Social media has emerged as a powerful tool for career advancement. Research shows that 97 percent of top-ranked companies and entrepreneurs have established their presence by leveraging social media to its best use. Here are a few ways social media can be used to enhance professional growth:

• Keeping abreast of the latest industry trends and technology news
• Building connections with top tech influencers on Twitter
• Establishing a strong online presence that reflects your professional credibility
• Acquiring new skills and showcasing them to a broader audience
• Networking with professionals from around the world

Twitter 101

Twitter is an online news and social networking platform owned by an American company Twitter, Inc. It allows users to post and interact with others by sending them ‘tweets’ or short messages that may include images or videos. Twitter is a microblogging platform with a 280 character limit for tweets, making it great for sharing short bits of information like product announcements, news, and personal opinions. It’s commonly used to connect with industry experts and engage on important issues. Additionally, it’s a platform for live streaming and sharing real-time updates with family and friends.

The Twitter Lingo

Handle

Each Twitter profile has a unique name or ID called a Handle. It is created when you register or sign up on Twitter. The most common use of handles is to find other users’ profiles or tag them in tweets. A handle always precedes with a ‘@’ sign, e.g.@BarackObama.

Hashtags

Hashtags represent popular topics or keywords that the users are currently tweeting about. When users click on a hashtag, they are taken to the posts under the same hashtag category. Each hashtag begins with the symbol “#,” for example, “#toptechinfluencers2022.”

Quote Tweets

The Quote Tweets feature enables users to repost someone else’s tweet on their profile, along with their commentary. This feature allows for a more engaging conversation on the platform and is a great way to join in on ongoing discussions.

Retweets and Replies

We can repost someone’s tweet or comment on our profile using the Retweet button. Additionally, we have the option of responding to other people’s tweets. In Twitter lingo, we call this Replies.

Thread

Twitter threads are collections of several connected tweets. When multiple people want to discuss a single topic extensively, they keep replying to the same tweet. This creates a Thread.

Direct Messaging (DM)

Twitter’s private section is called Direct Messages. To communicate privately with people about Tweets and other content, Direct Messaging is used.

Following

When you follow someone on Twitter, you subscribe to all their Tweets. You’ll see their updates in your Home timeline and can communicate with them via DM.

Why use Twitter?

In the tech industry, having strong connections and remaining on top of tech news are essential. It can help identify potential opportunities, make sound career decisions, and pave the way for interpersonal and professional growth. Here’s how Twitter can help keep us well-informed about tech news and updates, form professional connections, and build a reputation:   

Tech News

Twitter serves as a useful tool in keeping up with tech news and trends as it enables connections with the biggest tech influencers. Who are the tech influencers? They are industry experts, thought leaders, and visionaries passionate about the latest technological developments. They are often seen as reliable sources of information for the tech community and have a strong, engaged following. Tech influencers share news like new product reviews, learning guides for tech enthusiasts, and job and internship opportunities.

Networking

Networking is crucial to professional development as it involves building and maintaining long-term relationships with other industry professionals. Actively participating in networking activities can bring many benefits, such as fresh ideas, new job opportunities, staying current and competitive, and fostering a culture of learning and growth.

In the tech sector, networking has become even more critical. Sifting through the vast array of resources and identifying relevant connections can be challenging. Twitter attempts to solve these problems by efficiently linking individuals with appropriate experts and learning communities through its advanced search feature. This feature allows for a targeted approach to networking, making it easier to connect with the right people.

Personal Branding

Most people don’t realize the importance of personal branding, which is the most effective way of getting your business noticed. It is how the world sees you. A strong persona on Twitter can make people more interested in reaching out and working with you. How can Twitter help in personal branding? Here are some ways:

1. Personalization: We can establish our persona on Twitter however we like as long as we follow the Community Guidelines.
2. Following leaders: Twitter allows us to observe how the ‘leaders’ are doing their branding and learn from them.
3. Sharpening our profile: We can sharpen our Twitter profiles in various ways. Examples include creating a profile picture, defining the brand, adding a bio, and using hashtags.
4. Engagement: Tweeting insightful content can grow our reputation.  Positive engagements with others in your network will strengthen your persona and help your tweets rank higher. With Twitter, there is no limit to tweeting and getting your voice across!

Top 10 Tech Influencers to Follow on Twitter

We have compiled a list of the biggest tech influencers on Twitter. These Twitter accounts share the best insights on tech news, diversity in tech, and the future of business in technology.

Kara Swisher

Handle: @karaswisher 

Followers: 1.4M+

Podcast: On With Kara Swisher

Kara Swisher is an American journalist who has been writing about the tech industry since 1994. Swisher has held positions with The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and All Things Digital. She is undoubtedly one of the top female tech influencers and tweets about the most recent technology news and developments.

