I was interviewed last week by an editor at Ragan Communications about using Twitter to reach the media. She admitted she’s never tried Twitter and didn’t know much about microblogging. By the end of our interview, I think I had her interested enough to give it a shot. The article should be posted in the coming weeks and I’ll share a link at that time. (Edit: here’s the article.)
One of my favorite ways to describe Twitter is that it’s like a shortcut into the world of social media. Short in the literal sense – only 140 characters – but also it cuts through some of the clutter of all the hundreds of thousands of blogs and social networks and tools that are available. By following the right folks on Twitter (more on that in a bit), you’ll be pointed in the direction of the best blog posts and most meaningful sites. It’s a great way for a beginner to start navigating the social media realm.
I love getting new people excited about using Twitter. I especially like blowing people’s minds with the power of Twitter by showing them global conversations about the same subject via a visual platform like Twittearth. There’s also the exceptionally cool fact that the Twitter-happy CEO of shoe e-tailer Zappos collaborated with Columbus Twitterer Wyliemac to create a tracking page just for Columbus Twitterers. Or the time I realized that Internet marketing goddess Jennifer Laycock was sitting just a few cubes over and we ended up holding a spontaneous Twitter meet-up at the office!
The true value of Twitter is in who you follow. I am following some absolutely brilliant PR, media and social media people. I look at the Twitterers whose Tweets I find most helpful and knowledgeable, and then I observe who they follow so I can follow those folks in turn. This has resulted in me having an exceptional network of Twitter friends who provide inspiration, education, value and even entertainment every day. Hopefully, I am able to provide some of the same to my followers in return!
Another insider tip to using Twitter is to get to know all the various search engines, clients and other peripheral sites that have sprung out of it. For example, you can download Twhirl to have Twitter sit in the corner of your desktop like an instant messenger box. This also allows you to post photos and do Twitter searches – called a TweetScan – with ease. Or you can just go to the TweetScan, Summize or Quotably sites to search for specific topics, Twitterers or Twitter conversation threads.
Twitter has this quirky habit of going down a lot due to heavy server loads (when this happens, Twitterers call it “whale fail” because a picture appears of a whale being lifted in a net by tiny tweety birds). During these times, you can use Twiddict to keet Tweeting away despite the lull in service. Your Tweets will be posted to Twitter once it comes back up again. A lot of people like to complain when this happens, or threaten to leave and go to FriendFeed or Plurk instead. But you know what? They always seem to come back to Twitter before too long.
If you’re reading this blog, chances are you know that I love Twitter. In fact, you probably found your way here from Twitter – it’s my top referrer. Next week I’ll be going to the first Columbus Tweetup, a great chance to meet other local central Ohio Twitterers in person over BBQ. If you are new to Twitter or haven’t even started using it yet, you should join us! I’ll bet we can get you interested in it before you’ve even finished your lunch. PR folks, can I entice you to join us by sharing that there may be some local media Tweeple (Twitter people) there?
Thought so.
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24 responses so far ↓
1 Sameer Vasta // Jun 10, 2008 at 8:22 am
Thanks for writing this Lara. I’m a pretty avid Twitter user myself, and for me, the best part about it is the community of interesting people (including you!) I’ve been able to discover because of the service. I learn a lot from each and every one of my followers, so I highly recommend anyone to try out the service (and add me!) just to see how many new things they discover on a daily basis.
2 Julie // Jun 10, 2008 at 8:25 am
As you know, I’m on twitter! I’m living proof of how it works to get PR people and journalists/bloggers together. I met a couple of PR people via Twitter and they send me their food-related events. I get things to cover, they get their events covered. Win/Win. Without Twitter, never would have happened.
3 larak // Jun 10, 2008 at 2:53 pm
@Vasta, I couldn’t agree more – you’re a perfect example of the cool people I love to follow. Your post on grrl power was amazing and I have yet to find words eloquent enough to leave as a comment!
@Julie, you’re a great example of an existing friend whom I get to know better, and stay in touch with better, via social media like Twitter. Wish I had some food-related events to get you to cover, too!
4 mssinglemama // Jun 10, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Wow…I can now call myself an enlightened Twitter user! Thanks!
5 larak // Jun 10, 2008 at 5:35 pm
@Ms Single Mama, I hope you’ll come to the Tweetup lunch with me on Friday!
6 Shane // Jun 11, 2008 at 12:32 am
I started using Twitter and didn’t get it, but I gave it another try and now have connected with other marketing/PR people (and friends). I am using it as an educational tool, finding links to blogs (like yours) and learning more and more about the power of social media everyday. I am also exploring its value with the school district I work for, @OHPthisminute, although I know it will take some massive educating to get people to follow along. Thanks for posting this topic.
