In another bog post series of "Twitter" this question came from one of my Facebook friends:
Keri -- PLEASE explain Twitter to me. I honestly don't know why people use it. What's the point?? And who twitters back? People you know? Or just random people who read your "tweet"?
Great question! It is an acquired taste of Social Media. Becoming more and more a "Marketing Media". I have to admit at first I didn't get it and really wasn't into using twitter until various clients (and potential clients) of mine started asking more persistent questions about this avenue of Marketing for their business and websites. As a web developer, I get a lot of questions from clients about SEO (site engine optimization). Many of them are confused about what that is and think that Social Media's, such as FB and Twitter will help them. In some aspects it will help, but I think they get it all confused with what it really should be called for how they want it used; SEM (Site Engine Marketing).
Twitter now days is used as great "business marketing" tool. One reason I use it for myself and for my clients. I have clients that are deathly afraid of internet, but know it is vital to their business growth, so it is a service I provide to them. I even twitter for some of my clients.
Who Twitters back? people who want to answer my questions and comments I put out on twitter. Just like on FB your status line of 140 characters you can say or ask anything that is on your mind. Like on FB people see your "tweet" status and comment back.
Who comments back... random people? yes, anyone can see your tweets unless you lock your account. Majority of twitter users are there for self promotion and marketing reasons' so having a locked account really serves no purpose. May as well stay on Facebook then. Unlike Facebook, you can create a pseudo identity. You don't have to be Elaine, you can be ProfessorGirl2 (for example). People who followed me in the beginning were mainly a few friends that I knew on twitter (like my husband and my clients) and other web developers/designers. Our main exchange was about our craft. Then Barack Obama ran for President... that set off a whole new sett if followers for me as I tweeted about my support for him. From there I also I used my power of twitter to ask for things that our Community Pantry needed. People saw my tweets and responded favorably and helped our Pantry. One notable example is Gov. Schwarzenegger had a staff member send the pantry a bunch of Hams for our Easter Food Drive, because his staff saw my tweets. I publicly thanked the Gov. on twitter... from there I started getting more political and News Staff type of followers. Today I have nearly 700 people who follow me on twitter.
My tweet experience with the Governor as random as it seemed at first, was within a couple of weeks not so random. As I tweeted out for my client that she told a story about him on her show this week and that I thought he should listen. Within minutes I was contacted back through twitter by his media person asking me for the link to my client's show. I achieved for my client exactly why we were on twitter. Attention to her show!
As Web Developer and Internet Marketing Consultant, yes it would make sense why I use "social media" like "Twitter". Why would would you use it "E"? As a Home Educator, I have an established network of other educators that I follow and who follow me. When I don't understand some Chemistry problem Joseph is working on, I tweet it and they all respond with how they teach the solutions. I also see a Sociology Professor and couple of Psychologist have been following me lately... ??? They tell me they are on twitter for observation of social behavior (I must be really interesting material for them!) so they tell me I won't see them tweet much, but asked me to allow them to follow and observe.
I have a good friend (and client) who has been writing a really good blog about twitter and how to use it: http://only2degrees.wordpress.com/ if you ever decide you do want to learn it and make it work well for you.
Again, I have to say twitter is not everyone's cup of tea, but if you ever need to get something out quick on the internet, this would be the way to do it!
I hope this helps answer your questions. If you have more, I will be happy to answer those too. Thank you "E", for asking what twitter is :-)
Kerilyn
