More likely than not you have already created a Twitter account for your band if you have even considered making money with your music. It’s also likely that you fall into one of the following categories:

1. I tweet regularly, I’m not really sure what-the-heck I’m doing but I do it anyways because I’m “supposed” to. I have a modest following but haven’t really seen real results for all my efforts.
2. I tried it for exactly 3 days and didn’t get it at all and gave up.
3. I’m a proud hold-out and won’t even attempt to sign up for another retarded gimmick till I’m certain it isn’t going to harm my reputation for rejecting the trends and plowing a new and better road for the generations to come…and even then, I’d rather my manager take care of that for me.

No matter where you fall, there is no denying the numbers. Twitter is a powerful tool in well-trained hands, a tool to make money.

Consider the following guidelines as you exploit the real benefits of this social phenomenon (no matter how annoying you may find it):

1. Open a dialogue with your fans. Don’t just tell people what you are doing, ask questions. Surprisingly, people love to jump in and help, especially if they are a fan of yours. They will claw at each other to be the first to give you advice at the chance that you will remember their name! This creates loyalty and a sense of ownership in your fans that is priceless and not easily shattered. Consider asking them what they think about your next song idea, video, or where to play next. Ask them what type of project they would like for you to do next. My friend @AndyZipf does a great job of  asking his fans what they want with simple opinion polls and encourages interaction by asking simple questions like “What book should I read next?”.
2. Keep your posts interesting. Nobody want to hear that you ate corn flakes again for breakfast unless it’s, somehow, incredibly interesting. Give me something to laugh about or look at. Use a third party service like twitpic to send a picture of what was so amazing about your cornflakes. Give us a sneak peak of your upcoming album cover or a post to an almost-finished track. All these things will keep the fans coming back and wanting more.
3. Make your posts useful. Announce important events such as a new tour or a cause that you support, but make sure you provide a link back to your own web sit where fans can get more details on that information. I often see bands announce a new show but they don’t link back to their official web site tour schedule. By not doing this you might be missing out on a T-shirt sale.
4. Promote other bands or artists. Your fans love your music and they want to know what inspires your music. Doing this lets them into your mind a bit more and you are providing useful information (point 3) by suggesting music they might like. Additionally, you will make friends with other artists who in turn may support your music on Twitter.
5. Don’t be to “markety.” But don’t neglect the chance to sell them your music and merch either. Don’t beg them to “Buy our new album” too often or distastefully. If you want to sell the music, link to somewhere I can hear it AND buy it. Compel me to check it out by posting a series of funny pictures, or videos of locations where we should listen to your music. This site has thousands of public domain (free to use for whatever you wish) videos that you could overdub with your songs to create an entertaining piece that your fans will enjoy and pass on (viral marketing). These look interesting: controler ses emotions, merry_melodies_fresh_hare, Shake Hands With Danger.

There it is, five simple things you might want to consider before your next tweet.

Please comment any opinions, tips, or advice you may have from your experiences with Twitter.

Tanacea is a music spazz and you can follow him @tanacea.

5 Simple Ways For Bands To Use Twitter To Make More Money