The scheduled tweet has been a source of controversy for quite awhile now.  There are those that are adamantly opposed, and those that feel they are an integral part of any social media strategy.  Those that are against the idea have several good reasons for thinking that way.  If scheduled tweets are used incorrectly, it can leave your Twitter feed feeling a bit cold. 

However, they can also significantly enhance the results of your social media efforts, and benefit your followers at the same time.

One of the first thoughts that comes to mind when someone considers scheduling their tweets is the convenience factor of it.  It’s a busy world, and it’s easy to be tempted solely for this reason.  While you may reap the benefits of not having to worry about tweeting for most of the day, your followers are the ones that will feel the chill.  You must use scheduled tweets as a part of your Twitter strategy, as opposed to the entire strategy.  Be sure to leave room for timely anecdotal thoughts about breaking news or personal experiences.  This will ensure that your followers know that they are following a real person.

A second item to consider is the fact that you are scheduling the right kinds of tweets.  As I mentioned before, you should be entering tweets about breaking news or personal events in real time.  Followers will simply zip past your tweet in their timeline if it is a retweet or link to an post that was yesterday’s news.  Here’s a good rule of thumb: If your tweet contains basic information about an event that was covered in the morning newspaper, it’s too late.  In today’s world of instant news, the morning paper is already several hours behind.  Instead, your scheduled tweets should contain information that is evergreen, or not time sensitive.  Also, you can utilize tweet scheduling for things like introducing yourself to people you are following.  This gives you a better chance of being followed back, but it can be annoying to your current followers if you are constantly introducing yourself to people.  Occasionally schedule those tweets to occur in the middle of the night so that the person you have followed can see it in their @mentions, but less of your current followers will be bothered by it.

Lastly, scheduling can allow you to spread your thoughts throughout the day.  Nothing is worse than seeing several posts in a row from the same person, and if this happens often enough, you’re likely to lose followers.  If you’re the type of person that tends to think of several great ideas at the same time, utilize scheduling as a way to avoid this.  Keep in mind, this is different than scheduling for convenience.  Rather, it is a courtesy to your followers, and it allows your Twitter feed to remain consistent.  Also, timing is also important if you find yourself tweeting during off times.  Instead of posting when no one is looking, schedule your tweets for the prime hours of the day.

So, what are your thoughts on scheduled tweets?  Do you use them, or are you opposed to the idea?  We welcome you to leave your thoughts and comments below.