Using targeted Twitter lists to fine-tune your online monitoring

There are currently 321 million active users on Twitter and 500 million tweets are sent every single day.

It’s impossible for a communicator to sift through every tweet published, so it is important to use tactics to surface the important tweets you want to see. One of the best tricks is to search within a Twitter list.

These searches allow you to do many things at once. You find essential news, build relationships with journalists, and monitor for potential crises—all in one fell swoop.

While it takes some time to set up and maintain, it’s definitely worth the effort.

Here’s how it works:

Focused social listening

One of the first benefits you’ll see is how efficiently you can monitor important news about your company and competitors. You’ll also know when key journalists are talking about things that are relevant specifically to you and your business.

Then, you can jump into the conversation and share your insights. However, it is essential that your contribution is helpful. Build a relationship first so journalists and other influencers know who you are.

Finally, the real-time immediacy of Twitter means you’ll often be alerted as soon as a crisis is brewing.

Here’s how to set this up:

1. Build a Twitter list of important voices.