Social Media Success with Twitter
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Just over a year ago, I was a HubPages newbie and only looking to publish a few interesting articles and perhaps make a few dollars. Today, I'm aiming for social media success on Twitter.
Oh sure, I have accounts at StumbleUpon, Digg and Mixx (and a few others too), but when it comes to the best traffic generator for my hubs and blogs, I rely on Twitter. Micro-blogging is catching on like wildfire. Everyone from businesspeople to celebrities (real and fake) are responding, in 140 characters or less, to "what are you doing?"
Twitter may just be the fastest growing social networking site in history. Current estimates are that it has more than 6 million users that generate about 55 million visits each month. In a short 2 years, it has grown to the 3rd largest social networking site in the world (behind Facebook and MySpace).
If you don't Twitter, its time you jumped in now. From individuals, to businesses, and organizations to movements, everyone is "tweeting" their updates for the world to see. Heck, you can even Twitter with cats and houseplants!
But first, before you read more, follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephhicks
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Great Uses for Twitter
The beauty of Twitter is that, unlike some of the other Web 2.0 applications, you can really make it what you want. Promote your business or blogs, get up on a soapbox, meet interesting people, or even find out more information about businesses or organizations.
I recently compared Google vs. Twitter as somewhat like a grandparent vs. a teenager.
Google definitely has the “answers,” but its hard to pinpoint the right search query to give you insights on a ... company’s investments, interests, and even philanthropies. Plus, Google is fairly static. Websites and URLs go up, but there is no interaction with people inputting search terms. In short, Google is relatively old and reliable, but not much personality.
On the other hand, hanging out at Twitter is like walking into a social gathering that is already in full swing before you get there. Snippets of conversation (140 characters or less) are flying all around you. Its easy to become a wallflower, unless you speak up.
Tweets are constantly flowing, 24/7. Emotional reactions can take hold at times, but mellow out eventually (sound like your teen years?) Add in the fact that direct messages (DMs) can be exchanged between people that follow each other, and it can be a more efficient way of communication than email, blog posts or even Facebook/MySpace.
Do you Twitter?
See results without voting5 Tips to Twitter with Success
Of the many "how to" tips that will lead to success on Twitter, these are the top 5. In fact, they work well for many other social networking sites:
1. Pick your friends carefully. Before you decide to follow, take a look at the website and ratio of "following" to "followers." If its highly skewed in either direction, you could be linking up with a spammer or someone who may be too selective to be bothered with you.
2. Tweet about things other than your own hubs and blog posts. Post interesting stories or photos you find on the Internet. Keep an eye on what your followers are up to and post items that help their success. Its not all about you!
3. Use Tweetdeck, Twhirl or one of many other Twitter applications in order to re-Tweet other people's tweets. This connects to tip 2, above. People don't want selfish friends or followers. If you pay it forward, you'll find more friends, get more re-Tweets and generally enjoy the experience much more.
4. When someone follows you, strongly consider following them back. Send a DM thanking them for the follow, and check out their recent tweets. Any worth retweeting?
5. Establish a core of reliable friends/followers. Find the people that tweet about things that interest you the most, try re-tweeting or simply replying to them. Over time, you may establish a good rapport and even a nice online friendship.
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Recommended Twitter Applications
There are so many ways to play with Twitter. If you are new to the site, your best bet may be to post updates and reply/DM from the web. Once you are comfortable, jump into the Twitterbox with some slick applications that you can download straight from the site, including Tweetdeck, Twhirl, Widgets, Twitteriffic, Blogo, Spaz, Digsby and PocketTweets (for your iPhone or iPod Touch). All in all, there are probably upwards of 50 applications so far for your Twitter use. New apps are developed frequently.
Are you super Internet-savvy? Why not create your own Twitter app? The site has an easy-to-use API.
The benefits of downloading applications for Twitter is that you can tweet from your mobile phone, manage re-tweets, replies and direct messages, and easily send photos, videos and other media. However, I must also pass on a word of caution from yours truly..... ease of using Twitter may not be the best thing if you tend towards the compulsive side of things. You may find yourself obsessively following new people, re-tweeting and trying to keep up with the group. If you miss a day or two, it can feel like a month.
In the time it took me to draft this hub, I've been hanging out at Twitter for the better part of 2 hours. The instant, interactive style and snippet-based communication is simply too addictive for this 21st century attention span.
