I use Twitter and recommend it to my clients. It does two things for me: let’s me get the word out quickly and easily to a group of people (who follow me); allows me to “watch” what is happening. If Twitter is new to you, here is a good Twitter primer; what it is, how it works.
Get the word out quickly– It is the quickest and easiest way to communicate. You have just 140 characters, including spaces. I announce blog posts with a link, share interesting websites I’m browsing and do some occasional chest pounding (check out my new website design, I’m page one Google organic on the following terms. . ., etc.). It’s a great little “ad” you can get in front of people who follow you. I have yet to receive any business as a result of using Twitter, but I have recommended a few people who follow me.
Watch what is happening– I try to follow interesting people in general and interesting people in a position to refer business to me. They lead me to unusual websites, new innovations and keep me closer to the “leading edge” than I could left to my own energies and bandwidth. Picture dropping in on smart people and listening to what’s catching their attention today. Very cool.
Not using Twitter? Just start. Wade in. Here’s a tool I use to find interesting people to follow. It’s called Twellow. Type in a key word you feel reflects the type of person you want to follow (marketing, consultant, software, solar, whatever) and it gives you a list based on people’s personal descriptions.
The Twitter cliche is that people post things like “Headed out for pizza,” or “Watching Lost now.” Maybe, but I don’t follow them. Post things that you’d tell a friend or peer you feel they ought to know. My tweets.
Like all the social media I use, Twitter isn’t a gamer changer by itself. It is one small way to add to your presence on the net.
