So what’s the buzz about Twitter?
By tscheich | May 7, 2009
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Definition: Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to post updates (called Tweets) as often as they want (and limited to 140 characters). When you follow other people on Twitter, you see their tweets. When they follow you, they see your tweets.
According to the Twitter website, ‘Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?’
Relatively new to the ‘twittersphere’, my first reaction to this question ( just as the video ‘Trouble with Twitters’ comically conveys) was a simple answer: ‘Does anyone care?’…
I think Chris Brogan said it best – ‘Instead of answering the question, ‘What are you doing?’, answer the question, ‘What has your attention?’
What do you find interesting right now at this very moment? The impulse to share this information with others shines a whole new light on Twitter…it isn’t about anyone individually, it’s about a community, it’s about sharing original or found content, thoughts, ideas, or impressions you think will provide value to others and passing it on to them…the trick is to listen, assess, and communicate!
And, as I ascend even higher into the twittersphere, I am finding that to communicate effectively in 140 characters or less involves actual thought and strategy. TwiTip’s post ‘10 Ways to be Useful on Twitter’ relates some great tips for harnessing the power of Twitter. Here a few of my favorites:
- Be Nice – If you like what someone is saying, Follow them. If they just posted a great article, tell others about it. If they Re-Tweet one of your messages or link to your blog post, say thanks.
- Retweet – Retweeting is an effective way to spread information quickly. If someone you’re following tweets something interesting, ‘retweet’ (RT) it – help good ideas get exposed to tons of people.
- Be You – Engage. Help people. Share your knowledge. You’ve only got 140 characters to get your point across. Be brief and get to the point, but at the same time, be yourself. Tweet like you speak and talk about things that bring value to you.
- Don’t Spam – It’s tempting to talk about all the great things your business can offer, but you need to be personable, authentic, and join in the conversation, don’t just broadcast to the crowd.
- Keep Your Profile Current – Make sure you have links and a good description of yourself in your profile. Potential followers and friends use this to get a sense of who you are, what you do, and use it as a way to find additional content you might be putting out.
- Be Useful – Don’t overdo it. Don’t tell us incessantly about stuff we don’t care about. Engage, have fun, and can help the conversation.
In the end, the basic thing to remember is – Twitter is a new technology and we are all still learning. The way we communicate changes drastically with the advent of any new technology, from the telegraph and then the telephone to the inception of email, each time we must learn how to utilize the ‘new thing’ effectively.
About the authorTracey is an interactive strategist at Robert Sharp & Associates. Social media enthusiast, career student, former professor, writer, sculptor, and basically just inquisitive by nature, she is obsessed with language and fascinated by all things search.
