Since Twitter evolved from obscurity to media obsession (yes, we see the irony in that comment), an entire new economy has launched around the platform, including social media consultants offering advice on the best way for organizations to conduct themselves on this new social medium. The advice, called everything from twitter manners to twitterquette, provides at the very least some puzzling new words and fodder for punchlines. But how to behave amidst the deep crevasses of the twitterverse is far more important than learning all the vernacular.

Two federal agencies provide an excellent example of what to do and what not to do with promotional twittering. NASA (@MarsPhoenixhas) had great success with Tweeting about the Mars rover which toured the surface of Mars, sending back never-before-seen images from deep space. "By writing in the first person and being cute, followers were treated to what seemed like a firsthand perspective of what was going on with the successful Rover," said Ethan Klapper of socialgovernment.com, a blog devoted to covering Gov 2.0.

In the what not to do category, we have the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Since the USCBP feeds its regular news briefs onto Twitter, there is little reason to visit the handle over the website. "Hands down, the worst government Twitter account I've seen," said Klapper.

Of course, if the goal is to put information out there in various forms, the agency meets the requirement. What they don't meet, is the desire for followers on Twitter to be interested, entertained and informed; the killer combo every media organization aims for that few organizations master.

These days, every company and federal agency is devising or has devised its own rules on using Twitter, especially while on the job. In some cases, employees are required to sign contracts giving the organization rights over all creative output, to include twittering from your cell phone. Most people are familiar with the dangers of using a company computer for personal business, but it may not have occurred to them that their tweets might also be within earshot.

On the other hand, using Twitter in a manner that benefits organizations is something that many are encouraging. A number of federal agencies and businesses are taking advantage of this social media tool to get their information to the public in a hip and cutting-edge way, giving them access to a demographic they may otherwise not reach. When used well, Twitter can offer an agency or company that personal touch not available through a Web design and the ability to develop a personality to help branding efforts.

Branding. That's not a word most federal employees use, but that's not to say it isn't important for feds. Think about your views on NASA. Now consider how you perceive FEMA. Despite both having very publicized debacles, their brands are quite different and the power of NASA's brand allows them to continue retain public support even in the midst of incredible tragedy and failure. The same cannot be said about FEMA and part of the reason is the manner in which these agencies regularly communicate with the public, one aspect of which now, like it or not, involves Twitter.

To aid in navigating this new social media terrain, OhMyGov! has brought you the following tips, gratis.

1. Always know what your organization's rules are. If you aren't sure of the rules, or they are unclear, speak to your supervisor or human resources office to clarify. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

2. Everything you do online leaves a record. While it may be common sense to some, it's best to tweet your buddy about the football game while you're having a discussion with your boss about your last accounting error. These things do have a very traceable time stamp and can now be searched by other in real time.

3. Be very open about who you are, who you work for, and why you are on Twitter. A simple disclaimer saying that you work for the National Park Service but are twittering because you want to share your thoughts on "Dancing with the Stars," will provide you with a good cover at work and draw the kind of followers that you're actually looking for.
 
4. Remember someone reads these things. So always try to be as personable as you can when you tweet. Nobody likes automated responses or lazy self-promotion. This is equally true if you are a federal agency. In the case of NASA, a program that requires high public satisfaction to stay in business, they have found a way to tweet that makes you feel like you're a friend. In the case of USCBP, they make you feel like you're a bulletin board that just got a paper pinned to it.

5. FGS, try and keep the grammar correct and the acronyms limited. There exists an ongoing debate as to whether texting and tweeting are undoing the English language as we once knew it. To avoid fanning the flames, keep your messages plain and simple. Your followers will appreciate it if they have some idea of what you're talking about. This is especially true if you are tweeting on behalf of an organization.

6. Be courteous. This is not about please and thank you's. On Twitter, courtesy means giving proper citation (@ohmygov) if you lift a quote or idea from someone else, or by simply retweeting it (relaying what one person says to your audience). And if someone sends you a direct message, the respectful thing to do is reply, even if the reply contains a template message.

7. Exercise Discretion. Don't tweet about your boss and your co-workers; don't say things that you don't want everyone to know; and don't tweet while under the influence.

8. Mix it up. Don't just post the same titles to your already boring federal press release. Provide a fact from that press release with a link to the actual document instead. You have a new audience on Twitter; act like it. Feed them different information. You'll be surprised just how far a factoid can travel. When we tweeted that the fastest growing demographic on Facebook was women 54-79, it was retweeted 15 times within three minutes quoting OhMyGov! as the information source. In those three minutes, we reached an audience of approximately 60,000 people.

9. Less is more. We can't emphasize this enough. Even at 140 characters or less it is tough to keep up with all of the information out there. So send out only the most important information -- the stuff you really want people to know and think they would find interesting. Bombarding people with tweets every 15 seconds is a surefire way to turn them off, unless you are a celebrity and they have already developed an unhealthy obsession with you. In a crisis situation, less is still more as it ensures people follow the right advice and are not confused.

10. Benchmark. Don't just take our advice; get out there and see what other people are saying. Use Twitter Search to find them and ask them through Twitter about what they have learned. It is a great medium for communicating, so make the most of it!