The value of Twitter has been debated by many. Their opinion seems to reflect the amount of time they’ve used it. I wonder if people who are the most critical have fully experienced it & given it a chance?
I’ve been encouraging some to try it, but it’s difficult to explain. I’d like to share my perspective. When I first registered, I admit to not seeing the point. You need to become involved in the conversation to realize it’s worth.
Just reading there is going to be boring. People’s ‘tweet’s are going to seem disjointed. And if they’re twittering @others, and you can only see their side of the conversation it will be even more surreal.
For me: Twitter = Interaction
Morning news – people post links to the latest news – it’s great reading. Ann Handley of MarketingProfs is doing a great job of using Twitter to expand their blog’s reach. jowyang always has informative links.
Personally interacting with people – Twitter gives you personal insight into to other’s worlds. People express what & why they’re doing things. I enjoy chrisbrogan‘s provoking questions. Sass is in social media rehab. Definitely worth a smile!
And as so many have said, it’s a water cooler to check in with friends. Because you get to know these people on a more personal level. It’s not invasive, because you check in when it’s convenient for you. People offer advice if you ask for it & are very generous. I’ve even seen impromptu job postings blip thru! Can you tell that I’m addicted?!
My rule is that if people follow me, I follow them. But if their stream is too noisy & doesn’t provide me with value, then I unfollow them. It’s interesting to note that people I’ve met on Twitter have extended to befriending on Facebook! I think that says a lot.
If’ you’d like to try it, create a Twitter account & choose a short username. Add the people above to get started (I provided links). Add me, cbensen, & I’ll be glad to help you.
Jeremiah Owyang outlines how to use it for your org. & Ann Handley provided 7 reasons why marketers should use it.
There are 3 main things to get started:
1. ‘tweets’ are limited to 140 characters, but you can tweet multiple ones to finish a thought. Posting your blog post is another way to express yourself too.
2. Use @UserName to direct it to someone specifically (but everyone sees it)
3. Direct message allows you to send a private message (but only if they’re following you).
Questions? Let me know & I’ll be glad to help. See you on Twitter!
I could see how twitter could be a bit confusing starting out. I’ll admit, if I hadn’t found you on it, I probably wouldn’t use it half as much as I do, which is still probably not often enough!
When I first signed up on Twitter I truely thought it would be just another amusing distraction. A few months later, I’ve made more personal connections with the most amazing people than I have in real life over the last year.
Its become more of a business/learning/networking vehicle for me and I’ve recently changed my Twitter nickname to reflect my real name rather than something thats more anonymous.
Just as you’ve said, Twitter = Interaction. Its something that I’m striving for more and more each day…and its paying off!
Hello to my Twitter friends who found me! Dave & Jeff you both followed me first & now I gab with each of you on Facebook too about a lot of things!
Thank you for reaching out, you’ve made my life richer!
Thanks Connie! I can see why Twitter is sticky. Reporting live on site and believing someone who is listening may appreciate the message is quite a motivation. Replies, similar to comments on blogs will definitely make it more fun! The other bonus is growing your connections with people who shares something in common. Cool!