It turned out all these extra people were being referred by the Filofax blog, which had found my recent post about stationery being one of the pleasures of home working. Despite being listed mid-way down and with the rather crucial word ‘work’ omitted from the entry, lots of people were finding their way to my site.

I’ve noticed before that lots of retweets on Twitter or comments on my Work from Home Wisdom Facebook page can result from what were casual, spontaneous tweets and posts. Whereas often when I think I’ve come up with a corker and smugly click Send in anticipation of a big response, absolutely nothing happens.

So what conclusion to draw? I think it’s something to do with being authentic, writing about something because you are genuinely interested, and not because you are hoping it might impress. Sometimes something off-the-cuff and not particularly polished hits the spot far better than something you’ve reworked over and over in an effort to make it ‘right’.

As usually happens when I get a mention on a popular blog, the visits dropped off a bit the next day but I’m still getting extra traffic. Have you noticed a similar pattern with your own tweets or blog? What are your thoughts on those apparently random posts that have a big payback?

The best way to get started is to go on a course. I know it will cost you, but you’ll get that investment back many times by learning how to use Twitter properly from the start, making a good impression, and engaging with the people who matter to your business.

Who is good for a home worker to follow on Twitter? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

@e_nation tweets about its small business support, StartUp Britain events around the country organised by co-founder Emma Jones, and the chance to win money for your business from Fund 101.

@shedworking shares sheds and garden offices currently used by all kinds of home workers, famous shedworkers of the past and everything happening in the shed world.

@UKJelly tells you about upcoming Jelly events all over the UK and beyond, along with coworking news and information.

@HeatherTowns is the Twitter account of Heather Townsend, author of The FT Guide to Business Networking. She tweets about face-to-face and online networking with many links to her blog.

Melanie Mackie runs Scarletta Media Marketing and tweets as @ScarlettaMedia. I like her down-to-earth and human take on social media.

For a bit of silliness and a glimpse into the ‘royal’ mind, have a look at @Queen_UK

@CondeElevator was a shortlived account supposedly reporting vacuous remarks overheard in the lifts at the Conde Nast magazine offices in New York. My favourite – “Your eyelashes look FANTASTIC today.” Try that at your next networking meeting!

Who do you follow and why?

It’s a good place to post bits and pieces more or less related to home working that I stumble upon and enjoy, but don’t have the time or inspiration to turn into blog posts. Now I have somewhere to share them with other home workers that’s more permanent than a quick tweet. Sometimes they make it onto the website as well, like Yuvi Zalkow’s funny video about the sleek, minimalist desks he admires online, and his own, erm, slightly less sleek and minimalist table. I was worried I might be overdoing the photos of gorgeous workspaces, so it struck a chord.

Do let me know if there’s a subject you’d like me to cover more (or less) often, and I’ll see what I can find to oblige. I have some favourite sites that are mines of slightly offbeat posts, and return to them again and again. And please let me know your own favourite destinations, whether they are information sites, blogs, collections of photos, whatever, as I’m always looking for new resources to plunder!

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The trouble with blogging is that to the newcomer tentatively trying to find out more about it – why should I do it, how can I start, how do I add images etc – the information available is overwhelming and might as well be in a different language. Even when you’ve started and want to know a little more, it’s still pretty impenetrable.

My partner A, who is my (long-suffering) one-man IT department, got me started and still interprets the technicalities for me. Somebody saw my blog and asked him to do one for her, and then somebody else, and now he’s found himself with a blogging string to his coaching and training bow.

After helping a few clients set up and tweak their blogs he’s now started his own. www.seeamanaboutablog.co.uk is written in plain English, not geekspeak, it’s blogging for the terrified, for the technophobe or anyone who wants a straightforward guide. A understands all your fears because he has to deal with me on a daily basis, and he’s facing them himself as he writes his own posts. Check him out – he’ll be delighted to hear your feedback and answer your questions.

Oh, and the name came from a client, who told a friend she was going to…!

Through Twitter I have connected with people all over the world who are working from home, running coworking spaces and running and attending Jelly. I’ve made instant contact with writers like Steven Pressfield and Barbara Winter, who previously would only have been accessible through a letter to their publishers. I’m privy to the latest thoughts of business leaders, thinkers and trendspotters, and the links they tweet to articles.

I’ve ‘met’ people I would otherwise never have come across, both a few streets away and on the other side of the Atlantic. All of which has added immensely to the fun and interest in my life, and to this site. The blog post this week by home office expert Lisa Kanarek came about after she found me through Twitter. On #watercoolermoment I came across networker extraordinaire John Valentine, who made me laugh with his comment on how the decoration of his own home office was likely to go. If you were wondering why I’ve chosen a paint roller for today’s picture, it’s in honour of his services to interior design.

Facebook remains largely a mystery, although I’m still pathetically thrilled when anybody likes my page. I think I’d better steer clear for a while anyway if I’m to stay focussed on the important things and keep in favour with my KPI buddy!

So this Thankful Thursday I’m feeling grateful for all the aspects of social media I’ve mastered so far, and I’m looking forward to tapping the vast resources that remain. What are you grateful for?

2. Give your brain a rest
and gather some inspiration by reading a blog or two totally unrelated to your work. One of my absolute favourites is The Sartorialist, a photo blog of stylish ‘ordinary’ people in the streets of New York and the cities Sartorialist Scott Schuman visits to record fashion shows. I also like Wee Birdy, a fresh, colourful design blog by an Australian living in London with lots of equally good links.

3. And just for a change
stop looking at that computer screen and give your eyes a rest. We tend to spend far too long for the health of our eyes gazing at computers. Keep your eyes open while cupping your palms gently over them and look into the soft, warm blackness for a couple of minutes…aaaahhh, what a relief!

It was A who came up with the brilliant idea of having a #jellymoment on Twitter like the #watercoolermoment Enterprise Nation run at 11 am every morning.  We decided on 12 as the start time, and despite a few grumbling stomachs demanding lunch, got such a good response that we reached 3rd in UK trending, as you can see on the left.  Not at all bad for a first attempt!

San Sharma is the friendly host of #watercoolermoment every weekday at 11 am. Home workers meet on Twitter for an online coffee break to chew over home business issues of the highest importance, such as if you had a Tardis, where would you go?

Emily Cagle’s blog offers thoughtful, well-written posts on marketing and communications, as well as guest posts from other experts, including, ahem, me in the near future if I’m not mistaken.

David Wike has a dry sense of humour that makes me laugh out loud and his new blog The Watercooler (yes, not entirely unrelated to the above) is a collection of snippets of his (very) random thoughts. Give him a try and please tell him I sent you.

Well, that’s all I’ve got time for before A pulls the plug and packs up the computer, so bye for now and see you soo

We were busy with this yesterday morning and part of the afternoon, but when I arrived home and looked at my Twitter account, I discovered that in my absence Work from Home had been recommended by Enterprise Nation members and put on their Amazon Wish List! Quite made my day, if not my whole week.

And a welcome reminder right now that good things happen all by themselves without planning, strategising or my direct involvement. Phew, long exhale, shoulders down…

I have to admit that when I first heard about Twitter, I wondered why on earth anyone would bother to write messages of 140 characters or less about what they were doing, and even more why anyone would be sad enough to read them.  What I have discovered is that by being discerning about what you write and who you follow, you can pick up the very latest news on any topic and make contact with people who are experts in their field and are willing to share tips.

If you want to embark on Twitter or improve your skills, I highly recommend you follow Mark Shaw, who sends out regular tips and bulletins throughout the day.  And of course you can follow me on http://twitter.com/judyheminsley