With millions of users currently on Twitter saying it is difficult to stand out from the crowd is possibly one of the bigger understatements you’re likely to hear any time soon.

Celebrities, fashion labels, sports stars and even fictional characters are tweeting each and every day. Add to that the amount of ‘professional bloggers’ and ‘marketing gurus’ that are utilizing Twitter as the ultimate link building tools and it’s clear that anyone looking to build a significant following on Twitter in the modern era have their work cut out for them.

Whilst the task might seem a little daunting I’m pleased to tell you that it certainly isn’t impossible. There are a few things you can keep in my when you next log into your news feed and start tweeting that will go a long way in setting you apart from the masses.

It’s true there are millions of tweets flying around cyber space but less than half of them are ever made up of any substance. This is one of the big things that separates wannabe Twitter gurus from those with a genuine fan base; substance.

Writing popular tweets isn’t rocket science, in fact; it can be boiled down to one, simple equation as far as I’m concerned:

Value + Humour + Relevancy = Popular Tweet.

It’s honestly that straight forward, at least in theory. You see, so many people using Twitter for the wrong (see: spammy) reasons just lob their links out into the twitterverse and hope for the best. This strategy is not only ugly and intrusive but it is also about as effective as using a wet blanket to stay warm.

What Should I Write Then?

Start off by being honest with yourself about who your target audience is and don’t be afraid to eliminate people from that bracket. One of the bigger problems with people on Twitter is they try and cater for everyone. If your site/interests are built around indie rock then don’t waste time tweeting about link building software.

Keeping your tweets short is always advisable too. If you keep them to around 70 characters this will allow them to be retweeted with an additional message from the person forwarding it on; this gives the tweet a more personal flavour and will be noticed by their friends who, in turn, may also start following your Twitter account.

There are hundreds of articles and eBooks online dedicated to mastering twitter for personal use and business. I’ve read a great deal of them and those that aren’t rehashed rubbish are usually just regular rubbish.

Make sure your tweets are written in your voice, provide your followers information or value and ensure they’re relevant to your interests. If you stay true to this formula, I think you’ll be amazed at how swiftly your list of followers can grow.