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If you're like me and you use Twitter you probably haven't given much thought to your approach to the platform over the last few years.

Plagued by controversy and with zero growth, the future of Twitter was considered treacherous, to say the least.

While it has remained popular with politicians, journalists and other elites, there's a growing sense of renaissance to the Twitter platform.

Recent changes to its algorithm, character limit and the removal of automated bots are signalling a more rosy period for the platform. Indeed Twitter is surpassing Facebook and Google as the dominant place for news.

This, in turn, is causing people like me to reconsider how I use it. In short, I need to up my game.

It's easy to get stuck in a rut with how you use certain tools and platforms like Twitter. But if you're doing social media the same as you were even just a year then you are probably doing it wrong. Or, rather, not doing everything right.

Below is a list of tactics that I'm currently deploying to up my Twitter game. Consider this a phase I strategy with phase II focusing more on tweet formats and other users.

Feel free to use them or add your own in the comments.

Clean your 'following' list

The value of Twitter is in the people you follow. The more your followers contribute to the platform the more value you will get from it.

If you've been using Twitter for a while you will have likely accumulated people you follow but don't engage with. Maybe it's because your focus has changed, perhaps it's because they rarely tweet or they might just use Twitter purely as a distribution channel for their links.

These are accounts that add no value to your Twitter experience and will likely be pulling down your score in the Twitter algorithm.

Give your Twitter follower list a clean to discover:

* Irrelevant Twitter accounts (inc those that don't follow you)* Who hasn't tweeted in a while* Who is just tweeting links to their own platforms

To do 1 and 2 you can use a service like Manageflitter which will help you identify these accounts easily.

#1 Unfollow irrelevant Twitter accounts 

If they are no longer relevant unfollow them. You may have followed some accounts when you were interested in a particular subject but are no more. Your Twitter follower list should evolve as you do and sometimes that means culling certain accounts you're no longer interested in.

If this is the case, use one of the services mentioned above to identify and unfollow them.

#2 Unfollow those who haven't tweeted recently

Here you have to be a little ruthless. Accounts that rarely update or haven't been updated in a while are a lag on your algorithmic scoring. The less active your followers are the less average engagement you'll receive which impacts how the algorithm scores you.

Even if they're family, friends or colleagues unfollow them which sounds pretty ruthless and cut-throat but the truth is if they rarely tweet then they probably don't care about Twitter anyway.

How long does someone have to be inactive on Twitter before you unfollow them?

I'm pretty harsh.

As the world gets smaller it also gets more complex.



Technology is bringing people closer together while at the same time distancing others.



To navigate this landscape requires a particular set of communication skills. Skills that you acquire and perfect over a lifetime.



Some of these skills are as old as humankind. Others have been brought on by the advent of technology and require new learnings.



They’re skills that, when stacked up on top of one another, can turn you into a Master Communicator.



To be an effective communicator in the digital era you have to develop a Communications Stack.



Scott Adams of Dilbert fame developed what he calls The Talent Stack, which is loosely defined as the set of individual skills you acquire to make you unique in the marketplace.



We can apply this model to communications too.



Acquiring communication skills and stacking them on top one another can mean the difference between success and failure.



Good communication is important regardless of what you do in life. You need it to get on with other people, to make your case in disagreements and to help you put forward your wants and needs.



The difference in good communication and bad communication can mean losing a relationship, losing a business contract or being misunderstood.



The top 10 skills you need to effectively communicate now and in the future.



Collectively these skills can help you become a Master Communicator and futureproof you for the increasingly complex world ahead.



And they are?



1. Written communication



Despite moving into a more visual-based media world, mastery of the written word will remain as important as ever. People will always read and the demand for well-written content will continue.



Structuring sentences well, knowing how to craft an article, how to write up an interview and how to create written content for each social platform will continue to be an in-demand skill for the foreseeable future.



2. Verbal communication







Knowing how to articulate yourself when speaking is important for all walks of life. Some people are naturally adept at public speaking whereas others have to work on it.



Demosthenes of Athens, an ancient Greek, was known as a master orator but that wasn’t always the case. He was naturally weak both verbally and physically so as a young man worked on both his speaking skills and bodily strength.