Look for subsequent hubs with more information on Twitter, and how to use it to boost your business or blog. For additional great insights on this topic, be sure to check out some of the hubs by one of my followers and hubber friends, Julie-Ann Amos.
Social Media Success with Twitter in the News
- Palin says sheâs back on TwitterMSNBC6 hours ago
Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin says she's back on Twitter.
- Judge bans Twitter from courtCNET8 hours ago
Federal judge in Georgia says criminal procedure rule should be interpreted to ban Twitter updates during a trial.
- Palin says she back on TwitterBoston Globe6 hours ago
Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin says she's back on Twitter. Palin took to the social networking site earlier this year, tweeting about state government, national politics and everything in between.
- Twitter fave Shit My Dad Says heads to TVThe Hollywood Reporter6 hours ago
CBS has picked up a comedy project based on the Twitter account, which has enlisted more than 707,000 followers since launching in August and has made its creator, Justin Halpern, an Internet star.
- Lewat Twitter, 40 Orang Lamar Seorang Wanitadetikcom5 hours ago
Sebanyak 40 orang, yang tadinya tidak saling mengenal, dikumpulkan lewat Twitter. Mereka pun meneriakkan sebuah lamaran untuk satu orang wanita saja. Diterima?
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Comments
Mixx has always been my favorite. I've heard that social sites may take over for search engines some day, as they are of course social based, where real people rank the pages.
Hi Scotty - Twitter has fast become my favorite! Its easy and fast to use! I get my information, re-tweet (equivalent of voting up) and get out. Plus, its easy to multi-task with Twitter while doing other things.... Thanks for the comment. Following you! Steph
Dave, Mixx is my next favorite social media site. It seems friendlier than Digg and less controversial than Reddit. Propeller's new format drove me away. SU is also great, but less interactive than Mixx. If you aren't on Twitter, I recommend you try it out. Best, Steph
I'm not completely convinced yet! I think I followed too many people and now I get overwhelmed by the messages when I login- and I don't stay logged in because its a great time waster! I've found some cool stuff for research though from it! http://twitter.com/lissie45
LOL - Lissie! I have only about 1000 people I am following, so I like it. But, I have to turn off Twhirl or Tweetdeck when I'm working because otherwise I'll respond to every "ping" I hear! I can see that having too many followers/following would be overwhelming.
I frequently get ideas for blog posts from things that people tweet about. I like the stuff you've found for research, too!
I am curious now, I had joined Facebook and didn't like it very much so I left,but Twitter sounds like something I could use to boost traffic in my site and meet people as well. Thanks for the heads up and tips, will check it out! I need to keep up with the times. :)
Hmmm...I am even more curious to try twitter. I keep hearing about it, and never understood why I needed to be on yet another social networking site. I have a hard enough time keeping up with myspace, facebook and HP!! But, looking at your reasons, it just might be worth it! Thank you!
ONLY 1000 - Im struggling with 400 - most of them are in my main interest area of travel so I do tend to read! I like twitwall http://twitwall.com/view/?who=lissie45 because you actually get a do-follow backlink from that page and you can include pictures easily - and write more than 140chars- the first 140 are automatically twittered and then people click thru to see the rest!
I had been using twitter from quite some time. but i got very few visitors. That demotivated me. And i started using less of it. After readin your hub, once again i got motivated and will try my hand on twitter. This time using yout tips.
What a great twitter hub, Steph. And your advice is spot on. I joined a few months ago, but didn't use it much because I was so intimidated by the interface and felt like a wallflower at a college mixer every time I logged on--seemed like everybody else was talking to each other and I felt so out of it--but then I downloaded Tweetdeck and that changed everything. I agree now that twitter is the best for promoting blog posts and getting traffic and also for me for finding great new topics to blog about--twitter search is awesome too and I'm meeting some really great people there. Here's me on twitter http://twitter.com/pinkpackrat Follow me and I'll follow you back:-)
consider yourself followed!
I have become a big fan of twitter over the past few weeks. thanks for the tips.
Gotcha Londongirl. I'm following you now too. We can have our own Twitter tea party:-)
Interesting hub I need to look at twitter a bit more closely but I can hardly keep up on HP!
