Twitter is one of the best vehicles around for getting exposure, fans and engagement via social media. Big artists are (mostly) accessible via Twitter, and many (like Waka Flocka Flame) use Twitter and other social media channels to broaden their exposure and interact with fans.

I see a lot of young, upcoming artists on Twitter and I immediately can tell you who’s using Twitter correctly by viewing their Twitter profile. The five biggest mistakes I see are:

1. A Twitter bio that tells nothing about what kind of music you make

Hopefully, you are trying to reach a lot of people via Twitter, so using indie terms or obscure hashtag lingo will go over the heads of most people. Keep your bio simple: state what you do and what kind of music you perform.

2. Tweeting without linking

Tweet out links to your YouTube videos, SoundCloud site or ReverbNation account. I see a million rap hopefuls who tweet things like, “2014 gonna be MY year” or “Taking it to the next level” which doesn’t really mean anything without links to back it up.

3. Having a booty shot as your profile photo

This makes you look like an amateur. Shots of women with big booties (or similar sexual photos) as your Twitter profile photo make you look like you’re 12.

4. Less music, more drugs

If the majority of what you tweet are photos of yourself exhaling or inhaling smoke, or if you mainly post photos of plastic baggies with illegal substances, I will pass you by rather than follow you because I can tell you’re not serious about your music. Photos like that might work as something funny between your high school friends, but only the biggest stars can (and usually don’t) tweet photos of drugs.

And the WORST mistake you can make on Twitter:

1. No link to your music

Not linking to your music in your Twitter bio totally defeats the purpose of your Twitter account. If you’re an artist without a site for hosting your music, don’t get a Twitter account until your music site is in place.