Nothing can invoke more emotion both in you and your audience than verbal communication. Churchill was right, learn oratory skills and you too can become a king (or queen).



3. Nonverbal communication



Did you know 65 percent of all interpersonal communication is nonverbal? What your body says is often more important than what comes out of your mouth.



Understanding nonverbal communication not only allows you to read other people but can also help you know how to present yourself when dealing with others.



If you want to remain open, don’t fold your arms or point your feet away from the other person. If you don’t want to seem nervous, don’t rub your body or grab the back of your neck with your hand.



Read the best book on nonverbal communication,

Robert Greene is back after a six-year hiatus with his latest book, .



This is Greene’s sixth bestseller, two of which I’ve reviewed here on the blog before. Both The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery should be on your reading list if you haven’t read them.



Greene hasn’t disappointed this time around either. The Laws of Human Nature is the best book I read in 2018 and one of the best books I’ve read ever.



The book is a perennial seller and in typical Greene style it contains social psychological lessons from human history you can use as a point of reference time and again.



According to Greene, The Laws of Human Nature was around five years in the making. Although this could be him giving a nod to Law 16 in The 48 Laws of Power to “use absence to increase respect and honour.”



That said, with 624 pages, the book is dense and his most comprehensive one to date.



Compared with Mastery (352 pages) and The 48 Laws (480 pages), both of which are not pamphlets themselves, The Laws of Human Nature is a long read.



If you’re interested in social psychology and understanding how thoughts and emotions control human behaviour you’ll find it fascinating.



Kudos to Greene on how much extensive and thorough research has gone into writing the book.



I read the entire thing once and have gone back to re-read a few chapters again. I also bought the audiobook version to listen while I’m on the move.



The Laws of Human Nature is one of those books you have to read multiple times to get a comprehensive understanding of all the laws included in it.



What are Greene’s Laws of Human nature, exactly?



The Laws of Human Nature are the collection of forces that make us think, act and react the way we do.



These forces include the particular wiring of our brains, the configuration of our nervous system, the way we process our emotions and moods, and the impact our upbringing and the groups we associate with have on us.



The Laws of Human Nature front cover



All of which have developed and emerged over the course of the five million years in the evolution of our species. Our concept of free will is a myth and often what we say is not what we mean.



The book goes well beyond the surface level of appearances and into deep psychological territory.



Greene draws on the vast literature of psychology from the last 100 years from the likes of Freud, Yung, Klein, Kahneman, Nietzsche, Aronson and many others.



He ties these psychological concepts in with historical figures and events including the likes of Coco Chanel, Lyndon Johnson, Napoleon, Martin Luther King Jr and many others.



Greene has identified 18 laws of human nature,

Robert Greene is back after a six-year hiatus with his latest book, The Laws of Human Nature.

This is Greene's sixth bestseller, two of which I've reviewed here on the blog before. Both The 48 Laws of Power and Mastery should be on your reading list if you haven't read them.

Greene hasn't disappointed this time around either. The Laws of Human Nature is the best book I read in 2018 and one of the best books I've read ever.

The book is a perennial seller and in typical Greene style it contains social psychological lessons from human history you can use as a point of reference time and again.

According to Greene, The Laws of Human Nature was around five years in the making. Although this could be him giving a nod to Law 16 in The 48 Laws of Power to "use absence to increase respect and honour."

That said, with 624 pages, the book is dense and his most comprehensive one to date.

Compared with Mastery (352 pages) and The 48 Laws (480 pages), both of which are not pamphlets themselves, The Laws of Human Nature is a long read.

If you're interested in social psychology and understanding how thoughts and emotions control human behaviour you'll find it fascinating.

Kudos to Greene on how much extensive and thorough research has gone into writing the book.

I read the entire thing once and have gone back to re-read a few chapters again. I also bought the audiobook version to listen while I'm on the move.

The Laws of Human Nature is one of those books you have to read multiple times to get a comprehensive understanding of all the laws included in it.

What are Greene's Laws of Human nature, exactly?

The Laws of Human Nature are the collection of forces that make us think, act and react the way we do.

