Day 12: Actually follow the people on your Twitter Lists.

 

Throughout January, The Social Path is running daily tips on how to improve your social life — online, at least. Click here to learn more. 

 Here's a quick and easy tip that even the savviest Twitter users often don't know about.

Late last year, Twitter Lists debuted with much...well, confusion. The idea was simple: You could now organize your Twitter contacts into lists, like "Social Media Gurus" or "People Who Wish They Could Slap Social Media Gurus."

Easy enough, right? Except that the list system was just weird and clunky. Namely, when you find a great list, you can't actually follow the people on the list. You have to follow the list as a whole, or else go through by hand and start following each person. Basically, instead of building a better engine, Twitter added a questionably useful sidecar.

What was especially strange was that a site called Tweepml.org already existed, allowing you to create or find lists AND follow all the people on it. In other words, if I found a list of 100 cool people I didn't know, I could follow each one with one push of a button. Twitter Lists just don't let you do that.

In response, Tweepml got even better. You can now go to the site and paste in the URL of any Twitter list. Then you can follow everyone on the list or pick and choose which ones you'd like to connect with.

Again, just find a Twitter list, paste its URL into the "Follow A Twitter List" window on Tweepml.org, and start following. It's that easy.

To see the difference, check out these links:

1. Mack Collier's great Twitter List of "People That Inspire Me"

2. The same list, converted into Tweepml.org.

Here are a few of my lists in easy-to-follow form:

• Luckie & Company

• Unsleazy PR Pros

• Twitter Savvy Execs

• Social Media Superstars

Estimated time needed: 15-30 minutes.

Benefits: Easier way to expand your network with worthwhile new contacts.

Coming tomorrow: A cool new way to see your blog through your readers' eyes.