Oh, so us grandparents are "relatively old and reliable, but not much personality"???? LOL. Otherwise, a nice review of twitter.
@ShaynePacker
excellent description of how twitter works. when you log-in a party is already in action & you could be a wallflower. I've used twitteraholic, twittgroups and looking into other specific groups to follow based on interest
Hello everyone! Glad to see that this Hub may convert a few to Twitter! Jump on in and don't be shy. You'll get more success and enjoyment the more you tweet and retweet.
Shayne - sorry for the grandparent analogy! LOL!!
Lissie - great tip on using twitall! And of the people I'm following, I would say that only about 10-20 are truly great resources/friends on Twitter.
Hi Steph,
Thanks for sharing your Twitter experience.
I've been on Twitter for a few months now ( http:twitter.com/JimHickey ), slowly adding followeds an followers. Though it can be very time consuming, I have found it to be a great way to keep in touch with friends and get a pulse on things in their world. It also helps share interesting content, etc.
Very cool Hub btw too!
Hi Jim - thank you. Twitter is what you make of it. Some people share small, somewhat intimate details of their life. Others focus more on interesting stories and supporting their followers. Thanks for the follow too, btw! Steph
Wow, I am very very new to twitter and did not know all of this so thank you for sharing. I see I have a lot of work cut out for me. Its good to know what I was doing right and wrong though!! Thank you I am going to go twitter now.
Hi Triplet Mom - you'll enjoy Twitter. Give it a little bit of time. See you over there!
Steph
I'm the odd one out- just one more tool to be social, but not in person. Some of these sites are like popularity contests, except you haven't even met the people in person.
I'm kind of a downer on this type of stuff. I think the genrations to follow us will have social skills problems because we no longer need to meet anyone in person.
i'm still a newbie any advice
Hi itzetti, It took me a long time to catch on to the social networking. However, I totally see your point about online replacing real life conversations. Twitter is good, as long as you manage your time spent there.
Hi Crazichic4life - sign up and try it. Good thing Twitter is free!
Steph
Very informative Hub steph!
Hi. I'm fairly new to Twitter and hve been wondering am I doing there. Thanks for the info. I have a better understanding.
Thanks again,
Carol
Hi Carol, I hope that you'll enjoy Twitter with these tips. Best, Stephanie
Very motivating twitter hub. Time to get rolling over there!
Tweet y'all later. http://twitter.com/totalreviewguy
Hi! I am the one from Sedona remember?
I am curious about the difference between facebook, which I enjoy a lot, and Twitter. Are there pros and cons? Are they interchangeable? What's your thought on that?
Thanks, Maria
Hi Maria, excellent question! I think it would be best for me to write a new hub. FB is great, but when you install TweetDeck or Twhirl for Twitter, you get constant updates, much like IM. I use them both! Cheers, Stephanie
i read that tweet willl monetize adding more commercial companies than Zappos, Dunkin Donuts, Jet Blue and a few others. These companies are using Twitter to find out more abou their customers as a kind of Web 2.0 cam. To keep twittering it would seem that Twitter itself would not look into monetizing but maybe expanding the 140 word What are you doing? Twitter on the path of world domination like Google. Maybe.
I signed up for Twitter a while ago, but haven't used it much as am so busy on Facebook. My username on twitter is also Cindyvine, so please add me. Hopefully, I'll find all these cool applications you've been talking about!
Hi Linda, I have heard the rumors about Twitter monetizing. What I understand is that its about a year out (or more). Lots of discussion about the future for this site. I would suspect that if they expanded on the 140 characters, a lot of people would be upset.
Hi Cindy, I'll go look for you on Twitter! Best, Steph
Great Hub Steph. As YOU well know, I LOVE Twitter, too! I have met such great tweople to follow, and who follow me. Like you mentioned, you can use Twitter in multiple ways... and yes, it is major addicting!
BTW - I just went over 1500 followers:-)
tDMg
LdsNana-AskMormon
Hi Kathryn, Thanks! And a big congrats to you on 1500 followers! You are quite the Twitterer. :-)
Great info..learned a lot about Twitter. See you there:)
Useful and inspiring stuff here, give me a better view of what Twitter is about.
