Using URL as your twitter account NAME question

I've noticed that some are not using their URLs as you would expect them to when it comes to their Twitter accounts. (I am specifically talking about using a URL as your Twitter account name). There's either a spacing or a (dot) in the URLs: Somedomain . com or Somedomain(dot)com

Is it because they are afraid that Google may demote their sites if they do use the actual URL? Or is there some other reason?

 

I set up a Twitter account recently in anticipation of using it to promote a site I am working on. I did not include the .com in the URL (slug) because it was too long with the .com. Otherwise I would have. I have never heard of Google penalizing sites like that.

 

I am using the URLs of two of my sites (happened to be short enough) and I really like it.

I was just wondering since every other Twitter account I saw had something weird going on with the URL. I guess, it's just the way those people prefer it.

 

I always use short url for twitter

 

I have almost no experience with Twitter so I was wondering how to effectively promote a website using it.

Do I follow people and hope that they check out my Twitter and then check out my website? I imagine I cannot just contact people directly, as that would be spamming, right? Or is the benefit of Twitter that it has high search engine rank and maybe I can pick up some visitors that way?

 

I too am curious as to how to attract followers... would love to hear what others have to say

 

It seems like, in many cases, the account that you want can actually be taken. That's why people get creative with their twitter handles.

 

this isn't the question

If your tweets are interesting enough, you will get followers, doesn't matter if you are on twitter or anywhere else, boring people are not followed.