If you’re like me, you may be ignoring Twitter. It’s not that I don’t like Twitter, it’s more that I’m kept busy with my Facebook friends, my Squidoo people, blog posts for a variety of blog topics, email, and other social networking activities. But it sounds like I won’t be able to ignore Twitter much longer because many affiliate marketers are forgoing blog posts in favor of making Twitter Tweets.

I think I’ll start slowly, and see what happens. But there are a few rules that I am aware of, which you’ll want to pay careful attention to.

Here is some good advice if you want to start following other affiliate marketers on Twitter.

When you first join Twitter, you might sign up to follow your favorite super affiliates. This is highly recommended. However, following is one thing; becoming an annoyance is another. When you first start following someone, you may be tempted to start asking a bunch of questions while you have their attention. However, it’s HIGHLY recommeded to become their friend first! Network a little, let them known you’re out there, and try to get to know them a little.

It’s a little like networking at a conference or seminar. When you first introduce yourself at a seminar, you don’t say, “Hi, I’m so and so, and I’d really like to know the best way to market this health product …” No, you get to know them, maybe have a drink and chat for a while. Become their friend, THEN hit them with a few questions — but still, don’t go overboard.

And that’s exactly how you should treat the people you follow on Twitter. Basically, treat them as you would like YOUR followers to treat you.

Twitter is a great networking tool. You can find out what’s going on at conferences that you can’t attend; you can make friends; and, if you find that you are going to be at the same conference as someone you’re following, you can set up a face-to-face meeting.

That’s really networking at it’s best. It gives people who work at home a chance to know what’s going on in the bigger affiliate networking world. And, if it’s true that there will be fewer blog posts and more tweets, it’s going to be important to start following people now, before the “game” changes again …