The Definitive Guide to Twitter

Whether you love it or not, Twitter is the hottest thing on the web right now. This article will reveal some of the secrets to Twitter's immense popularity.

If you don't understand how Twitter works, why it's popular, or don't have the time to use it, the information here will help you wrap your arms around the enormous potential and buzz about the brand.

If you are currently a Twitter user, regardless of your level of experience, there's plenty of information to give you a deeper understanding of the platform with tons of links to add to your tool belt.

THE REASON
The original reason I sat down to write this article was to address the Twitter detractors. I wanted to guide the non-user and reveal to them that there's more to Twitter than meets the eye. I'd hear people say "I just don't get Twitter...", "I don't understand Twitter...", or "Why would I want to know what people are doing every minute?" and it occurred to me that on the surface that's all Twitter appears to be - a real-time, chatterbox, 'me too' application.

It didn't end there, I've also done quite a lot of consulting recently giving my clients advice on how to best use Twitter most effectively, and how to properly provide brand interaction with their customers. Much of what I have written here gives you a glimpse into those meetings.

WHAT IS TWITTER?
Twitter could be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Twitter could also be an insignificant trend and we may look back on it like an eighties fashion fad.

Will Twitter be all it's been hyped up to be? Nobody has the answers to this questions except Big Ben. What we do know is that Twitter is the straw that stirs the drink right now, so it's important to examine the reasons why everybody is talking Twitter.

In order to do this it's best to steer our focus away from the Twitter interface and the 'What are you doing?' entry point, and look at the user base itself. This is where the real power is.

DON'T BE FOOLED BY IT'S SIMPLICITY
Let's start by addressing the "Why would I want to know what people are doing every minute?" question. The answer is you don't have to. Twitter is a stream of information that you choose to dip your toes into when you feel like it. Pick and choose what you want to respond to and when.

Next, think of Twitter as a tool that allows you to listen in and learn about your subject of interest, to participate in conversation with fellow enthusiasts, or to broadcast your content to your friends/followers. Believe me, you can get just as much, if not more out of Twitter by being a listener than you can by producing content.

LET THEM SPEAK
For the sake of this post I used one of Twitter's many features and asked a group of my friends on Twitter to contribute their thoughts about why they use it.

My single favorite reply came from @leeodden:

"Networking, crowdsourcing, sharing, promoting, monitoring and ranting from just about anywhere, anytime."

Bulls eye. Lee understands how to use Twitter. In his reply he has touched on three core principles that make it all work. He uses Twitter as a platform to receive information that's important to him, interact with the community and broadcast his own media. His response is also alluding to the fact that he can do all of this from anywhere his computer or cellphone works. This is an example of someone who is harnessing Twitter's power.

THE POWER
There are so many incredible features that have been built around Twitter's information stream. I have chosen to highlight some of the best of the bunch:

•Twitter is your own personal army of worker bees

Contribute snippets of knowledge or link to an article, press release or blog entry and watch your friends help you promote it by ReTweeting your tweet for you. Be sure to show good manners and scratch their backs too.

Twitter is also a great platform to pose questions and get specific advice, or recommendations from the wealth of knowledge in your friends. Need a quick web fix or recommendation for a restaurant? You'll find all the answers you need on Twitter if you just ask. You can also use services such as Tweetbrain to facilitate your needs.

•Twitter is a chat room

Due to the easy access to topics of discussion with Twitter's hashtags feature, topic groups can form and dissolve in a matter minutes (as long as they are needed for surface-level discussion) or remain as static chat portals for less time-sensitive subjects.

•Twitter is a news source

Twitter is an incredible source for staying up to date on international, local or industry-specific news. The latest news is reported in a fraction of a second on Twitter. You'll have access to unfiltered opinions, relevant articles and links that won't hit Google for hours or even days.

Many people have turned off their RSS feed readers and strictly rely on their Twitter friends or groups to deliver the latest news, information or topics of interest specific to them. This saves a great deal of time as the search engine, crowdsourcing component of the platform continues to develop.

•Twitter is a search engine

Twitter has strong potential to behave as a search engine through crowdsourcing, helping you get the information you need.

•Twitter is a group of communities

There are a ton of communities growing in and around the Twitter user base. Communities range in size and breadth of topic from those focused on business and politics down to the micro-niche communities such as Work-at-Home-Moms, small business groups or hobby enthusiasts.

Communities matter in every aspect of life, and especially in business. You have an opportunity to join an existing community or create your own. This will enable you to participate in events, causes and charities that are important to you. [See Twibes or Tweetworks]

•Twitter is a network and sharing portal

Use Twitter to network and/or share information in your community, group or topic of interest. Make connections and watch business or relationships grow. Once you have established strong ties, you'll find that sharing information will only enhance business opportunities. Find people through Twitter's search engine or a Twibe or Tweetworks community.

•Twitter is a focus group

From the corporation down to the solopreneur, businesses of all size have the ability to listen in and use Twitter as a brand and market research tool. [See Trendrr or Twitscoop]

•Twitter is a customer service interface

Twitter is a great tool for customer relations on either side of business. As an owner, customer service or public relations representative, you can use the platform to receive inquiries from customers or clients, or keep people informed on the latest product offerings or updates.

As a customer you can stay in touch with the companies and brands that are important to you by providing feedback or filing a complaint. This will help all involved improve the level of service delivered and that can only be a good thing.

THE BUZZ

Can you imagine getting all of the above in one place? Twitter's hype makes a lot more sense now doesn't it?

Could Twitter be a Chat/RSS Reader/Social Network/Search Engine all rolled into one? It's looking like the multi-functionality, combined with a simple user interface is why it's so attractive to the Twitter community.

The Twitter bees are building the hive. No wonder there is so much buzz.

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Sign up for a Twitter account, sit back and watch what happens. If you feel up to it, write a few tweets and get involved. I'm betting that you'll get some followers. Feeling extra frisky? Jump into a quick chat and watch your relationships take off.

Follow Tim on Twitter.

Twitter and it's community will continue to evolve every day. Keep this article up to date with your contributions on major Twitter developments or services. We have no interest in staying on top of the millions of Twitter-related apps, just the significant ones. Contribute to this article in the comments section. You will receive credit and a link to your Twitter account or website.

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