9 tips for starting a Twitter account for your LOLcat! >^..^<

My cat is kind of a big deal. She isn’t named Victoria Beckham for nothing. She’s got style, class, and grace. I wanted to find a way to share the joy that she brings me every day with my friends and family. I considered a Facebook profile, but VB is a progressive cat… and will only stand for the latest and greatest social media tools. Thus, I created for my cat her very own Twitter account: @KittenTweet.

Victoria has quickly gained Twitter followers. She has many more than me… not that anyone’s counting.  I have quickly learned that the community of cats on Twitter is a group that is open, fun, and (let’s face it) downright adorable. For those of you considering a Twitter account for your furry friend, I want to share some tips…

9 tips for creating a Twitter account for your LOLcat:

1. Make friends!
   Visit search.twitter.com and find cats tweeting. They are easy to find. Search for things like cat, kitten, catnip, lolcat, #meowmonday.  Follow other felines! Most will follow you back, they are generally very excited to spread the LOLcat love. If you’re looking for a place to start, I’m a big fan of @toby_cat, @mickeychat, @Monkey_Cat, @mozartdane, @pandafur, @JusticeDewey, and @PortiaDesdemona.
2. Follow pet organizations and companies
   Some of the pet tweets I enjoy reading most are from Petsmart, Petco, the Humane Society, and Animal Planet. They provide valuable content and will post information on how you can get involved in giving back to animals in your area. Also, I’ve found that these are some of the most willing people on the web to share their experiences and advice.
3. Post interesting things
   This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Try to include things in your content that would be helpful to other pet owners… advice, toys your cats likes, etc. It could even be as simple as an informal poll of your followers. Remember that there are people behind these accounts.
4. Pictures, pictures, pictures
   A picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes that’s just me saying “OMG, THAT’S ADORABLE.” 200 times over and over. This is all part of sharing the joy. For Victoria, I created her own Flickr account (KittenTweet).
5. Ask for advice!
   If I am having an issue with VB, I always consult with the Petterati first. They are extremely knowledgable and willing to share ideas and tools that have worked for them.
6. #MeowMonday (or #WoofWednesday)
   #MeowMonday is a relatively new phenomenon that you should embrace. It’s similar to #followfriday for people – suggest cats (or dogs) on Twitter who you recommend others should follow. Shout out to your meow-tweeps and share the cat love!
7. Manage multiple accounts
   Keeping up with two accounts (yours and your feline’s) can be clumsy sometimes. I use HootSuite when I’m at my computer (this one is especially cool because can schedule Tweets to go live in advance) and two separate (free) iPhone apps when I’m mobile: Twitterfon for me and Twitterific for Victoria.
8. Use your iPhone to take pictures
   Interestingly enough, I’ve found that my iPhone takes the best pictures of my cat because: 1) no flash to give her crazy devil eye and 2) the exposure is super quick so no blur in fairly bright light. Inevitably, this means that 90% of the pictures on my phone are of dear, sweet Victoria.  For advanced iPhone photos, there is an app called Meow Cam (99 cents in the iTunes app store) that makes a noise (a meow, I believe) when you take a picture to get your cat’s attention. I haven’t tried it personally, but Meow Cam is getting pretty good reviews from the Petterati on Twitter.
9. Share your passion and make a difference!
   Use your following to share the latest news on how others can help animals. For example, tweet about how proceeds from Carrie Underwood’s new single are going to the Human Society or that Buffalo Exchange is accepting used furs to help animals. This could be as simple as retweeting a post that a friend has kittens available for adoption.

In conclusion: make friends, have fun, and share the LOLcat love! Now go forth and tweet your paws off!

Any more suggestions of things I left out? Leave comments or let me know via @KittenTweet or @Qcait.