Are you a Twitter fan? I’m always interested in reading about the experiences others have with this so-called “microblogging platform.” Colleague Joan Patch pointed me to an article about building your online profile by AdAge “editor at large” Matt Creamer. He says:
“Success in social media, I quickly discovered, is being comfortable with the proposition that every single waking thought and feeling you have is important enough that other people will want to read it. What else explains Twitter? …Twitter was for me something to be mocked, to be held up and derided as a symbol of a new wave of irrational dot-com exuberance…[but] I realized that I could use Twitter to promote my blog, as well as my writings for Ad Age…In isolation, these sites are kind of a waste of time, but in the aggregate there’s some real utility.”
Meanwhile, on the Black Belt Dojo, Sue Dewhurst writes:
“I must admit, from the little I’ve read about Twitter, I’d dismissed it in my head as some place people went to waste time chatting about nothing in particular…So I was intrigued to see Lee [Hopkins] talking about Twitter as a great way to keep in touch with remote workers who might have no access to a computer but do have mobile phones.”
I’m glad to hear of a solid use, because I have trouble with the idea of everyone simply sharing their every waking thought. I’ve been scolded for “lurking” too much and not commenting on other blogs, but I’m still feeling my way around a bit, deciding when/if I have something to add and wanting to make sure those thoughts are worth the time someone else would spend to read them.
How about you?
Sue, some social-media mavens do indeed use Twitter to describe their ham sandwich or the crowd on the subway as they ride home from work, but more use it as a business tool. Last night before I went to bed I sent out a Twitter that I had a few spaces open in my Podcasting Webinar today. This morning I had three replies from people who want to attend. Often I find really interesting links from people who post them to Twitter rather than their full-blown blogs. Try it!
Donna, I knew YOU would have found a smart use for it, and certainly quick response to a request like that is useful! I can’t say that reading about someone’s ham sandwich would be. You’re right, I just need to jump in a try it.
“Scolded” sounds so harsh. Surely folks are “encouraging” you to participate in order for a greater audience to get access to your thoughts. But you’re right. Don’t just do a “great post” comment or “I couldn’t have said it better.” That’s a waste of blog real estate space.
Over the past few months I’ve made quite a few great contacts/acquaintanceships because those individuals have either linked to or commented on PR Conversations…alternatively, I’ve liked what they said on another blog, so made a point of checking their blogs out, commenting or sending an offline message.
Content may be king/queen, but people have to *know* you exist in order to visit your realm. (But I see you are venturing out more…kudos on that.)