The key word above is “influence”. In one way or another we are all going through life somewhat influencing one another, in person and via social media. Human beings are by nature, all influencers from birth.

Babies, almost from the moment that they are born, interact and attempt to gain what they want. Babies have a message, which may vary from time to time depending on what the baby wants or wishes to do at the moment.

On Twitter every tweet seeks to have some sort of influence. Our Twitter streams can be understood as our own unique micro-blogging channels. This is true for companies, and the rest of us who seek to connect and share in various ways.

Content is Primary

Like radio and TV channels, we each need content for our Twitter channels. My Tweets tend to be about art (including introducing my Post Conceptual UnGraven Image Art and theory, plus free art events in museums and news from the art world), the brain (and how to use it better especially in relation to vision and emotional freedom), tolerance, spirituality, social media, and also I can be uplifting, inspiring or funny.

Also, I  am helpful and give tips re social media, pitch in an emergency (from phishing to a news item such as an earthquake when tweets have relayed vital info to the people involved as other forms of communication were compromised) and enjoy celebrating shared events like holidays or honoring someone who contributed greatly to society and has passed away.

When someone tweets something that fits what I want to share, the kind of influence that I want to have, it is like getting a free show for my micro-blogging channel.  A tweet worth ReTweeting is a kind of gift of free content.

Here is an example that wonderfully fit my Twitter channel that I sent out recently: “RT @succezstwittey When everything seems to be going against u, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. – Henry Ford #quote”

I chose this example as up until my above RT, I had not interacted with this follower, who I follow back. This member is not a celebrity or a known high ranked twitterer, but it was a swell Tweet that I grabbed up and gratefully ReTweeted to my other followers to also inspire them.

Thanking People for a ReTweet?

Many people thank the people who RT them. I always think that I should be thanking the people I RT for the good free content..

Before I had 30,000 followers I went along with thanking people in the stream for RTing me.  When I had 30,000 followers it dawned on me that whatever I said could possibly be seen by that many people and a stream filled with Thank You’s is kind sweet but soon rather dull. Besides, it had begun to feel more like bragging that I’d been ReTweeted.

So instead, I try to ReTweet people who Retweet me. Often I RT whatever I said that was RTed. On a good, short quote, we’ve reached as many as six tweeters in a row on one Tweet. That is a lot of fun!

I will also troll the stream of someone who RTed me, looking for content to ReTweet that will benefit my followers. A RT back is better that a Thank You. However, I must find something worth tweeting and sometimes I do not, or I find it months later. That is OK, as any relationship is built over time.

Endorsements and Testimonials

I also just about always ReTweet someone who RT’s a link to my blog or articles, web sites, videos, free e book, free webinars or anything that helps me get my basic visual inspirational and life changing message known. These tweets are a kind of testimonial. Plus, I tend to think that my followers must to some degree like me or be interested in me and what I have to say. Of course, I want to introduce them to other people who like what I have to say: my followers!  In face-to-face life, I tend to introduce friends to one another, too.

ReTweet Followers

Since I follow back all followers (except for very explicitly sexual accounts who I block), I tend to only ReTweet people who follow me. I like to promote my friends, and if someone, including a company, museum or celebrity cannot be bothered to follow me back, even if I previously gave them a RT, the content of their Tweet has got to be stupendous for me to ReTweet it and give them free advertising.

Stupendous does happen. Here are a few examples and exceptions when I reTweet non-followers.

The first exception is current events news media like CNN, the New York Times, BBC, etc.  They tend not to follow back but do provide pertinent information about breaking news that I sometimes share for the good of my followers. However, with magazines and papers dying and becoming smaller, I have noticed that some of the wisest reporters and media are following people back. Local news is most likely to follow back and this is a smart way to gain tips.

The second exception concerns social media news, especially if it involves Twitter and is an urgent or a helpful update. Being a good Twitizen and ReTweeting important data, especially as it involves Twitter seems to produce more followers. For instance, when there were attacks via phishers I reported that as I want my followers to stay safe. ReTweeting a recognized social media authority who had the best, most helpful story gives can be useful for my followers. This falls within my channel’s ongoing sharing of tips and helpful information about social media, which also includes this article. Plus, I usually follow everyone who ReTweets these helpful tweets, especially during an attack, and they are also good Twitizens, and the kind of people I want for friends

Know Thy ReTweet

I strongly suggest that if you want to grow your Twitter influence you only ReTweet information and especially links that you have personally checked out and endorse for your followers as if this is your own stuff. This builds trust and influence.