These forces include the particular wiring of our brains, the configuration of our nervous system, the way we process our emotions and moods, and the impact our upbringing and the groups we associate with have on us.

All of which have developed and emerged over the course of the five million years in the evolution of our species. Our concept of free will is a myth and often what we say is not what we mean.

The book goes well beyond the surface level of appearances and into deep psychological territory.

Greene draws on the vast literature of psychology from the last 100 years from the likes of Freud, Yung, Klein, Kahneman, Nietzsche, Aronson and many others.

He ties these psychological concepts in with historical figures and events including the likes of Coco Chanel, Lyndon Johnson, Napoleon, Martin Luther King Jr and many others.

Greene has identified 18 laws of human nature, all of which are categorised into an individual chapter.

He makes the point upfront that once you have an understand...

In this podcast I make some predictions on where I see social media heading. I talk less about the technology and more about how social will continue to change culture and society, and how it will begin to mature further as more money is poured into it from a marketing perspective.

Find out more at: https://www.stedavies.com/future-of-social-media/

Our culture celebrates independence and individualism yet it’s becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate yourself or your business from any other.



To truly stand out today, whether you’re a business or an individual, requires one of two things.



The first being that you have a product or message that is completely new and original.



Very few people and companies throughout history can claim to be either. Instead, they’re usually an iteration of someone or something that came before them.



The second way to stand out in today’s world is, you go against the cultural grain and take an opposing view of established norms.



This requires courage as a move of this kind will result in criticism and anger. It comes with risk and can be detrimental to your career and/or social standing.



Look at the backlash Kanye West has received from the entertainment industry for providing an alternative perspective and reality.



In today’s world, we all have access to the same technology, software and information. Often the only point of difference is the brand.



When everyone and everything is the same, the brand can make all the difference.



What is a brand, exactly?



It’s not the logo or design, but rather, like a charismatic person, it’s how it makes other people feel and it’s what they say about you when you’re not there.



A brand is about the promise it delivers, the values it stands for and the stories it tells. All the best books on branding agree.



These are intrinsic qualities that we look for in other people. A brand stands for admirable human qualities.



Then why is there a collective eye-roll among some when the term personal brand is used?



Firstly, the people rolling their eyes usually have a secure job working for someone else’s brand.



They have no skin in the game and don’t know what’s it like to be living the day-to-day as an entrepreneur.



Secondly, some people who are into personal branding take it too far.



They try to position themselves as if they’re either a perfect squeaky-clean superhuman or some sort of corporation.



They give themselves cheesy nicknames like ‘The Analytics Guru’ or ‘The Contrarian Communicator’.



If you want to be ‘known’ for something at least make it memorable like The Sausage King of Chicago.








Everyone is a brand in the social media age.



If you use social media you’re in the selling game.



If your Twitter bio lists your likes, dislikes and company you work for, you’re selling. Or your LinkedIn profile lists your experience, skills and professional recommendations, you’re selling.



Even if you use social media for personal reasons you’re still selling.



On Facebook and Instagram, we tend to sell the best parts of our lives. Singles sell themselves as a great catch. Others sell how wonderful their life is.



None of this is new as Daniel Pink points out in his book,...

Our culture celebrates independence and individualism yet it's becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate yourself or your business from any other.

To truly stand out today, whether you're a business or an individual, requires one of two things.

The first being that you have a product or message that is completely new and original.

Very few people and companies throughout history can claim to be either. Instead, they're usually an iteration of someone or something that came before them.

The second way to stand out in today's world is, you go against the cultural grain and take an opposing view of established norms.

This requires courage as a move of this kind will result in criticism and anger. It comes with risk and can be detrimental to your career and/or social standing.

Look at the backlash Kanye West has received from the entertainment industry for providing an alternative perspective and reality.

In today's world, we all have access to the same technology, software and information. Often the only point of difference is the brand.

When everyone and everything is the same, the brand can make all the difference.

What is a brand, exactly?

It's not the logo or design, but rather, like a charismatic person, it's how it makes other people feel and it's what they say about you when you're not there.

A brand is about the promise it delivers, the values it stands for and the stories it tells. All the best books on branding agree.

