17 Ways You Can Use Twitter
Twitter is a micro blogging platform which allows you to publish short messages of less than 140 characters through different mediums like IM, cellphones and the web.
It has a social element as well, as it allows users to befriend and monitor each other’s messages or updates. So what you have here is a publishing tool that can be either public and private.
On the other hand, Twitter can be actively used as a tool to push out messages that capitalize on the attention you’re receiving from other users. Yes, I’m talking about self-promotion and marketing. This involves active user engagement.
Having read a great deal of other articles on Twitter, I decided a do a quick summary of all the ways you can use Twitter for both your professional or personal life. Some of these methods go beyond the use of Twitter as a lifestreaming device:
1. Personal Branding. Twitter is a social media platform you can use to build your personal brand. It has the primary benefit of developing a casual persona and establishes you as a social personality that is connected and approachable. As Twitter adoption increases, new users will be drawn towards well established Twitter personas.
2. Get Feedback. Need an alternative perspective on how a website looks or the right course of action to take? Blast out a message asking for advice and you’ll receive replies from other users. This collective intelligence can be used as fodder for articles or projects.
3. Hire People. Need a good logo designer, marketer or programmer? Send out a message asking for recommendations. This is a very quick and easy way to hire freelancers or even companies based on familiar recommendations.
4. Direct traffic. Twitter can be used to get traffic to your websites or the sites of friends. If you ask your friends to tweet about it, the message will spread faster and further as other active users pick it up. There is a viral nature to all types of news, even on a site like Twitter.
5. Read News. Twitter users often link to useful sites or articles and can be a source of scoops and alternative news. You can also subscribe to Twitter feeds for specific websites/conferences, which allows you to receive and view content quickly. This is very useful for active social news participants.
6. Make New Friends. Like any other social network, Twitter has a built-in function for you to befriend and track the messages of other users. This is an easy way for you connect with people outside of your usual circle. Make an effort to add active users you find interesting. A Twitter acquaintance can be developed into a long lasting friendship.
7. Network for benefits. Twitter can be used as a socializing platform for you to interact with other like-minded people, especially those in the same industry. It can be used to establish consistent and deeper relationships for future benefits such as testimonials or peer recommendations.
For 10 more ways to use Twitter, go here.
Editor’s note: You might not be using Twitter and some of the other social media web applications, but you can bet your competitors are.
Photo by Twitter.
Josh on March 21st, 2008 10:22 am
Its the first time. I hear about this. its nice and good posting.
Haris on March 24th, 2008 5:03 am
the problem with all these social bookmarking and similar sites is that they require much time to participte actively. If done only for marketing purposes it’s not worth the effort.
Ed Bisquera on February 4th, 2009 7:25 am
Like any other networking or marketing endeavor, it takes patience, contribution and commitment.
If you think it’s not worth the effort, I only point to other successes using social media networking, including my own, albeit locally, as evidence that it can work, if applied consistently.
Using Facebook and Twitter, the last 3 months of maintaining a presence and contributing and commenting on these social networking platforms, has now provided me with additional business and 2-3 good leads per week. A good lead for me is one that will close business with me in the next 30-60 days. And when each closing is worth $2700-$4000 on average, I believe the time I’ve spent cultivating relationships and participating on sites like Twitter and Facebook is worth it to me. :-)
I recorded a screencast video of gaining two leads on Facebook (indirectly connected through Twitter).
Hope that helps or inspires others to continue the social media marketing trek.
Best wishes,
Ed Bisquera
On Twitter.com
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