• Never RT a link, even from a source you trust, like a news source, unless you have personally checked it out and read the article.
• Never Retweet a link – even your own link without first testing it to make sure that it still works.

ReTweet for the Good of Your Channel (followers) not as Favor for a Friend or Follower

Since I heartily endorse and believe in follow/follow relationships I get followed by some spammers who send me DMs with links that I never open and simply delete. People, including non-spammers, send me DMs asking me to ReTweet their causes, blogs and also business news or products. Usually I hardly know these people, but sometimes these are people I consider Twitter friends. About one in ten people offers to reciprocate and RT something for me once also. This is a silly deal to offer anyone unless you have more followers that they do, and most of these offers come from people who have not cleared the 2000 followers hurdle yet.

When a Twitter member (channel) accepts paid advertising or quid pro quo arrangements, or tweets things that are really not fully and personally endorsed it substantially decreases that Tweeter’s influence.  If someone’s friendship with me is based on favors, then it is OK to lose that follower as I would prefer to keep the trust that I have built with my other Twitter friends.

ReTweeting Celebrities

People follow celebrities because they can—they want to feel closer to someone they admire.

I am most likely to ReTweet what is said by celebrities who follow me back, when it fits my channel and is good information for my followers.

Since it is enjoyable for my followers, I will ReTweet a celebrity who hosts a fun event on Social Media, like @aplusk did via Ustream when he had the charity contest with @kingsthings (Larry King) to see who would be first to have one million followers.

I will also ReTweet information, especially a good quote from a celebrity who says something inspiring that I want to share with my followers. Since people admire and even trust celebrities, this can help me spread inspiring and uplifting ideas. I will also RT something that is side-splitting funny – but I am a sucker for side-splitting funny from anyone.

Some people, usually newbies or people who have not reached voting age, RT celebrities simply because they admire the celebrity. Generally this does not increase influence or trust with anyone old enough to vote

Make your ReTweet Policy re DMs Known in the Stream

People sometimes take things personally, especially if they believe someone is a friend. However, being a friend on and off of Twitter does not include doing anything that a friend requests, even when it seems easy to do.  A ReTweet is actually an easy one click process, but as discussed above, it can have consequences that will erode trust and followers.

In the public Twitter stream make your ReTweet DM policy known about once every month or two if you have one.

I make it known that I never RT anything sent in a DM including info from people I consider Twitter buddies. I also DM back people I have chatted with in the stream who have sent me unrequested DMs asking for a ReTweet that this is my policy. I am only going to RT what is in the public Twitter stream – unless I have specifically requested the info and a link to be sent to me via a DM, which occasionally I have done in relation to a charity or art event I wanted to share.

Have Fun!

Social Media is a conversation that is fun or at least interesting enough to take time away from other pursuits.

We are each the CEO of our Twitter stream. We are the ones who decide what content we Tweet, including ReTweet just as the head of a TV, radio, magazine or newspaper decides what information is conveyed through their channel.

A ReTweet puts free content on your channel, which is a kind of a gift to you as long as that content is about something you really endorse, which includes ideas and articles that you have found useful. This kind of RT will build trust and gain you followers and even RT’s if others also find it useful.

So if you found this article helpful RT the Tweet with the link that brought you here. Or, Tweet about it yourself to help your followers!

When people have the freedom to make connections and immediately interact responsibly the results can be inspiring and even transforming.

On a recent weekend morning when when I was still not quite awake, I was relaxing and enjoying my coffee as I began the day on Twitter. After messaging my good morning greeting I sat back to lurk the ongoing stream of messages.

Immediately I came upon a quote by St. Francis of Assisi, “For it is in giving that we receive,” which was tweeted by @skystjohn.

It is a concept that is universally found in most religions and paths worldwide. I have always appreciated that quote so I ReTweeted it (RT).

Over 47,000 people follow me and I happily follow them all back as a strong supporter of promoting equal two-way communication relationships. I am good at visually skimming for information. What sort of “jumps out at me”, is usually information that tends to become useful to me. I use this knack in libraries, books and printed materials, art shows, and just about anywhere I am looking, including the Twitter stream.

After I hit click to send the St. Francis RT, another great quote “popped out”.

annq “How soon not now, becomes never.” Martin Luther.

Of course this is another way to say Hillel’s famous, “If not now, when?”