7 Alvin // Jun 11, 2008 at 8:40 am
Lara, thanks for the shout-out to the Columbus Tracking page and my twitter profile. Ryan, aka @NBCSquire did so as well his NBC blog! Pretty cool. I also suggested a story to him and they’re running it today (however, I may not have been the only one suggesting it since most people DM him with story ideas). I’ll be at the tweetup and may take my son.
8 larak // Jun 11, 2008 at 11:37 am
@Shane are you coming to the Tweetup? I agree with you, I started a Twitter account for my agency but I haven’t done anything with it yet. Not sure of the value of doing that v.s. some of us Twittering as individuals, as we are currently.
@Alvin That’s great about NBC4, I’ll take a look at Ryan’s blog and watch for the story. Look forward to meeting you in person, and your son too!
9 Carlita // Jun 11, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Lara – thanks for writing this post. You have convinced me to jump on the Twitter ship! I am going to join today! Great blog by the way
10 larak // Jun 11, 2008 at 5:11 pm
@Carlita, I’m glad you caught the Twitter bug. It’s definitely been a cool tool as well as toy for me!
11 Ryan // Jun 11, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I surprised you don’t have a twitter feed on your blog somewhere.
Out of curiosity, how much time would you say a person should expect to spend twittering a day? How much time do you spend twittering a day?
I’ve kept myself away from social media time-suckers simply because of that–I think they’re time-suckers. Well, with regards to me, they’re starving … unless you count blogging, in which case they’re definitely winning the battle.
12 larak // Jun 11, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Ryan, you ask great questions. I now have a Twitter feed on my blog. The reason I didn’t have it up is because I had my heart set on the Twitter Balloon (it’s really cool) but Wordpress doesn’t support it. Tried to find a way to wedge it onto my blog, but I don’t speak CSS so alas, no go. However, you’re right – a diehard Twitterer like me should have a feed. So, now I have one! Thanks.
I spend about two hours on Twitter, spread throughout the day. I check it morning, around lunch, during short breaks in the day (between projects or meetings), and again in the evening. It’s time I used to spend doing other social media type stuff – reading blogs, etc. I find Twitter helps me to finetune my blog reading so I’m really staying focused on the best of the best. I agree with you that some of these social media things can absolutely suck up time. I’ve pretty much given up TV in favor of social media.
13 Ryan // Jun 11, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Two hours is pretty reasonable, really, considering how much time the average persons spends watching TV. And like you said, you’ve given that up. Social media is much more stimulating (although sometimes it is a lot of filtering through the garbage to find the gem).
I see the twitter update now! That’s pretty cool.
It’s good to hear you’ve given up TV pretty much, but I hope that hasn’t excluded the NBA finals!
Go Celtics!
14 Shane // Jun 11, 2008 at 11:42 pm
@Lara I would love to make it to the Tweetup, but not sure I can get away from work for this one. Will there be others?
15 David Mullen // Jun 12, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Lara, have enjoyed adding your blog to my reads. And I plan to look you up on Twitter in a moment.
Wanted to point out one thing – the link in your post that drives to Twhirl is the wrong address. It should be twhirl.org instead of twhirl.com.
On another note, am on the phone with our friend Leo Bottary and he asked me to tell you “hi” after I told him I was writing you a comment. So…”hi” from Leo.
16 larak // Jun 12, 2008 at 8:28 pm
@Shane, I am sure this is the first of many Columbus Tweetups considering our active community. Hope to meet you at the next one!
@David thanks for the visit, and for noticing I had the wrong domain for Twhirl. I’ll see you over on Twitter. I think you’ll like it!
17 davidmullen // Jun 12, 2008 at 9:38 pm
random question…what’s a Tweetup? Thanks in advance!
18 larak // Jun 13, 2008 at 7:04 am
David, it’s a mashup of the words Twitter + meetup. Basically, it’s when a bunch of Twitter users get together in person to network over a meal or drinks. We’re having our first Columbus Tweetup today and they’re happening all over the country (maybe world?!) as people get to know each other and share common interests through Twitter.
19 davidmullen // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:23 am
muchas gracias. hope it goes well today!
20 relentlesspr // Jun 13, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Lara and David, you’d think it would have been named a tweet & greet!
21 larak // Jun 16, 2008 at 12:17 pm
@Leo, that’s good, I may have to use that for the next one.
22 Julie // Jun 23, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I do travel to Columbus, just saying.
23 larak // Jun 24, 2008 at 6:52 am
Julie, next time you’re up this way, we have to get together!
24 llevy // Jul 21, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Lara,
I searched for you on twitter and couldn’t find you. My URL is http://twitter.com/llevy
I would like to follow you.
–Lindsey
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