10 Twitter Benefits for Tutors, Educators and Tutoring Businesses
Social media is here to stay yet many educators and tutors are hesitant to jump on board. It’s understandable. Given the explosion in new social media platforms and new technology in recent years, getting involved can seem overwhelming. Yet the benefits of Twitter for tutors who provide hw answers and educators far outweigh the perceived challenges of mastering another platform.
Twitter is easy to access and master.
Just select a Twitter ID (your name or business name) and e-mail address and select a password. Then upload a profile photo (256 x 256) and header (1500×500) and add a description (bio) to your profile. Presto! You’re all set.
Some of your colleagues and students are already on Twitter so getting involved opens up a new communication channel.
Just do a quick search and click the Follow and you’ll see their tweets (updates) whenever you click on home.
You can create lists of students and colleagues to facilitate networking.
You can keep abreast of breaking news that is relevant to tutors and educators.
For starters, according to studydaddy service you’ll want to follow:
@BreakingNews
@bbceducation
@HuffPostEdu
@THE_Journal
@AfAmEducation (White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans)
You’ll gain instant access to articles and blogs by colleagues.
Just type tutoring, #tutoring, #tutoringtips, education, or #education in the search bar and hit enter.
You can attract more readers for your own blog posts.
You can chat on-line, live with colleagues about a range of relevant topics.
Some of the chat’s we at studydaddy.com have been enjoying have included:
#tutorchat Mondays at 11 noon ET (every other week)
#cdnedchat Mondays at 9 PM ET (for Canadian educators)
#BlackEdu (Mondays at 10 PM CST) A chat exploring issues of relevance to African Education educators)
#edchat Tuesdays at noon and 7 PM ET
There is a German version on Tuesdays at 8 PM CET using the #edchatde hashtag
#ctedchat Thursdays at 8 PM EST
#lrnchat Thursdays 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
#21stedchat Sundays at 8 PM EST
#cpchat A weekly chat for school principals.
Here is a comprehensive list of Twitter Chats for Educators
You can tweet questions and get quick answers.
You can learn about conferences and professional development opportunities.
Twitter and other social media channels are effective tools for getting the word out about your services.Blatant and frequent promotional pitches on social media are a definite turn-off. Remember, “soft sell” and engagement are the order of the day.
Still not convinced? Here is what a group of connected educators have to say about the benefits of being on Twitter. You’ll want to follow every one of them on Twitter.
If you’re just getting started, don’t be discouraged. Remember, it takes time to build your follower base but don’t It’s well worth it. Some educators who joined Twitter in 2008 and 2009 now have extensive networks consisting of 10s of thousands of followers. You can too if you stick with it.
More resources:
How to Gain Credibility With Tutoring Clients
Gaining Credibility With Tutoring Clients
Relaxation Techniques for Better Learning
Top Ten Ways to Lose a Customer
A Valuable Lesson in Writing Your Tutor Contract
