This post is dedicated to those who think the only thing people do on Twitter is report what kind of sandwich they had for lunch. Instead of pulling out my hair every time I hear this line, I decided to showcase what you’re missing. It’s way more polite and I’m too vain to go through life with random bald patches.
Connections with lifelong learners
Meeting these people is the reason I participate. Sometimes their tweets contain a link to online material – sometimes they’re just a short, provocative thought designed to get the mind turning. They enlarge my perspective and introduce me to other great thinkers and learners. Here is a sample:
No great business (or life) was ever built by a conformist.—
Robin Sharma (@_robin_sharma) February 05, 2011
Accessing help from the Twitter community
Everyone needs assistance as some time. Are you looking for a job? Do you need help finding an apartment in a certain neighborhood? Have you just received a medical diagnosis and wonder what community support might be available? Tweeps (Twitter people) are tireless sharers.
Safety in the Summer Heat! @Truthonhealth Blogger Dr. Xifaras of @TuftsMedicalCtr on how kids can still have fun: truthonhealth.org/blog/2011/08/0…—
The Truth on Health (@Truthonhealth) August 04, 2011
Building your business
If you’re in business and you’re not using Twitter to listen to your user community and engage in two-way conversations, shame on you. That’s like discarding customer demographics data because you don’t like the way the text is formatted. I’m not talking about using Twitter to post ads. The opportunity Twitter affords is that of building a community around your brand. Where else do you get the chance to overhear people discussing their experience with your product or service? Below is a tweet from ING’s CEO, Peter Aceto. I admire the way he regularly engages with his community by listening to them.
Thanx Rubina. RT @AlwaysSaveMoney: The no fee banking giant ING Direct Canada using Madonna 2 teach U how to #savemoney bit.ly/naXjnK—
Peter Aceto (@CEO_INGDIRECT) July 30, 2011
So there you have it: my totally biased view of Twitter as a valuable tool. If you’re looking for me on Twitter, I’m @SWrightBoucher.
Hi, Susan, I agree with you on all three points. Twitter can be quite valuable once you learn how to use it efficiently, i.e. being selective in those you follow and using tools to manage personal and professional streams. Discerning who offers what takes a while; masses of followers aren’t a reliable indicator. I’ve found real gems from those less followed. I love being able to share/retweet content I’ve found helpful with others. And there’s been a side benefit–with its 140-character limitation, Twitter has forced me to be more concise!
Karen,
Thanks for pointing out that there are gems to be found on Twitter — and they’re not necessarily among the most followed or most popular. I found you on Twitter and am now following you!
Readers: Look for @runtzka for helpful messages on working your social media.
Susan