I think Twitter has been totally awesome for my marketing strategy.
I'm also a very open person, so I don't worry about sharing "too" much. While I don't explicitly say what [small] school I go to, for example, someone could easily figure it out if they cared to. But I don't care if people know, though I won't openly say where, if that makes sense.
I don't air dirty laundry, though I am honest when I'm having the [occasional] bad day. Just recently during finals week, I posted about how super duper stressed I was, freaking out about cramming for my exams. When I came out to my parents last year, I posted about how our relationship was tarnished from that. So it's not all "la dee daa" fake stuff, but it's also not "drama queen" stuff. Yes, I do post some "controversial" stuff. It's a form of screening. I don't WANT to see super conservative clients who are anti-abortion, gun-slinging homophobes. So I make it clear that I'm pro-choice and "radical." If my differing views put them off (aka they can't handle other opinions), then I HOPE they're scared off. That leaves the clients that I WILL connect really well with, and have great chemistry with. I keep it real.
I also know providers who are very private people. who successfully manage Twitter accounts. They just don't share a lot of personal details like I do. They use it mostly for last minute availability notices, sharing sexual shenanigans they're getting up to, etc. So it can be done. You don't need to become an "open book" to have a Twitter account.
Most of my business comes from Backpage and Twitter. Really. And I have AMAZING clients. Most people who book with me comment that either my Twitter or blog helped "seal the deal" for them, in that they got to know my personality a bit more and then really wanted to book with me.
Social media is indispensable to my business.
Twitter: @chelseaxlane