Feb
8
My Top 12 Reasons for Using Twitter
Filed Under Blogging, Communication, List Building, Networking and Marketing Strategy, Social Media and Social Networking Sites, Twitter, Twitter Tools
Nearly a year ago I presented the Top Reasons Why I Blog. I’m a big fan of blogging, and I enjoy writing for you.
Now it’s time to list my top reasons for using Twitter. If you use Twitter, please feel free to comment and share your experiences. If not, this list may encourage you to begin.
These are the top 12 reasons why I use Twitter:
- Simplicity - Twitter is easier for people to understand than many other social media sites. There are only a few Twitter concepts to learn: how to create a profile, follow, update, reply, search, retweet, send direct messages and use hashtags. See Brand Yourself and Market on Twitter.
- Networking - With hundreds of thousand of people using Twitter, you’re bound to find, as I have, people with common interests to connect with. Advice I gave in Get More Personal applies here to networking on Twitter. Speak on the phone or meet in person, but don’t hide behind your computer.
- Traffic - Twitter is a blogger’s dream. Last week hundreds of people from Twitter visited my blog. A high percentage of Twitter visitors subscribe to my my RSS feed or blogcast.
- List Building - Twitter is a great tool to cultivate a following and build an audience in your niche. I presently have thousands of followers on Twitter. What will I do with these followers?
- Branding - I use Twitter to brand and market myself to my followers. Through Twitter many people are getting to know me who would otherwise not have had this opportunity. Even people who choose not to follow me can still learn about me. Keep this in mind: It’s not what you know or whom you know, but who knows, likes, trusts and respects you.
- Communicating - I can send direct messages or use hashtags to communicate with my friends.
- Twitter Tools - There are numerous Twitter Tools such as TweetAdder to make Twitter powerful and easy to use. Read Tons of Twitter Tools, Tips and Resources.
- Research - Twitter is an excellent tool for research and keeping up with world developments. You don’t necessarily need to follow people or for them to follow you to read their tweets and click on their links.
- Discovery - We can learn new things on Twitter, even when we’re not looking per se.
- Mobility - Wherever you are or wherever I am, we’re only a tweet away. As more and more people use cell phones and text messaging, the compact 140 character format makes Twitter easy to access.
- Brevity - To be honest, there are times when I simply don’t feel like writing a complete article. Fortunately, even at those times I can usually cope with a modest 140-character tweet.
- Fun - Twitter is a blast! It’s a giant party, and the black tie is definitely optional.
You’ll find more reasons for using Twitter in the comments below. I encourage you to add your own.
I’m @larrybrauner on Twitter. I look forward to reading your tweets.
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25 Responses to “My Top 12 Reasons for Using Twitter”
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Why do I use Titter?
A simple question with no easy answer.
I tried to explain here.
Hi Larry!
You’re getting me more and more interested in developing my Twitter presence for marketing my web site. Sounds like it could be effective and fun too.
Thanks, Larry!
The drawback of twitter for those of us with Alice in Wonderland syndrome - there are many white rabbits to chase
Yes - Larry all you wrote is true, Twitter is like a gathering place from around the world.
2emc - Twitter Presence of Evie the evil Evelyn
Hi Larry,
As you know, I registered my Twitter profile last week and now I have you following. It’s like the opposite - you trick the curious ones. But isn’t this only going to be the benefit of the first movers?
By the way, where do you find us?
Greetings from @nickolass.
No trickery on my part Nickolass.
Twitter will benefit more than the “first movers”, but guess what?
We are first movers!
Don’t remember any longer where I found you, but I’m happy I did.
My wonderland is full of white rabbits.
@2emc: It would be so nice if something would make sense for a change.
Hi Larry,
Great article - short, concise, convincing and very very useful - just like Twitter itself.
Best wishes,
Will
@whatawebsite
Hi Larry,
Thanks for the article.
I want to be your 1000th!
Dear Larry!
I came over to work you towards your 1000 count!
However, after I got here figured out… I am already on your list!
Good Luck!
Getting close to comment #1000 on this blog. Only a few more to go.
Add me to your statistics.
I came here from Twitter, and here you are: I’m a subscriber and a commenter.
@sova999
Great posting and very informative. Thank you.
You named research.
Isn’t it far better to get research data and results from the original source than by people who have put what they found in their own words?
I have been doing research for thirty years.
The primary source for research is the data itself. That data can be objective as in a controlled experiment or subjective as in a focus group.
Research however is more than mere data. It’s data with an interpretation attached to it.
Person A may be the first one to interpret the data, but Person B may reach conclusions that are more valid.
In any case, Twitter gives us access to many points of view on many subjects. Through Twitter we can also discover authorities who we didn’t know of before.
You have a lot of good info in here, and I would like to make better use of Twitter - it just does not work for me. I guess I need to read Twitter for Dummies!
I only have three on my twitter list. How do you build a twitter list? I have read other Twitter accounts, and it seems that the only posts are dealing with “I am doing such and such, etc.”
I have not seen a “business” use for promoting blogs or websites. Help and thanks
I too am a blogger and planned to use Twitter to further facilitate my Blog.
Lo and behold I find myself drawn into the endless diatribes going on there.
It’s addictive, engaging and fascinating how it all melds into group speak!
What is being said?
You need to sign up to find out for yourself.
See you there!
Mike,
Join me on Outside the Box and introduce yourself there. I’ll see if I can help.
Larry
Larry,
Some great insights. Thanks. I agree with all ten!
I would share two more:
1. I use the keyword search tool on Twitter to listen to people all over the world talk about the subject matter of my new business.
2. I stay in real time contact with clients.
I think the utility of Twitter is going to grow and grow. Look at all the new innovations from developers. The key to me is the ability to participate in “real time” conversations and to have a choice about whom to listen and talk to. It is fun.
Thanks for sharing.
See you later on Twitter.
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Twitter is definitely a great tool to maintain contacts, build new ones, network with them… We at DeskAway have our Twitter account. Very useful!
Love this list - I also would add that the requirement of 140 characters means people get to the point. I think one of the core reasons for its success.
Fortunately Paul, when I go on and on, beating a dead horse, my readers can find refuge @ Twitter.
Twitter is also a great way to quickly broadcast the latest news, tips and events to your customers.
I quite agree. As I said above, Twitter is a useful communications tool.
I am still coming to grips with Twitter, and drawing on the experiences of others is helping me a lot in making sense of it all. List building and branding are two areas that I see real value in for me personally.