You Don’t Have To Know How To Use Twitter To Be A Social Media Guru

Somehow, they seem to be the top offenders of people who don’t understand how to use Twitter.

Why are people whose Twitter bios claim to be “social media gurus” always the worst at actually using it? A lot of these so-called experts keep making a rookie mistake: beginning a tweet with a username, not realizing that means only mutual followers can see the tweet.

While I’m very sympathetic to accidental typos, this is more of a fundamental misunderstanding of how Twitter works. For those cases where you need to begin a sentence with a username, the typical trick is to toss in a period first, i.e. “.@BuzzFeed is my favorite site.”

Tweets with this misunderstanding are sent all the time, but I just couldn’t escape them today as I was browsing through responses to this morning’s scandal with the official @sweden twitter feed. Sheesh!

Here are tweets made by people whose bios claim to have some fluency or skill in social media, that will only ever been seen by the few (if any) of their mutual followers with @sweden:

William Lark @SocialNetworkTV Follow

@Sweden Twitter account provokes outrage with 'Jew' rant - New York Daily News bit.ly/MIUo7i

9:22 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Social Networking Guru, Discussing Social Media & Marketing Strategies. Successful Online Marketer since 1994 willing to teach you his methods

Linah @onlinebiz_ideas Follow

@Sweden Twitter Account Stirs Controversy - Huffington Post bit.ly/MAnFh1

6:10 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: To Share Online Biz Opportunities. Interests - affiliate marketing, SEO, online marketing methods with little investment and effort

Demetria Gallegos @demetria_g Follow

@Sweden hands over keys to its Twitter account to a new citizen each week. This week has not gone well. #swedentweets on.wsj.com/LQVxqv

6:31 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Community Editor of The Wall Street Journal and Juggle on Sunday columnist.

Dean Barnard @mrcashguru Follow

@Sweden Twitter Account Stirs Controversy bit.ly/LXZlUZ

6:28 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Hi guys, I love to help other people find the best online business opportunities to help them quit there day job!!!

Vera Rich @itsverarich Follow

@Sweden Twitter Account Stirs Controversy bit.ly/L3N2w1

6:25 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Ladies and gentlemen, I love to help other people make the best use of TWITTER,looking forward to seeing your tweets

Daphné Kakaiya @brandingplaces Follow

@sweden Twitter Experiment Goes Painfully Awry: ow.ly/bwWUG via @mashable #nationbranding

5:06 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Bringing together news, events, and blog posts on place branding and public diplomacy in several languages.

Billy Huys @brandedbyhuys Follow

@sweden twitter experiment blows up ow.ly/bwRnA But click thru to her blog & they didn't see that coming!?! ow.ly/bwRnB

4:19 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Social marketing @possible, Designer, Photographer, Returned @peacecorps Volunteer + Constant Digital Disciple. Opinions are my own.

Michael Sharp @DevInDigital Follow

@Sweden Twitter account - has it been hacked? No, its Government sanctioned! adweek.com/adfreak/sweden… #socialmedia

4:03 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Digital Development Manager for Publishing Company, sharing web, mobile, video, social media, augmented reality and search news, plus insight and predictions

Alessandro Rigato @AleUmpaLumpa Follow

@Sweden #Twitter Experiment Goes Painfully Awry mashable.com/2012/06/12/swe… via @mashable

3:26 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Online Reputation & Social Media at @AboutYou_TSW by #TSW

Bruce Remington @Bruce_Remington Follow

@Sweden Twitter Account Stirs Controversy ht.ly/1kv8JD

7:25 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: I’m indifferent to most items on the planet. Some people call me a Social Media Guru. I don’t correct them. #TeamFollowBack

Chenda Ngak @chendangak Follow

@Sweden Twitter experiment sparks controversy - Tech Talk cbsnews.com/8301-501465_16…

10:18 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: CBSNews.com technology & lifestyle blogger. I like beautiful things, quick wit, technology, and video games. Opinions are my own.

CBS News Tech Talk @CBSTechTalk Follow

@Sweden Twitter experiment sparks controversy cbsn.ws/M0yWYR

10:43 PM - 12 Jun 12

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Bio: Follow Tech Talk for all the latest technology news.