How Many Twitter Accounts Should You Have?

91 | Posted In Social Media by David

You scream Twitter. I scream Twitter. We all scream for Twitter. Cool. So, here’s a question for us: How many Twitter accounts should we have?

I asked this question on Twitter earlier this week and got many responses. Several of the people who replied said they had more than one Twitter account. A few said only one. One person asked, “How many do we need?”

I personally have five Twitter accounts. Of course, my primary one is for myself, @davidrisley. But, I have some for other purposes. I have @tampatweets and that’s for a local project I may or may not do at some point. I’ve got @pcmech for my tech blog, although I really don’t use it much. I’ve got my daughter on Twitter (@elyanarisley). And I’ve got @blogmasters for an upcoming program you’re sure to hear about soon.

With that, you can probably tell where I’m going with this question. The answer is: Have as many Twitter accounts as you need!

Realize that Twitter is growing quickly. Twitter usernames are quickly becoming as valuable as domain names. Just as there was a gold rush for dot-com’s and now we hear “many of the good ones are taken”, the same goes for Twitter. Everybody should have their own name on Twitter, but you may want to reserve others for branding purposes down the road.

Here are a few of my recommendations:

  1. If you don’t have your own name registered on Twitter, go get it. There is a chance that somebody else with your same name has it already, but if not, you’ve GOT to reserve it.
  2. If you are building a brand for your blog, register the name of your blog on Twitter as well. In fact, anything you wish to brand and hopefully build up into something that people recognize should have a Twitter account.
  3. Use multiple Twitter accounts to keep brand consistency. For example, right now I’ve got posts from PCMech sent to my main Twitter account even though it is a different market. My primary push these days is problogging and that is the brand concept behind my name. Having tech posts in the same Twitter stream is admittedly a bit off message and that is exactly why I have @pcmech registered on Twitter. At some point, I’m probably going to reroute PCMech post notifications onto the @pcmech channel and get it off my own channel @davidrisley.

What about you? How many Twitter accounts do you have? And why?

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  • http://bitsltd.net/ Don

    So *you’re* the dude who took tampatweets. I tried to snag it just out of curiosity, and failed. I’m feeling small worldish right now, although it’s logical enough that something like that could happen on my follow list.

    I’m local, and you’ve got my email. Next time there’s a tweetup or similar, hit me up.

    D

  • http://bitsltd.net Don

    So *you’re* the dude who took tampatweets. I tried to snag it just out of curiosity, and failed. I’m feeling small worldish right now, although it’s logical enough that something like that could happen on my follow list.

    I’m local, and you’ve got my email. Next time there’s a tweetup or similar, hit me up.

    D

  • http://nathanhangen.com/blog nathan hangen

    I’ve got a single account @nhangen followed by several business accounts, but I’m thinking of changing my strategy thanks to the amount of Twitter spam that has recently hit the feed. I like the idea of claiming one for my children and for a tweetup or two.

    Definitely the more the merrier, but I I think the rules are about to change with the way people have been using it. I used to follow nearly everyone that followed me, but I’ve been seeing so many spam accounts that I being much more hesitant to follow people. I think this can hurt the multiple accounts strategy.

  • http://nathanhangen.com/blog nathan hangen

    I’ve got a single account @nhangen followed by several business accounts, but I’m thinking of changing my strategy thanks to the amount of Twitter spam that has recently hit the feed. I like the idea of claiming one for my children and for a tweetup or two.

    Definitely the more the merrier, but I I think the rules are about to change with the way people have been using it. I used to follow nearly everyone that followed me, but I’ve been seeing so many spam accounts that I being much more hesitant to follow people. I think this can hurt the multiple accounts strategy.

  • http://www.travelwires.com Muzi Mohale

    I activated twitter tools on my new blog using my personal username, which then meant all updates on the blog are feeding to that username. However I’ve registered the blog’s username and want all updates to feed into that twitter username and have failed getting this working, do you have a solution?

