There are ways you should avoid using Twitter also, and that is the subject of this article. I’m going to list some ways not to use Twitter, and I’d like to encourage you to add to the list, just like you did with the "What is Twitter to You in One Word?" article.

So here are a few Twitter strategies to avoid:

- Don’t tweet like the stereotypical car salesman (no offense to car salesmen)
 
- Don’t tweet in ways that can have a negative effect on your character

- Don’t spam people

- Don’t harvest email addresses for spamming

- Don’t follow people then turn around and unfollow them

- Don’t tweet while intoxicated

There are plenty of other ways not to use Twitter, and there have been other articles in the past on this subject. Are a few that provide some more good examples:

- How not to use Twitter for Work
- Top 5 Ways NOT To Use Twitter
- How Not to be a Key Online Influencer
- How to lose your job in 140 characters or less
- How not to use Twitter
- How not to use Twitter (different)
- It Takes Seconds To Kill Your Brand Image In Social Media

When tweeting, you have to keep in mind that everyone is potentially watching. Your tweets can be easily searched, and you never know who will do so. Your employers may be watching. Your teachers may be watching. Your pastor may be watching. Your family may be watching. Whoever you don’t want keeping tabs on you may be watching. They might even find your tweets just from searching Google.

To quote the great Mike McDonald, "Don’t stick it out there if you’re afraid to get it cut off." This principle of course applies to the web in general as well as other social networks, but Twitter is rising in popularity at a rapid rate, and it is clear from the realization that people are throwing their email addresses around so carelessly that people do not always think before they tweet.

Can you think of other ways not to use Twitter? Please share in the comments below.

What’s a Widget?

If you don’t know, you should probably read this. If you don’t know what they’re good for, you should also probably read this. In a nutshell: Think of your ads as content; interaction is a good thing; and marketers should be in charge of ideas, not your IT guy.

Designing for Search Engines

In a nutshell: Keep it simple. URLs should be short and keyword rich; less Flash, Javascript, and Ajax, more CSS. People and search engines will thank you.

Universal Search Changes Stuff

Text is soooo last year. Okay, so it’s this year too. But you’ll need to focus on SEO for images, video, and other media to stake your place in organic Universal Search results, especially with paid search inflation, and the possibility you’ll have to compete with Google, too.

Live Search Tips

Live Search, the other search engine. Microsofties explain that successful search marketing involves three things: content prioritization and keyword focus; site architecture; seasonality consciousness and continuous research.

Vertical Search, and What It Needs

Like any wallflower, vertical search might need proper socialization. A human hand like consumer reviews could really drive the success of vertical search-driven, drilled-down buying process.

Convincing Visitors To Buy

Easier said than done, right? Most definitely, but what isn’t? Experiment with everything, coupons, shopping cart placement, content, pricing, product images. Increase your load times. But above all, listen to your customers.

Social Media Optimization

Twitter and Flickr are neat and all, about as neat sometimes as a Space Pen, in case you’re ever in zero gravity. Others beg to differ and say proper use of social media will drive traffic, brand recognition, and industry contacts. 

The Social Disease Continued

Mahalo CEO Jason Calacanis is so convinced of the value of social/community content, he’s banking his latest venture on it. Mahalo Social wants to bring all things social into the social graph and incorporate them into search for a more human, less mechanistic experience. Good idea? Well, we’ll see.

Small Business, Big Ideas

Buy using smart landing pages to producing unique product-related content to building relationships, a small online business owner can be more like the old man that owned the local grocery store and less like the shark trying to sell you a lemon. Hint: Give them what they want and they’ll come back.

Fatigued From Reading? Try a Video

Mike McDonald and the video crew are on the scene and have already brought us lots of video interviews to chew on, like:

Hitwise’s Bill Tancer talking about vertical search and its relationship with social networks.

AGIS Network’s Brent Csutoras and Stuntdubl’s Todd Mailcoat expounding on the marketing possibilities of Facebook and Twitter.

High Ranking’s Jill Whalen providing some basic SEO advice and where social media fits in with a good online campaign.

Web Guerrilla’s Greg Boser explaining the concept of "PageRank sculpting."

ClickZ Editor-In-Chief Rebecca Lieb discussing Net Neutrality and why it’s important to you.