Neonjade

This article was originally posted as a guide for fellow Associated Content writers and included my Twitter Follow Friday list. Since my #FF list is expanding, I’ve broken out the advice portion so that it doesn’t get lost in the mix.

As an Associate Content producer, I know that it’s considered good etiquette to read fellow AC contributors’ articles. In searching for active readers, I’ve found that it is much easier to find them through Twitter than by browsing the Associate Content website. I’m sure this practice would be helpful for writers of other services like Examiner and Helium, as well.

Most AC Tweeters end their AC related Twitter posts with the hashtag #ac. Examiner writers either add a note “examiner.com” or end with #examiner, that I’ve seen. Here are a few ways to use the hashtags to find new online content to comment on.

• Enter the hashtag as a search term in Twitter when you have time to do some reviews
• Use a program like Twitterfall to have a continuous scroll of updates and click through on those Twitter links that catch your interest
• Use a program like HootSuite and, as you find Associated Content contributors that you enjoy reading, add them to your follow list. Then create a tab on HootSuite to hold all online content writers that you follow. All your buddies’ posts will show up in the one tab and you can scroll them at your leisure.

The writer that tweets about an article that day is obviously active and is more likely to return the favor for the article that you post in the near future. Make sure to leave a comment when you visit. Also, for AC writers, if you think the article is helpful, click on the “Was this helpful?” block near the article title. If you see any mistakes in the article, most writers would appreciate a private message to let them know about it. By leaving positive comments, clicking thumbs up to impressive content and providing constructive feedback, you will find yourself to be building your own following of mutually beneficial relationships.