Twitter Story and Tips from @AskAaronLee

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Three minutes with ____ is a series of short interviews with people who’re creators and thought leaders in the creative, start-up or media world.

Aaron Lee, better known as @askaaronlee, is an undergraduate student from Malaysia. He started tweeting on March 2009 and has since gathered a massive group of followers. 152,513 followers at the point writing.

It isn’t the number of followers that made him impressive. It is how he used Twitter that made us want to learn from him. Unlike most Twitter users (a.k.a bots) who are just pushing out content, Aaron bravely attempts to connect with every follower. And when I mean connect, it means to help his followers with their problems. It’s a mountain load of work but Aaron is obviously enjoying the process.

The way he uses Twitter is a case study for brands which wish to build an army of brand ambassadors. Catch the interview to learn more about his Twitter story and tips.

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1. You’re always tweeting! Why are you so addicted to Twitter?

I tweet every 20 minutes and it’s possible because I schedule my tweets. Instead of spamming your Twitter stream, I figured out that scheduling my tweets is a more digestible way to share my readings. Everyone has content to share and learn from and I’m really passionate to help spread great content from various resources. I don’t mind helping anyone at all. Reading them also improves my understanding on this ever-changing Internet space.

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2. Eh… I hope you’re sharing our content (chuckles)… How has Twitter helped you so far?

Twitter has helped me a lot. It has helped me build a personal brand and gotten me a lot of exposure. I would never have imagined myself meeting so many great people, like YOU. It has also helped me spread my blog since I’m not very good with SEO. Most of my blog visits are from Twitter and Facebook.

Besides that I’ve gotten several interesting job opportunities. I’m always open though. Who knows what will happen after I graduate.

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3. Wow, thanks. I’m flattered. Okay, we need help. How can all of us use Twitter better?

That depends on what type of help you’re referring to. For individuals who want to build a personal brand I would recommend them to engage, engage and engage. Use services like Topsy to search for influential Twitter users. Tweet, comment on their blog post and get them to notice you. It sounds crazy but building connections in the online social sphere is crucial.

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4. Cool. How about brands on Twitter? Any tips?

Brands are slightly harder compared to individuals. For brands they need to have proper objectives and strategy. A lot of brands simply jump into Twitter assuming that people want to know about them.

In general, businesses should listen to what people are conversing about their brands. Besides monitoring your brand’s buzz, you should monitor what people have to say about your competitors. You might get insights on how you can position a certain product in the future. Most importantly, never try to sell on Twitter. Instead, engage and help your followers. The goal is build an army of brand ambassadors that helps you spread your brand further. Sales will come eventually (no bullshit).

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5. What are your sentiments about Twitter in Asia?

I think Twitter is slowly taking off in certain parts of Asia. But I noticed Asian users prefer to talk about themselves than engage with others. Many don’t see the benefits to network and collaborate. Also, Asian brands prefer Facebook to Twitter. I’m still looking for an Asian brand to tweet me. (lol!)

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6. Alright, tweet Aaron if your business is based in Asia. Last but not least, what are your future plans?

I plan to start my own company. I have two projects coming up and I’m hoping to get one of them started asap. I’ll share more information once it’s completed. It should be up pretty soon.

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7. Nice, another upcoming entrepreneur. Good luck and keep going, Aaron. I’ll keep your blog and tweets under my radar.

Thanks Willis. Take care.

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