I RT’d the Luther quote, too.

This was fun. It’s easy to ReTweet someone else’s message when I agree or it adds value for my followers. It promotes whoever I RT to my followers and I share credit for passing on the information.

Before I could move on the originate information myself , almost as if it was swimming in the stream straight to me came:

sczepanski “The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.” Lao Tzu

So many ways to say ideas such as “And the Truth will set you free..” and promote lovingkindness, charity, prayer and trust, which are all soft things.

At this point I realized that in a matter of minutes I had RT’s a Roman Catholic monk, a founder of the Protestant Reformation and the author of the TAO.

More significantly, my Tweets were being busily RT’d and then RT’d again my others.

Although I am not for a one world religion, I do appreciate and promote how many truths the religions and paths of the world share. My life work is founding Post Conceptual UnGraven Image Art theory, which among other firsts is the only religious theory of art founded in the USA As such it is fully inclusive for all religions and spiritual paths.

Almost immediately came this:

ultimateAleks up to YOU – The thing always happens that u really believe in; & the belief in a thing makes it happen.” Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright was a Unitarian. Yet, again the quote is restated in one way or another universally. Almost immediately a flip way of stating the Wright quote was RT’d in the stream.

MatchesMalone RT @vesselproject:”Everything is possible for him who believes”— Mark 9:23

I RT’d both quotes.

At this point it dawned on me I was going to use this week’s blog.  It was as if the blog was being divinely handed to me through the stream.

Often I am asked why I follow everyone back.  One of the key reasons is The Divine [please substitute the best Name for your faith] works through people. People who I know, those who are fairly new to me in a follow/follow relationship and others who were followed by my followers were Tweeting and ReTweeting messages that became the heart of this article. Had I not followed, I would have missed a meaningful and uplifting experience, plus the opportunity to share it with you.

I tweeted: “Now lurking stream hoping to find more uplifting quotes to RT, esp Jewish or Hindu or LOA now. So I get all in.”

Immediately aimed as replies to me came:

pacmanangel “Optimism is positive thinking lighted up.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale

studentofsucces“Develop success from failures. Discouragement & failure are 2 of the surest stepping stones to success.” Dale Carnegie

Twitter Members Tweeting in the Stream #1

I RT’d them and watched as others did also. Then Again I Tweeted a request.

“Com’n. Someone send me a Jewish or O.T. quote Reply (so I don’t miss it) to RT. Rather RT you that originate 1, but I can do that”

InnerWizard “What you don’t see with your eyes, don’t invent with your tongue. ” – Jewish proverb

Of course, this is another way of dealing with the commandment on coveting.

I RT’d it the also replied with this message:

judyrey @InnerWizard WOW! That 1′s new to me & as an artist I love it’s many ramifications. Watch me RT it at times. TY!

Still lacking one needed quote, I tweeted:

judyrey Next I need an uplifting, inspiring Hindu quote to RT.Reply one 2 me plz (hint: many avail from Dr. Chopra

GONeill @judyrey “Oprah has made me a fortune” – Dr. Deepak Chopra

judyrey @JGONeill ROFL. I’m sure that’s uplifting to Dr. Chopra & Oprah but not sure it will encourage or inspire my followers. But, TY

Twitter Members Tweeting in the Stream #2

Then a wonderful tweet floated down the stream headed to me:

InnerWizard “Happiness is a continuation of happenings which are not resisted.” – Deepak Chopra

I RT’d it.Then followed up with:

judyrey Quotes I just RT’d are each & all echoed in the teachings of Catholic, Protestant, Bhuddhist/Tao, Jewish Hindu, LOA, Pos Thinking

Later that afternoon I was received a reply about a quote Tweeted by SMARTBuddhist that I had RT’d a day or so before:from @ bolora:

@bolora @judyrey @SMARTBuddhist “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – This is actually in Proverbs 24:16 http://tinyurl.com/p9ywhkProverbs 24:16 (New International Version)

Social media such as Twitter is providing people around the world with ways to connect and share their truths and discover how much we have in common with one another. As we share friendships are built and tolerance becomes a meaningful experience that can actually bring us closer to The Divine I ourselves, others and everywhere.

[Note: Discover more about how you can learn to see The Divine everywhere at Art of Seeing The Divine. See more about Judy Rey Wasserman’s Post Conceptual UnGraven Image Art through the You Tube videos and information, including images at http://ungravenimage.com.]

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