What is Twitter?
submitted by markodonoghue on 30 September 2009
Twitter is a free form of blogging, known as 'micro-blogging.' This is so called because there is a maximum of 140 characters allowed for each entry, working line an online text message.
On Twitter, you can post your thoughts, ideas and opinions and share them by following other people's activities and vice versa.
Why join Twitter?
As with other social media websites, there are certain advantages Twitter has for marketing your business online. Not only is it a easy to use communication tool, but what you post on Twitter can quickly spread beyond your current contact base.
Twitter has a 'Trends' facility which shows the most popular talked about subjects on the website. This is displayed to all users, so news travels life wild fire.
Whereas most blog entries are found through search engines, Twitter has a social aspect where people search through Twitter itself. People can search by topic to find similar users to them, building you a loyal and targeted fan base you can communicate with quickly.
Getting started
Creating a Twitter account is easy and completely free. Just visit www.twitter.com and click on the Join option.
Once signed up, you can add a photo and edit visual aspects of your Twitter page to reflect your company's branding.
Letting people know
Once setup, be sure to let your current contacts know about it. Perhaps add a link to your e-mail signature and mention it in your latest e-newsletter with your latest 'tweets.'
You may want to supplement your News page on your website with a link to the latest Twitter updates. This can be made more automated by using a special RSS feed such as Twitterfeed.
Tweeting from your mobile
To update your Twitter from your mobile you'll need to make sure it is added under Devices within the Settings menu of Twitter. Once done, see this support page to find which number you need to text to update your Twitter.
Who should you follow?
You can user Twitter's search tool with keyword phrases related to what you are posting about. Finding and following fellow minded Twitter users is both useful from a networking point of view, but also introduces you to their own established network once you start interacting with them.
You can learn more about growing your Twitter network within the "Get more followers on Twitter" article. There is also more information on getting the best out of Twitter by reading the "Useful Tools for Twitter" article too.
Submitted by:
Mark O'Donoghue
Associated Links:
http://www.webtacular.co.uk/articles/what-is-twitter.htm
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