  • http://www.travelwires.com/ Muzi Mohale

    I activated twitter tools on my new blog using my personal username, which then meant all updates on the blog are feeding to that username. However I’ve registered the blog’s username and want all updates to feed into that twitter username and have failed getting this working, do you have a solution?

  • Pingback: How Many Twitter Accounts Should You Have? | David Risley dot com « mensonblog

  • http://menson.wordpress.com/ benmenson

    First, thanks for your blog and all this valuable content and experience, that you’re sharing with us.

    To answer to your question, I agree with you considering the Twitter “growering” and the way that I like to posess my own name ! so I got the point 1 done http://twitter.com/benmenson, as well for my company http://twitter.com/oneshotrecord, then I made a private one to share with my team.

  • http://menson.wordpress.com benmenson

    First, thanks for your blog and all this valuable content and experience, that you’re sharing with us.

    To answer to your question, I agree with you considering the Twitter “growering” and the way that I like to posess my own name ! so I got the point 1 done http://twitter.com/benmenson, as well for my company http://twitter.com/oneshotrecord, then I made a private one to share with my team.

  • http://www.heikemiller.com/ Heike Miller

    I have only one at the moment, but your post brought a sigh of relief as I’m working on a very different business at the moment and actually need a separate account to keep them apart.

  • http://www.heikemiller.com Heike Miller

    I have only one at the moment, but your post brought a sigh of relief as I’m working on a very different business at the moment and actually need a separate account to keep them apart.

  • http://www.tonyteegarden.com Tony Teegarden

    I have 4 currently with @ateegarden being my main one. My full name wouldn’t fit in the characters given. So I created a few variations.

    I also have several alerts set up for my name and it’s variations in the event that it should be mentioned somewhere in the twitterverse. :-)

  • http://www.tonyteegarden.com Tony Teegarden

    I have 4 currently with @ateegarden being my main one. My full name wouldn’t fit in the characters given. So I created a few variations.

    I also have several alerts set up for my name and it’s variations in the event that it should be mentioned somewhere in the twitterverse. :-)

  • http://www.dailyshotofcoffee.com/ Mike

    I have three – one for my main blog about coffee, another for the Yankees/my hobby blog and I’m starting a third to interact with my blogger/biz friends. The only problem I have is managing them all. Splittweet is alright, but it definitely has some fatal flaws.

  • http://www.dailyshotofcoffee.com Mike

    I have three – one for my main blog about coffee, another for the Yankees/my hobby blog and I’m starting a third to interact with my blogger/biz friends. The only problem I have is managing them all. Splittweet is alright, but it definitely has some fatal flaws.

  • http://empoprise-bi.blogspot.com/ John E. Bredehoft (Empoprises)

    I have two Twitter accounts, one of which (@oemperor) I no longer use. (My current one is @empoprises, the umbrella name for my blogs.)

    The mention of my @oemperor account leads me to an additional recommendation: if you have a Twitter account that you subsequently decide not to use, do NOT delete it. If you delete it, someone else could claim your formerly-used name and use it for spamming or other purposes.

  • http://empoprise-bi.blogspot.com/ John Bredehoft

    I have two Twitter accounts, one of which (@oemperor) I no longer use. (My current one is @empoprises, the umbrella name for my blogs.)

    The mention of my @oemperor account leads me to an additional recommendation: if you have a Twitter account that you subsequently decide not to use, do NOT delete it. If you delete it, someone else could claim your formerly-used name and use it for spamming or other purposes.

  • http://www.gerlaine.com/ Gerlaine

    Let me check my seesmic desktop….I have 9 twitter accounts. Hey, what can I say?

  • http://www.gerlaine.com Gerlaine

    Let me check my seesmic desktop….I have 9 twitter accounts. Hey, what can I say?