I know what you mean about the 21st century attention span! I tweet, but try not too get on there too often....way too much fun just 'hanging out' and not getting much work done. Can't say I have anywhere near the number of followers as Kathryn! : )
Shaye
Hi Shaye! I hear you! Its iike a black hole for productivity, but Twitter is sure a lot of fun. :)
Steph
I can't get excited about Twitter at this point. I would rather post my financial pages on Yahoo bulletin boards. Maybe down the road twitter would be cool.
Hi bgamall, Twitter isn't for everyone. But obviously, I love it! Thanks for the comment. Steph
Great Hub! Very detailed and lots of good tips.
I can't help but be amused though. Our society was so freaked out about stalkers and now we invite people from the far side of the globe to keep up with our every move. It's a strange world we live in.
Looking forward to your next Hub!
LOL - my husband says the same thing about Twitter. He doesn't get it... :)
I joined Twitter but didn't really "get it." Thanks for this informative Hub Steph!
Hi Lisa! I didn't "get" it right at first, either. But once you know how to use it, Twitter can be very beneficial and fun. :)
Steph
I like twitter & feel bad when I can't update it but now with these other apps problem solved..
Hi SoManyPaths,
Its true the Twitter apps can truly help you stay in touch better. :) Steph
OK just signed on but have to get back to putting photo on something went out.
I've been watching twitter for a while now but I just don't know how I feel about it yet. It can certainly become addicting. Real time search is soo cool though
Nice article. :) I'm following you now...that sounds so stalkerish. I'm http://twitter.com/TrackerFrost
LOL - I know! My husband says the same thing about Twitter. Who is that following me?
Thanks for sharing the tip.
Good hub with loads of info. If you are a Twitter junkie here is my list of 47 twitter aps. Enjoy.
Dear Steph, I love that Twitter...and I could say I am a tweeting and Tweetdeck addict. I crossed a line of 10.000 followers some time ago and it is really getting more and more interesting every day. Thank you for your cool promotion of our modern social Media addiction!
Solarshingles, you are the picture of social media success with Twitter. Congratulations on your 10,000 followers (I'm hoping to break 2,000 this weekend). So appreciate your comments. :) Steph
Hey, Steph,
I just dropped in to HP to see what's up and there you are. Great to see you here, and follow you on Twitter. Loved your piece. Very well written, and full of good stuff to help increase our effectiveness on Twitter. Thanks!
@BelkinB
Hi Bruce, thank you so much for the follow and the comment! You are definitely doing great on Twitter. "see" you around!
Thank you. Very helpful hub. I have been on twitter for a few weeks but was stumbling along. Thanks again.
I just got set up with TweetDeck, it's AWESOME! Thank you so much for the advice!
Hi Peter and B - wonderful! Twitter is totally fun!
I was needing a hub like this to get me started. Great hub idea. Thanks!
good hub. You may consider twitip.com for everything related twiting.
Thanks aniketgore and RKHenry. RK - let us know when you have a handle at Twitter. aniketgore - thanks for the twitip tip.
Thanks Steph - I just recently signed up for Twitter (http://twitter.com/gerg428) and am still figuring out its applications. I appreciate your education on this - and I'm now following you!
G
Great - thanks Gerg! Glad to see you on Twitter. :)
Thanks for the tips on Twitter. For a long time now I have thought the whole concept of letting everyone know what you are doing all the time kind of stupid. But I did not realize that there was so much more to Twitter. I have been looking for ways to get to the audience I am after so maybe this is just what I need.
I joined Twitter and I am following you!!!! GREAT HUB! Thank You so much for the tips!!!!! Blessings!
Hi there! I am glad you found me on Twitter! I'm following you back. Cheers, Stephanie
I'd heard about twitter, but it sounded too much like some nitwit bird. And nothing of what I was told seemed to make any sense. But your hub has explained it so much better. It has convinced me to at least make a visit and maybe even sign up. If I do, I shall definitely be "following" you. :)
Hi Jaspal, glad to see you've signed up on Twitter. You can start to promote some of your hubs (or blog posts if you have a blog), or just share other interesting stories, photos, etc. you find on the Internet. Soon, you'll be on the road with this social networking tool!
I have never been successful with Twitter, but will follow some of your suggestions to see if it helps at all. Thanks for your explanations.
My Twitter "handle" is Duchess_O_Blunt
scotty smith says:
8 months ago
Twitter is definately the social media tool of this decade...thanks for the tips.
Catch me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/scotty_smith