enables me to monitor my own ‘reach’. I often come across my own tweets – being shared across the network by people who are not necessarily following me. And of course, if you set an alert in your own name/twitter handle – then you’ll get alerted on these too.

Of course, when I do follow a new user – then I always check out who they are following – this enables me to grow the people I follow in a targeted way. Like often attracts like – and I am finding that many of the people I am connecting with – are also following in a targeted way – so hence – in their followers, I am finding a great pool of relevant contacts for me to explore.

You can set the alerts on anything which is relevant to you – and so if you too have a targeted strategy, rather than a ‘follow anyone in the hope they too have a follow all strategy and have autofollow set ‘ one – you can watch the relevant conversations that are taking place – and then decide how and whether to participate.

The TweetBeep alerts are pretty instantaneous – and so not only relevant but timely. As I said – there are other alerts out there – and I am told that Tweetdeck has this facility within it.

So, whichever, alert you go for – my advice is cut through the noise and ‘get targeted’.

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Michelle Carvill is owner and Marketing Director at Carvill Creative – a graphic design and marketing services agency based in Maidenhead, Berkshire.  The agency covers all aspects of graphic design and marketing – covering social media marketing and website planning and website design.