  • http://akmysticventures.com/ Bob

    I wrote a piece on this topic in my blog. Alaska Mystic Ventures >> Pressing Reset On Social Media – Time For Segmentation http://ow.ly/4389

  • http://akmysticventures.com Bob

    I wrote a piece on this topic in my blog. Alaska Mystic Ventures >> Pressing Reset On Social Media – Time For Segmentation http://ow.ly/4389

  • http://www.fortunemachine.info/ Dagmar (aka Rich Mom, tradingr

    Thank you for insight. I first opened @tradingrichmom for sharing entry/exit Rich Mom’s Online Forex Trading signals, and because my trading system is 80% about managing my own emotions with the help of human potential techniques e.g. EFT & Ho’oponopono I also registered @healingrichmom.
    Dagmar
    Trading results that make you say W.O.W.
    Follow me on http://twitter.com/tradingrichmom

  • http://www.fortunemachine.info Dagmar (aka Rich Mom, tradingrichmom)

    Thank you for insight. I first opened @tradingrichmom for sharing entry/exit Rich Mom’s Online Forex Trading signals, and because my trading system is 80% about managing my own emotions with the help of human potential techniques e.g. EFT & Ho’oponopono I also registered @healingrichmom.
    Dagmar
    Trading results that make you say W.O.W.
    Follow me on http://twitter.com/tradingrichmom

  • http://www.websitesinaflash.com/ Ashton Sanders

    Haha, I bet this post caused an “unknown” increase in tweetless accounts lol.

    You convinced me. I claimed 4 more for little projects of my own. ;)

    Keep them coming!

  • http://www.websitesinaflash.com Ashton Sanders

    Haha, I bet this post caused an “unknown” increase in tweetless accounts lol.

    You convinced me. I claimed 4 more for little projects of my own. ;)

    Keep them coming!

  • http://www.dorm-room-biz.com/ Chris @ Dorm Room Biz

    I’ve got 3 registered, 2 that I use constantly. I’ll be picking up a few more though in short time for new projects coming out.

  • http://www.dorm-room-biz.com Chris @ Dorm Room Biz

    I’ve got 3 registered, 2 that I use constantly. I’ll be picking up a few more though in short time for new projects coming out.

  • http://www.mattybyloos.com/ Matty Byloos

    I can only do one before this whole thing gets completely overwhelming. But I suppose I brand myself mainly, so maybe it works better that way.
    http://twitter.com/mattybyloos

  • http://www.mattybyloos.com Matty Byloos

    I can only do one before this whole thing gets completely overwhelming. But I suppose I brand myself mainly, so maybe it works better that way.
    http://twitter.com/mattybyloos

  • http://www.rodentproofaz.com/ Adam | Rodent Control Speciali

    I have a few accounts, one personal and a couple for business. But I can already see the need to create a few more. Just trying to keep everything organized and focused makes it a challenge when you have multiple purposes for the same account.

  • http://www.rodentproofaz.com/ Adam | Rodent Control Specialist

    I have a few accounts, one personal and a couple for business. But I can already see the need to create a few more. Just trying to keep everything organized and focused makes it a challenge when you have multiple purposes for the same account.

  • http://mathewson.me/ Chris@Mathewson.me

    I have a lot.

    One thing worth considering – especially in a situation like yours, David, where your personal name is your brand – is to separate business and personal.

    I used to have everything in one Twitter stream, but the tech/blogging people I was following started to drown out my friends and family; I started missing their tweets. So I split them out and keep them separated. Makes it much easier.

  • http://mathewson.me Chris@Mathewson.me

    I have a lot.

    One thing worth considering – especially in a situation like yours, David, where your personal name is your brand – is to separate business and personal.

    I used to have everything in one Twitter stream, but the tech/blogging people I was following started to drown out my friends and family; I started missing their tweets. So I split them out and keep them separated. Makes it much easier.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fekCMkxYoUA Jody Lock

    Personally I have 2 accounts, I feel that I have too many, I would be on twitter 24/7. For me, that would be just too much to keep track of.

    I personally like twittertise as well. Very simple app that can be used for many different things.

    So, for now I will be just using the 2 twitter accounts, unless I hire someone to write for me :)

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fekCMkxYoUA Jody Lock

    Personally I have 2 accounts, I feel that I have too many, I would be on twitter 24/7. For me, that would be just too much to keep track of.

    I personally like twittertise as well. Very simple app that can be used for many different things.

