Utilize a dashboard
The mightiest twitter tools include Dashboards such as TweetDeck, Seesmic, Hootsuite etc. fall under the bracket of the most powerful twitter tools. Why? Because they expand beyond Twitter’s ability of displaying single columns of tweets as well as the standard right panel information that we see when we log on to twiiter.com. Dashboards allow you to customize and create your twitter experience the way you want. You can have streams show only mentions of your Twitter handle, or you can go for advanced options such as creating a column that displays all mentions of your product, hashtag, CEO’s name or brand name. Dashboards can also be used to secretly check the competition and see what they are doing on twitter. Hence, dashboard is an indispensable part of generating a strong twitter presence.

Understand how Twitter search works
Once the dashboard is set up, bookmark this link: search.twitter.com/advanced. This is an advanced search tool owned and developed by Twitter. This tool is very important if you wish to participate in the conversation happening in your niche Twitter world. It is somewhat similar to Google’s advanced search, where you can determine keywords to incorporate and target precise phrases. But being a social media network, Twitter’s search consists of social queries too. You can search tweets form, to or related to specific person, you can search tweets form a particular place, or tweets with only negative attitudes. Twitter search is a great sturdy way to find out what people are exactly saying within your niche market.

Use Twitter lists
You can keep tabs on a group of influential tweeters without even letting them know that you follow them with the help of twitter lists. A list will also help you organize conversations into groups and simplify your Twitter experience. If you want to create a new list, for instance, all you have to do is go to Twitter.com and visit your profile. Then, click on “List” present on the left panel, and click on “create a List” option in the right corner of the new column. You can give your list a name that best describes the accounts/ handles you are planning to add to it. You can even give a description if you need clarification or a remainder.

You can also choose your list to be public or private. You may want to keep a list private if you don’t want the accounts in the list to know that you are listening to them. When you use dashboards, you can create a stream that only shows tweets from accounts on a particular Twitter list.

Lists allow you track specific conversations happening between specific Twitter handles, and they are predicted to become even more powerful in near future. So get to know lists now to get a head start in your niche.

Use search, directories, and tools for finding the right followers
To become one of the top leaders in your niche, you have to follow the right people. You Twitter conversations will happen based on who you follow on Twitter. So if you have influential people as your Twitter followers, you are likely to hear them often, mingle with them, and join their conversation. You can opt for directories and various the search tools that are compiled by tech companies to create your “dream team” of Twitter follows.

Schedule your tweets
When you look at the people who are always active on Twitter, it seems like they it is impossible to match their tweeting habits. But, usually, it’s not like that. Most people who constantly tweet are not on their computer all day and all night long. Their secret tool is tweet schedule. You can schedule pre-written tweets that you create once a week, once a day or even once in a month, and schedule those to go live at any time you want. This way you can maintain your Twitter presence while you sleep, while on vacation, or simply away from your computer. Scheduled tweets are one of the biggest secrets of active businesses on Twitter.