Top expats on Twitter: Russell Ward Date joined Twitter October 2010 Why did you decide to join Twitter? Initially, I signed up to see why it was generating so much interest. For the first few months, I didn't really use it that often, other than to follow celebrity tweets and the odd news article. It was only when I started blogging that I realised there was a sizeable community of similar people like me - expats, travellers, culture junkies - and it was only then that I started to really get into it and connect with other expats. How often do you use it? Most days, although I ease back on it at the weekend. I tend to check my account first thing in the morning, and then sporadically log on through the course of the day. Given that most of my contacts are based in the northern hemisphere and on a major time difference to Australia, when I'm winding down, they're generally coming online. It means I probably spend more time on Twitter later in the day. What do you like most about it? That feeling of connectivity to the rest of the world and the instant access to information as a news event breaks. It's significantly reduced any early feelings of isolation over here, even if relationships are largely virtual and not face-to-face. Do you use any software to manage your tweets? I started using Hootsuite last year and I haven't looked back. It allows me to read my various lists on one page, I can schedule tweets into the future, and I can share blog posts and news through any of my connected social media platforms. It's been an invaluable tool in filtering the information I want from the large number of people I follow. Do you access from home and/or out and about on your mobile? I do both. I try to limit my use through the mobile so that I don't become one of those people hunched over their phone 24/7. I keep my home access to evenings only and, the rest of the time, I access Twitter at work. Do you run more than one Twitter feed? If yes, do you use Twitter for business? I only use the one feed. One is enough for me. Any more would be overwhelming and unnecessary given my reasons for signing up. Do you read news and blogs that are linked to tweets? Twitter has become one of the main ways I catch up with other expat blogs and local/world news. I used to rely heavily on email subscriptions to other blogs but I'd find my inbox full to bursting each morning. Now I save my favourite Tweeters in several lists and catch up on their posts through Twitter as and when they publish. Do you find you interact most with friends and family you already knew before joining? Or new Twitter friends? I generally interact with new Twitter friends found via the expat and travel community - and, increasingly, the Sydney community. I'm not even sure if any family members are on Twitter. Occasionally a friend will flash up on my feed and say "hi," which always takes me by surprise. Generally, I prefer separating my blog-related social media friendships from daily face-to-face relationships. Both are important but there is a difference. Who are your three top recommendations to follow on Twitter and why? I focus my blogging and Twitter use on the following three areas - expats, Australia and writing - so my recommendations are from those three categories: Expats - @in_expatland - this is a tough one because there are so many good expats to follow on Twitter (@blogexpat, @ExpatraUK, @iwasanexpatwife, @vegemitevix, @michelloui to name but a few). However, because of the range of cultural, local and expat-related topics she shares, @in_expatland is usually my first point of call in Expatland each day. Australia - @NickBryantOz - a BBC foreign correspondent and former reporter of all-things Sydney and Australia, Nick tweets the funny, the meaningful, and the latest political news from this side of the globe (with a distinctly British flavour). Writing - @SydneyWriters - the tweets are informative and relevant to new bloggers and aspiring writers alike, and they regularly link to other useful writing sites across the Internet and blogosphere. Any further recommendations for expats looking to use Twitter? Create groups of your favourite people to follow (known as "lists"). The longer you stay on Twitter, the more people you'll inevitably follow so these lists allow you to focus in on the ones that matter the most to you. Finally, watch what you say and be mindful of how you interact on Twitter because we're all watching and listening...