These are intrinsic qualities that we look for in other people. A brand stands for admirable human qualities.

Then why is there a collective eye-roll among some when the term personal brand is used?

Firstly, the people rolling their eyes usually have a secure job working for someone else's brand.

They have no skin in the game and don't know what's it like to be living the day-to-day as an entrepreneur.

Secondly, some people who are into personal branding take it too far.

They try to position themselves as if they're either a perfect squeaky-clean superhuman or some sort of corporation.

They give themselves cheesy nicknames like 'The Analytics Guru' or 'The Contrarian Communicator'.

If you want to be 'known' for something at least make it memorable like The Sausage King of Chicago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxuPJfXhLHg

Everyone is a brand in the social media age.

If you use social media you're in the selling game.

If your Twitter bio lists your likes, dislikes and company you work for, you're selling. Or your LinkedIn profile lists your experience, skills and professional recommendations, you're selling.

Even if you use social media for personal reasons you're still selling.

On Facebook and Instagram, we tend to sell the best parts of our lives. Singles sell themselves as a great catch. Others sell how wonderful their life is.

None of this is new as Daniel Pink points out in his book, [amazon link="0857867202"].

If you could add five healthy years to your life would you?



How about ten healthy years?



Imagine what you could do in that time.



You could travel the world, see more of your kids and grandkids, pursue hobbies, spend more time in your job or do anything you like, really.



I believe it's possible.



Obviously, there are a lot of factors at play and there is one we have little control over.



That being lady luck.



We have no control over the cards we are dealt though you can maximise your odds of luck.



An accident can cut short a young and healthy life in seconds. So too can being born with a genetic defect.



Though luck works both ways and being born with some genes can help you live longer too.



If you're of Ashkenazi Jewish decent you are more likely to live to your hundreds thanks to your genetic makeup.



For everything else, however, you're in control but it requires implementing good habits and taking action.



The definition of good health isn't six-pack abs and 8 percent body fat to look good on the beach.



Living a healthy life for as long as possible (longevity) is more about maintaining wellness.



This is the difference between good health and:



* Bodybuilding: which is about what you look like on the outside.* Sports: which is about how you make your body perform in a competitive environment.



If bodybuilding and sports were key to a long and healthy life then all bodybuilders and sports stars would live the longest, but they don't.



In fact, a lot of them don't live long at all because they have pushed their bodies so hard over the years.



Good health is about preserving the natural functions of the body and mind for as long as possible. Everything else is either vanity or performance.



And the kicker is, as you get older you have to work harder to preserve what you have. And the older we get the more difficult it becomes.



Hey ho, that's life.



But with Lady Luck on your side, put these habits in place and you will add more healthy years to your life.







It starts with your mindset



Your mindset is the operating system to your life.



The key is to control your thoughts, beliefs and how you interpret the world, other people and yourself.



Your mind is a powerful tool and it's down to you to hone and sharpen it so it works for you not against you.



This means embracing certain fundamental truths about life. Namely, you're going to die and everyone you've ever known is going to die also.



If that's painful to read then you're mindset requires work.



If it isn't, then you've probably figured out what the most important things in life are and don't take the rest of it, the noise, too seriously.

Imagine for a moment you are so famous there are twelve thousand books written about you.



Not twelve thousand copies of a book, but twelve thousand different books with you in them.



That’s twelve thousand different interpretations of your life and times.



Imagine that.



It’s easy to if you’re Winston Churchill.



Voted the greatest Briton of all time, he is perhaps one of the most written about people in the history of literature.



It’s not difficult to understand why. Over the course of his life, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill;



* Fought in three wars* Became a distinguished hero escaping from a prisoner-of-war camp* Wrote 8 to 10 million words (more than Shakespeare and Dickens combined) for forty books and thousands of newspaper and magazine articles* Won the Nobel Prize for literature* Became one of the world’s most highly paid journalists* Was one of the greatest orators of all time* Held Prime Minister’s office twice* Saved Western civilisation



Although famously known for leading the UK and allied forces to victory in WWII, which was certainly his own finest hour, Churchill led a long and illustrious pre and post-war life.



Of course, Churchill had the advantage of being born into aristocracy at a time when the class system dictated the life you would live.



