How to make the most of Twitter

Reshma Saujani is touted as one of the most influential Indians in the US tech industry.

As the founder of Girls Who Code, a company that aims at educating and equipping girls with computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities, her fund-raisers have had the support of tech stalwarts like Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook and Jack Dorsey who set up Square.

Needless to say, Saujani has tremendous online presence and a vibrant Twitter account. So why is Twitter the first thing that Saujani reaches for in the morning?

"It is a way of knowing what is happening around the world in real time and my way of staying connected," says Saujani. "I am active on it throughout the day. My Twitter account is completely about me and it’s not a chore," she adds.


For one who writes really short emails, she reveals that the medium totally works for her and she finds the limited word count liberating instead of limiting. Here are her insights on Twitter's influence:

1. The trick to having a good Twitter presence is to respond to people. If they are taking the time out to reach out about your work, I think it's only fair for people to respond.

2. One rule to having a good online presence is, be active. Don't let your account go dormant. And, follow interesting people.

3. I used Twitter extensively for my campaign, when I ran for the role of New York Public Advocate in 2013. It is a great way to strike a chord and keep people involved.

4. I'm not very updated with India news, but I thought Modi's online campaign was fascinating. It is the first time I saw an Indian politician use this platform so effectively.

5. Women need to be protected from bullying on Twitter. But the positives by far outweigh the negatives.