Twitter Lists: What you NEED to Know

So Twitter just came out with this new feature, Twitter lists. Crazy right?! Are you as excited as the rest of the world?! Whether you are or aren’t, there are some things you’re going to want to know, and, well, here they are.

What are Twitter Lists?

Twitter lists are a simple new way for Twitter users to organize their contacts. The lists are created by users and appear in the right hand sidebar of a users profile.

Anyone who has a Twitter account can create a Twitter list. If you create a Twitter list, you have the option of making it a public or private list. If it is private only you can see it. If it is public anyone visiting your profile can see it.

How do you Create a Twitter List?

To create a Twitter list simply navigate to the “New Lists” link on the sidebar of your Twitter profile. You can find this under the new “Lists” text. Once you click “New List” it will prompt you to enter a list name which will also become the name of the URL the list can be found under (YES, if you choose to make your list public Twitter will assign it a unique URL where the list can be accesses). After you have entered your list name click create list and you will be taken to a page which will let you add people on Twitter to your list.

Why all the Hype?!

If you’ve been using Twitter for an extended period you’ve probably gotten to a point where you are finding it hard to keep track of all the people you are following. Twitter lists allow you to get a better grasp on the people you follow. For instance, I follow a large number of people on Twitter who regularly comment on SEO and Social Media. Because of this, I decided to categorize them all under a SEO and Social Media Twitter list. Now, every time I click on that list I can view Tweets from people in that industry. But the real beauty of it is that you can segment the lists anyway you want, so if you want to keep a close eye on your competitors tweets you can create a list for that. You can also keep the list private so that they don’t know you’re watching… Like a secret agent spy person.

Implications for the Twitter Ego

So Twitter was kind of built on narcissism, right? Cough, @johnelincoln, cough, excuse me… Well, Twitter lists just accentuate to this already pungent odor, in fact it makes it worse. But it is kind of cool too. Basically, you can now see who has added you to what lists, and how many lists you’ve been added to. Twitter keeps a count of the list you have been added to on the right sidebar, just a little bit over from your current follower count. So now you don’t just have to get a lot of followers to be cool, that is kind of like last seasons fad, now you have to get on as many lists as possible. But keep in mind, they have to be good lists. You don’t want to end up on a list that says, “Worst People to Follow on Twitter.”

Dealing with Unwanted Lists

So maybe you don’t want to be on the neighborhood bullies best friend list, or some mean persons list of people they hate. What do you do if you end up on an unwanted Twitter list? Well, Twitter thought about this so you are A-OK. Simply click on the number listed under the “Lists” text to the right of your followers. Once you have clicked on that lists number it will take you to all the lists that you have been added to. Once here, click on the list you would like to be removed from. This will open up the list and show you the profile page of the list creator. On this page there will be the option to block the list creator. Choose to block the list creator and you’ll be removed.

Summary

Twitter lists are brand new so we don’t know all of the implications just yet. However, we do know that this is an excellent way to organize the people you follow on Twitter. Whether you choose to organize your lists by location, industry, coworkers, personal, sports, hobbies or other, the new feature is sure to help you get more out of Twitter.

We will be publishing more information on Twitter lists as the mystery unfolds. Until then, please feel free to add your thoughts to this blog. Tell us what we missed and what we got right! Also, if you have a question, ask. Make sure to tell us what you think about Twitter lists. Oh, and don’t forget to add us to yours: @johnelincoln and @jlinecreative. We know we’re not going to win the popularity contest, but we don’t want to be last either.

Thanks for stopping by,

John E Lincoln

Jline creative