Hamid Shojaee

Handle: @Hamids

Followers: 9.8k+

Podcast: AZ Tech Podcast

Over the past 25 years, Hamid Shojaee has been the technical founder of several software businesses. One of his most recent Fintech startups is SavvyTraders. It is a tool for building and distributing investment portfolios. Shojaee talks about stocks and tech news on Twitter.

Andy Jassy

Handle: @ajassy

Followers: 154k+

Podcast: Podchaser

Andy Jassy is the CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS). In the company, he has held a number of leadership positions in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer departments. Jassy tweets about Amazon news, Cloud Computing, and tech updates from around the world.

Megan Smith

Handle: @smithmegan

Followers: 30.5k+

Podcast: Using Technology to Better Humanity

Megan Smith, former US CTO & VP at Google, is a leading female tech influencer on Twitter. She tweets about tech breakthroughs and conferences, technology empowerment through STEM education, and diversity in tech.

David Cohen

Handle: @davidcohen

Followers: 179k+

Podcast: Give First

David Cohen is a successful entrepreneur and founder of TechStars, a leading startup accelerator that provides early-stage companies with resources such as funding, mentoring, and strategic support. Cohen is active on Twitter, sharing insights on climate technology, diversity and inclusion, fintech, AI, and mentoring.

Emily Chang

Handle: @emilychangtv

Followers: 176k+

Podcast: Bloomberg Studio 1.0

Emily Chang is an American journalist, executive producer of the show Bloomberg Technology, and the author of Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley. Her work is focused on tech news and creating awareness around diversity in the tech industry. Chang tweets about the tech luminaries she speaks with, including Mark Zuckerberg, Lisa Su, Brian Armstrong, Adam Selipsky, and Brian Chesky.

Molly Wood

Handle: @mollywood

Followers: 150k+

Podcast: CAA Speakers

Molly Wood is a business and technology journalist,  podcast host, and venture capitalist. She has worked as a tech correspondent and executive director for several national media platforms like the National Public Radio, the New York Times, and CNET/CBS.  Currently, she is the managing director at Launch. The launch makes investments in cutting-edge climate technology. Wood tweets about climate crises, technology, the environment, investing, and consulting.

Andres Ng

Handle: @AndrewYNg 

Followers: 747k+

Podcast: Deep Learning Education and Real World AI

Andrew Ng is the co-founder of Coursera and Stanford CS adjunct faculty. He was Google Brain’s co-founder and CEO. He tweets about data science, online education, deep learning, and artificial intelligence.

Reshma Saujani

Handle: @reshmasaujani 

Followers: 131k+

Podcast: Fixing tech’s Gender Gap

Reshma Suajani is the CEO and Founder of Girls Who Code. For more than ten years, she has fought for the economic empowerment of women and girls. She frequently tweets about mental health, education, parenting, leadership, and women in technology.

Honorable Mentions: Top Pakistani Tech Influencers on Twitter

While connecting with global tech experts has its endless merits, building relationships within the local community is also strongly advised. This is because of the exposure and quick access to local opportunities and news.

Here are 3 Pakistani top tech influencers of 2022:

Jehan Ara

Handle: @jehan_ara

Followers: 44.2k

Jehan Ara is a Pakistani businesswoman who was the president of PASHA, the Pakistan Association of Software Houses, for over 20 years. She is also the Founder and CEO of the Katalyst Lab and Women Leadership Fellows Program. She tweets about promoting female leaders, women in tech, entrepreneurship, internet freedom, and the most recent developments in technology.

Badar Khushnood

Handle: @badar76

Followers: 24.2k

Badar Khushnood is the country’s consultant for Google Pakistan. He has one of the best Twitter accounts to follow, as it provides a thorough and current overview of all Google/Android updates and activities in Pakistan. He also covers Pakistan’s future technological prospects and opportunities.

Farhan Masood

Handle: @Farhanmasood

Followers: 53.1k

Farhan Masood is the founder and CTO at SoloInsight. Masood is regarded as one of Pakistan’s brightest minds by MIT. He regularly shares his expert insights and knowledge on various cutting-edge technology topics, including cloud computing, security, cyber-physical convergence, workflow automation, and artificial intelligence, through his blog and Twitter account.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Twitter is a valuable platform for tech enthusiasts to stay informed, connect with industry experts, and share expertise. It helps to keep abreast of the latest advancements and participate in professional groups in the field. It serves as an essential tool for anyone looking to stay current and engaged in the tech industry.

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