Twitter is a different take on communicating that blends instant messaging with social networking. With a mere 140 characters per post, you answer the burning question, “What are you doing now?”

To answer this, you have to make the most of every word. You have to capture attention quickly in each “tweet” (the Twitter name for a post). Sign up for Twitter and send out notices to your friends and subscribers.

The more people who follow your “tweets,” the more your following grows as their friends see your profile thumbnail on other people’s profile pages and click through to follow you as well. Every time you post a new tweet, each of your followers receives it instantly on their computers or cell phones if they’ve set it up like that.

Sending regular tweets can help build loyalty among your followers. Don’t just send anything, make it count. If you write reviews on electronic games or develop accessories for Avatars, then you want to let your followers know when you have something new for them.

You can develop an almost fanatical group who are so intent on knowing what you have to offer that they hang on your every tweet. For info marketers, this intensity can develop into a loyal group of buyers who respond to your new offerings.

Friends who want to set up a meeting can use tweets to inform everyone of the time and place. You can also send a tweet to direct attention to your latest blog update or lens creation. Remember to save room to add the URL for your site.

This is important for creating interest in your site and developing your brand. Even with a short post, you can set up your identity in a way that draws more followers to your niche. Twitter is a delight to some and baffling to others.

You have to get into it to really get what’s happening. Look at other Twitterers and see how many ways they’re using tweets to set their brand, establish a persona, show expertise or drive traffic to their sites.

The instant gratification of Twitter is part of its addictive potential. When you choose to Twitter within your field, profession, hobby, sport or business, then you’ll see how to dispense an enormous amount of new information rapidly, one Tweet at a time.