How I'm using Twitter Lists

If you don't tweet, you probably want to skip this post. For those who do: I've been asked by a few twitter connections how I am using the new Twitter Lists function and how I built my lists. So I thought it might interest others.

Twitter first rolled out the List function out a week or so ago in Beta to some random users. I was lucky to be one of the first people to get it, and saw value, so I started building lists. According to LIFEHACKER, the bugs that slowed the system terribly at first have now been worked out, so Twitter is rolling out the functionality for all other Twitter users. If you don't have it, you should any day.

What a Twitter List is: Any category of your choosing, applied to the people you are following and their tweets. Lists are directly on the Twitter website, not an interface, and become part of your profile.

Why: Lists allow you to group people you follow by category so that you can follow them closer.

You can select to make any list you create "Private" for your eyes only, or "Public," viewable (and followable) by anyone who views your profile.

Benefits: when you start following many people on Twitter, tweets roll through your stream so rapidly that you just can't see everything you'd like. So just like Tweetdeck, Twitter Lists allows you to group people you follow into categories that you would like to view separately or follow closer than others.

For me its advantage over Tweetdeck is that it is right in Twitter, where other people can see and follow lists I've created if they would like, and where I can find and follow other people's public lists, finding other great folks I'd like to follow directly.

How to create a list: When you have the List feature a large white box appears above your stream that reads: New! Lists..... Select the button titled "Create a New List" and type in the List Title of your choosing.

You can also create a new list by starting with any person you want to be on it, and instead of selecting to add them to one of your existing lists, select "New List," then type in your "List Name."

How to add tweeple to your list: a. search by name, b. go to each person's profile that you want to add, or b. watch your stream and select the people you want to add to each list as you see a tweet from them.

(I do not know of a way to move groups of tweeple on and off of a list. As the Twitter world goes, over the weekend someone will probably develop the capability as a separate app.) For now I believe you need to build lists one person at a time.

How I did it: I couldn't see setting aside time to go through all of my followers to build my lists, so I took a shortcut by spending just a little time compiling a few seed people that fit each of my categories. Now I fill out my lists gradually, adding individuals to the appropriate list as I see a fresh tweet from them in my stream.

FYI: once you put someone on a list, their tweets still appear in your main stream AND on your list stream.

How you build or decide to follow lists is obviously a very personal choice, just like how you chose to use Twitter in the first place. What worked for me is to take a very simple approach and use Lists the same way I am using Twitter.

How I decided on my lists: I thought about who I enjoy following and why. And what I could give back to the Twitter community. I built some for me, and some to give back.

Currently my Lists are:
Careerists
Recruiters and HR people
Inspiring / Quotes / Personal Development
Just For Fun
News
Seattle
Leadership / Business people
Job Postings
Available Talent

I made some groupings that other people might not, but I grouped by why I would access these folks' tweets, and didn't want to have too many lists.

One example: I follow people I just find inspiring, who tweet positive quotes like I do, and who share content related to personal development. I grouped these three together because I would access anyone within the broad category for a quick dose of inspiration.

I access my combined "Recruiters and HR" list for a quick look at what's new on the hiring side, and my general "Careerists" list for what is being said by everyone who supports job seekers with coaching, strategy, counsel, personal branding, positioning or resumes. I'm aware that this last category has very defined subgroups within it, but I access them all for the same reason so at least for the time being I grouped them together.

I created Lists of "Job Postings" and "Available Talent" just to give back to the generous Twitter community. The first, so job seekers could save time accessing job boards and company postings that I am following anyway, the second, to give a bit more visibility to job seekers beyond their followers to mine. (So give them a look, Recruiters and HR...)

As more people use them, I am sure lots of great uses will be found. One I've read about is to run contests and such by developing and then deleting ad-hoc lists. I know that like Twitter itself, there are no rules, and their use will evolve over time.

For now they are a fabulous way for me to organize and see more of information I love but which can be overwhelming. I am using my lists to distribute the fire hose of content and connection that is Twitter into a few smaller, more manageable faucets.

p.s If you are on one of my lists and feel that I mis-listed you, please DM or @ to let me know! Likewise, if you want on one of my lists and I haven't put you there yet, please let me know. Happy organizing!