What is Twitter Good For?
Maybe I should rename this to be Why I Still Love Twitter. What do you think?
Shoemoney just posted a very detailed explanation of the value of Twitter. It’s a great read. Notice that even for him it took a few months to see the benefits. I like how he says it’s like IM but no one feels any pressure to answer your message right away. Also, 40% of new visits from his web site are from Twitter! That’s AMAZING. He’s already a popular well-known blogger. He’s expanding his reach through Twitter.
I wish I could tell you how that was going for me but my stats are down and I’m not bothering to fix it until I redesign this site (it’s being programmed as I type).
Almost everyone I know who starts Twittering wonders why they are doing it and think it’s a waste of time. With a little coaching and time they become converts. Then they get lazy like me and almost stop blogging 
I love that I can ask a question or get opinions on something within seconds after asking. I tweet 2 possible headlines and my network chimes in. I’m careful not to abuse this but it makes a great focus group. Also, I try to thank people and respond to their requests (though I’m not always perfect at this!). Besides, most people on Twitter are smart. Or at least my network is.
Here’s my favorite thing about Twitter: it has a feel of community. There is goodwill (some tweet fights break out but generally it’s positive). Contrast this with online forums which can be brutal. Twitter is a little less anonymous and real.
There are many reasons to love Twitter, not only that it can get you a job. I got the job of writing a press release for Shoemoney because of Twitter. I’m writing for Marketing Pilgrim because of Twitter. I also stay connected to my industry (stay up-to-date) and get to know the best thinkers in online marketing because of Twitter. It’s one of the few sites I’m on every single day.
4 Responses to “What is Twitter Good For?”
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October 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I’ll admit that I didn’t “get” Twitter until I started using it. Even then, it took a few weeks to really grasp the usefulness of the tool. As you mentioned, it’s great for getting instant feedback on projects. And Twitter Search is an excellent research tool.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
If you like Twitter for traffic you should really check out FriendFeed. Granted, you have to participate on FriendFeed for it to be effective. With FriendFeed, not only does your site get posted out to multiple friends, but every time someone shares it on Google Reader, every time someone likes it, every time someone comments on it, it goes back to the top of all the friends lists of those initiating the activity. FriendFeed is very powerful if you can make it work for you. I often get more traffic from FriendFeed than I do Twitter, Google, and other sites. Try it out, participate, figure out a way to make it work for you – it’s very worth it, especially from a marketing perspective.
October 29th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Twitter – I hadn’t ever tried it until just recently. It seems like a pretty wise maneuver.
I noticed that you have outstanding skills in getting people to your blog – heck – I found you, and I’d never even thought or heard of “Utah Bloggers”.
Maybe I could get lucky enough to get on your list? And, even better, maybe I could see Ms. Orange Soda in action!
By the way, do you know my good friend Cody Hunter?
March 29th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
I usually don?t post in blogs but your blog forced me to, i look forward to reading your blog more often. visit my blog when you get the chance i have some great info up.