Privilege can only get you so far and it’s what he did with that advantage that is most commendable.



Over the course of his life, Churchill showed bravery, grit, leadership and a commitment to bettering himself with everything in his undertaking.



As a young man, standing 5’6 with a body you could describe as wafer-thin, he wasn’t gifted with an athletism you would associate with battlefield bravery.



And being born with both a stammer and a lisp, he didn’t possess the natural skills to be one of the greatest orators of all time, whipping-up a nation with his words and rhetoric.



Nevertheless, he pushed himself to do both.



Churchill’s statue in Parliament Square, Westminster



It wasn’t his innate natural abilities that served him through his life, although he did have a gift with words and an excellent memory, rather it was Churchill’s mindset that was his superpower.



Coupled with an insatiable work ethic and a total belief in himself, it propelled him to become one of the most famous figures of modern times.



When we think of Churchill, we tend to imagine the slightly hunched-over ageing old man, wearing a top hat, cigar in one hand and extending the V for victory with the other.



This is him at the height of his fame. What we sometimes fail to remember is that he was a prolific doer from an early age.



Meeting both success and failure along the way and acquiring the leadership skills the UK (and half the world) needed in their darkest times.



This is the Churchill mindset.



Churchill had a lifelong total belief that he was destined for success



From a very early age, Churchill believed he was destined for great things.



“We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow-worm,” he wrote in private to a friend in 1906, not long after returning from the Boer War as a hero and winning his first parliamentary seat.



When he was given the position of Prime Minister in 1940,

Imagine for a moment you are so famous there are twelve thousand books written about you.



Not twelve thousand copies of a book, but twelve thousand different books with you in them.



That's twelve thousand different interpretations of your life and times.



Imagine that.



It's easy to if you're Winston Churchill.



Voted the greatest Briton of all time, he is perhaps one of the most written about people in the history of literature.



It's not difficult to understand why. Over the course of his life, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill;



* Fought in three wars* Became a distinguished hero escaping from a prisoner-of-war camp* Wrote 8 to 10 million words (more than Shakespeare and Dickens combined) for forty books and thousands of newspaper and magazine articles* Won the Nobel Prize for literature* Became one of the world's most highly paid journalists* Was one of the greatest orators of all time* Held Prime Minister's office twice* Saved Western civilisation



Although famously known for leading the UK and allied forces to victory in WWII, which was certainly his own finest hour, Churchill led a long and illustrious pre and post-war life.



Of course, Churchill had the advantage of being born into aristocracy at a time when the class system dictated the life you would live.



Privilege can only get you so far and it's what he did with that advantage that is most commendable.



Over the course of his life, Churchill showed bravery, grit, leadership and a commitment to bettering himself with everything in his undertaking.



As a young man, standing 5'6 with a body you could describe as wafer-thin, he wasn't gifted with an athletism you would associate with battlefield bravery.



And being born with both a stammer and a lisp, he didn't possess the natural skills to be one of the greatest orators of all time, whipping-up a nation with his words and rhetoric.



Nevertheless, he pushed himself to do both.



Churchill's statue in Parliament Square, Westminster



It wasn't his innate natural abilities that served him through his life, although he did have a gift with words and an excellent memory, rather it was Churchill's mindset that was his superpower.



Coupled with an insatiable work ethic and a total belief in himself, it propelled him to become one of the most famous figures of modern times.



When we think of Churchill, we tend to imagine the slightly hunched-over ageing old man, wearing a top hat, cigar in one hand and extending the V for victory with the other.



This is him at the height of his fame. What we sometimes fail to remember is that he was a prolific doer from an early age.



Meeting both success and failure along the way and acquiring the leadership skills the UK (and half the world) needed in their darkest times.



This is the Churchill mindset.



Churchill had a lifelong total belief that he was destined for success



From a very early age, Churchill believed he was destined for great things.



"We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow-worm," he wrote in private to a friend in 1906, not long after returning from the Boer War as a hero and winning his first parliamentary seat.



When he was given the position of Prime Minister in 1940, a year after the UK declared war on Germany, he said he believed he had spent his whole life in preparation ...