    So, for now I will be just using the 2 twitter accounts, unless I hire someone to write for me :)

  • Pingback: Do I Need More Than 1 Twitter Account? :Learn to Write Fiction

  • http://forextradingaddict.com/ Martin

    I’m in to niche marketing so I have more Twitter accounts then I can count. Of course I don’t manage them all but I could never do it all from one account.

  • http://forextradingaddict.com Martin

    I’m in to niche marketing so I have more Twitter accounts then I can count. Of course I don’t manage them all but I could never do it all from one account.

  • http://www.yourforexdirectory.com/ Alex Miller

    Hey – well, I took your advice and went ahead and registered my own Twitter account! I’ve been putting off doing this for ages but now I have one – alexjamesmiller (it’ll do!)

    Thanks,
    Alex

  • http://www.yourforexdirectory.com Alex Miller

    Hey – well, I took your advice and went ahead and registered my own Twitter account! I’ve been putting off doing this for ages but now I have one – alexjamesmiller (it’ll do!)

    Thanks,
    Alex

  • http://hubpages.com/hub/Which-is-the-best-forex-software-trading-system Mark

    I have registered a few within a niche. I am not sure if it is better to concentrate on one Twitter account or spread it out over several accounts. Is one account with 10,000 followes better than 10 accounts with 1000 followers?

    Mark

  • http://hubpages.com/hub/Which-is-the-best-forex-software-trading-system Mark

    I have registered a few within a niche. I am not sure if it is better to concentrate on one Twitter account or spread it out over several accounts. Is one account with 10,000 followes better than 10 accounts with 1000 followers?

    Mark

  • http://www.yourforexdirectory.com/ Alex Miller

    I would personally recommend one account with tonnes of followers – 1 account per niche IMHO

  • http://www.yourforexdirectory.com Alex Miller

    I would personally recommend one account with tonnes of followers – 1 account per niche IMHO

  • http://www.tradercurrencies.com/currency-trading/ Kenny

    I have just one account – but I should have more

    I have several blog sites – finance, weight loss, insurance, etc.

    I use a wordpress plugin to echo my blog posts to twitter – and you can imagine my twitter profile is a mess with lots of unrelated post titles coming in

    Trouble is I don’t know who started following me for which blog posts (I don’t actually bother to tweet) so I can’t sort it out now – but new blog sites I start will have their own twitter account

  • http://www.tradercurrencies.com/currency-trading/ Kenny

    I have just one account – but I should have more

    I have several blog sites – finance, weight loss, insurance, etc.

    I use a wordpress plugin to echo my blog posts to twitter – and you can imagine my twitter profile is a mess with lots of unrelated post titles coming in

    Trouble is I don’t know who started following me for which blog posts (I don’t actually bother to tweet) so I can’t sort it out now – but new blog sites I start will have their own twitter account

  • http://twitterdomination.info/ Cathy

    I have several Twitter accounts (5) purposed for various niches that I’m in. I find it works better when building relationships with followers who have similar interests. With one or two accounts I was cross marketing which diluted my messages and was confusing to me and to my audience. Also, it’s easier to automate my posting using Google Alerts etc. having Twitter accounts that are keyword identifiable to each niche.

  • http://twitterdomination.info/ Cathy

    I have several Twitter accounts (5) purposed for various niches that I’m in. I find it works better when building relationships with followers who have similar interests. With one or two accounts I was cross marketing which diluted my messages and was confusing to me and to my audience. Also, it’s easier to automate my posting using Google Alerts etc. having Twitter accounts that are keyword identifiable to each niche.

  • http://www.currency-exchange-reviews.com/ ForexAdey

    I have an account for each of my brands so a total of four accounts.

    I think it is important to keep the brands and twitter accounts apart so that messages are not mixed.

    My main brand and mostly used twitter account is http://twitter.com/forexadey

  • http://www.currency-exchange-reviews.com/ ForexAdey

    I have an account for each of my brands so a total of four accounts.

    I think it is important to keep the brands and twitter accounts apart so that messages are not mixed.

    My main brand and mostly used twitter account is http://twitter.com/forexadey

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