Launched in 2006, Twitter changed the way we communicate. Well, maybe that’s giving Twitter too much credit. Maybe it changed communication, or maybe it simply reflected other changes going on at the same time as a plugged-in, mobile society looked for ways to get more information in less time.

Either way brevity was in and long rambling text was out. Even 60-second sound bites and elevator pitches now seem too long as everything from company mission statements to personal bios have been reduced to 140 characters.

While all of us struggle to be brief and yet interesting in many phases of our lives and business the Twitter bio is still one of the most challenging. In an instant, complete strangers read your bio and decide whether they do or don’t want to follow you. With so much to say, and so few words in which to say it how do you decide what’s in and what’s out?

Look for inspiration in your Twitter Feed

About once a year, usually when I update my profile image, I spend a little time thinking about my Twitter bio. If you didn’t know me, would it make you want to learn more? Does it really give you an idea about what you will find in my Twitter feed?

Since I just updated my profile image (special thanks to Paul D’Andrea), I decided to rethink my Twitter bio, too, so I spent a little time looking for inspiration reading other Twitter bios. Here are just a few I found interesting. Who would you follow?

Toot your horn with personality

Jason Falls is a social media thought leader so he knows calling himself a guru or expert will simply make him sound like everyone else. Instead, he takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to his credentials, which makes him much more credible. He uses his characters well, sprinkling in a bit of both personal and professional information.

@jasonfalls Husband, Father, Author, Speaker, Humorist. Allegedly wise to the ways of PR, Digital Marketing and Social Media. SVP at . I like bourbon.

Compare Jason’s profile to his friend and peer Jay Bear. Jay is all business. There are no glimpses of who he is as a person. I think he works too hard to convince me of his credentials, coming off a bit stiff.

@jaybear From New York Times best-selling author, global keynote speaker, and digital media entrepreneur. President of – A strategy consulting firm.

Have a little fun

Twitter doesn’t have to be all about business. One of the things I love best is finding interesting people who are talking about things completely unrelated to anything I do on a regular basis.

I don’t know what Liam Houlihan does for a living, and I don’t care. His timeline is filled with snippets of news from around the world served up with a bit of attitude. Just what I would expect when I read his bio.

@liamhoulihan These are my opinions. Not necessarily shared by reasonable-minded people nor my benevolent corporate overlords

I had to include Toronto native, Claire Kerr on this list. In just a few words she convinced me she has a terrific sense of humor and actually knows way more about social media then she lets on.

@snotforprofit: The only person on Twitter who doesn’t claim to be a social media guru.

Nicole Amsler is clearly a writer. In just a few words, and numbers which don’t add up she makes you want to read more of what she has to say.

@keylocke  50% novelist, 45% sarcastic, 30% book club fanatic, 15% copywriter (), 10% caffeinated and bad at math.

Who is Lorraine Ball?

So after reading all of these bios and hundreds of others I decide to use the space to tell you a a bit about me, what I love and do in as few words as possible.

Lorraine_Twitter2

What about you? Who will you be in 140 characters or less?  Not sure, download our social media start kit for a few tips.

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