Tag Archives: twitter

Is Twitter a big fat waste of time?

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Posted by in Back to basics, Marketing, Organizational communications, Social media

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 Twitter doesn’t make you credible, or smarter. Some of the most popular and respected intellectual voices (and best selling authors) of our time are not active tweeters.

I like millions, tweeted over to the Twitter party a year ago (that’s how a lot of people describe it, ‘hey it’s like a cocktail party with all these cool conversations going on’). But shockingly, I found little value. So two weeks ago I decided to leave the party. (Well I did leave my handle there with a pointer to my blog and LinkedIn). Guess what? I’m still getting followers. And I’m even more informed and connected to the people and things I care about. Why? It’s called focus. I’m blocking out the noise, and focusing my brain capital on activities where I find value.

I’m still informed. I’m still learning. But I’m selective and don’t need an endless Twitter stream to keep me in the know. Sure there is a place for Twitter and I think the corporate accounts function well as newsfeeds. But for individuals (you know, real people), ask yourself, is this a good use of my time? What do I hope to get out of this? Should I be applying my talent and intellectual energy in other places?

New to Twitter? 6 ways to tame the Twitter beast

12 Friday Mar 2010

Posted by in Social media

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blue birdFor new Twitter users, the medium can be an overwhelming stream of ideas and news, in addition to the pressure to populate your feed with good content.  Keep in mind you do not need to read everything that comes into your Twitter feed.  However, to have a credible and valuable presence, you must be engaged on a regular basis. Yes, this means pretty much every day.  This means you need to read, reply, tweet and retweet, but not all of these  every day. 

To get the beast under control and establish a good Twitter habit, try the framework below. It is not cast in concrete, but does cover how you can effectively use Twitter to share ideas, generate interest in your point of view, and engage other influential people.  For business users, the promise is to expand your reach to uncover additional business opportunities and to build your personal brand.  

Caution for ultra-beginners, read Twitips – 10 Easy Steps for Twitter Beginners, and then come back.

  1. Monday: What do you think?
    Ask followers a question related to your work, industry or a content you or your company recently published. 
  2. Tuesday: Tip of the week
    Offer a tip that adds value to the Twitter community.  
  3. Wednesday: Retweet
    Twitter is not only about broadcasting your content. You add true value when you share valuable insights and ideas from others through retweeting and linking.  
  4. Thursday: Engage followers
    Select a tweet that resonates with you and post a reply to it.  
  5. Friday: FollowFriday
    On Fridays, it’s popular  to use the #ff or #followfriday hashtag to endorse other Twitter users.  Again the idea is to share and spread valuable ideas to your followers. 
  6. Saturday and Sunday:  It’s the weekend and I have a life
    Try a non-business tweet on Saturday or Sunday, something interesting from your travels, a hobby, a favorite restaurant.  But, be sure to stay clear of politics.

For new and experienced Twitter users - keep Mashable’s Twitter Guidebook at hand. It is by far the best resource out there.

Frittering away time Twittering – Is it worth it?

10 Wednesday Feb 2010

Posted by in Social media

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blue birdIs Twitter the next Second Life? asks BrandWeek’s Todd Wasserman.  Jury’s still out on the value for established brands. Traction with local, fun, small brands is celebrated, but established brands have struggled to get followers.  Dell is exception, but as a B to C, they bait followers with Twitter exclusive promotions. One disconnect is that the informal, edgy Twitter ‘voice’ may not match the company’s brand image, esp for a B to B that cultivates C level relationships. 

Even with these caveats, there’s millions of conversations out there in Twitter-land that just may enlighten you and your communications or brand activities.  One thing for certain, it’s a new (and fun) way of communicating.

So, what’s your excuse?

25 Monday Jan 2010

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How much time have you spent nurturing your online presence?   The excuses are endless– not enough time, don’t know where to begin, I’m a writer, not a techie.  Our field is  filled with journalists, writers, PR experts and the like, not the first people you’d think would be tech-savvy.  But, you have to know how to tweet, blog, and maintain a robust LinkedIn personality, or you may face extinction.  

The foundation of your professional online presence is LinkedIn.  But don’t stop there, to become truly active in the online society, set up a Twitter account and Facebook page.  Here’s your checklist:

1. LinkedIn.  Set up your profile.  If you have one enhance it.  Keep it active, spend time every week and update with projects, ideas,  contacts and recommendations. 

2. To Tweet or not? It is worth experimenting with Twitter, but don’t expect an Ashton Kutcher following (4 mil +).  Setting up  an account is as easy as setting up an email.  Find a few interesting people or brands in your field and follow them.  Make a commitment to post at least one tweet or retweet / day.   

3. Blog. Use your company’s platform or one of free ones out there, how about WordPress?  Commit to post at a minimum twice per week.  Be open to advice from the pros.

4. Once you are established, participate, experiment, and keep learning.  After all, this is what you do best.

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