So what is Twitter?

Twitter lets you post brief items about your opinions or your life, shared with the world.

But more importantly…

Twitter is a social network Follow people’s updates They follow yours Find new (and old) connections

Follow people’s updates

They follow yours

Find new (and old) connections

It’s a nice halfway point Less personal than Facebook More chatty than LinkedIn

Less personal than Facebook

More chatty than LinkedIn

Twitter is not unique, but it is dominant.

Similar sites Jaiku (owned by Google) Plurk Identi.ca FriendFeed

Jaiku (owned by Google)

Plurk

Identi.ca

FriendFeed

Twitter is crushing them.

How is Twitter making money?

It’s not.

How Twitter might cash in: Sell advertising Offer “pro” accounts with perks Charge companies to use it Just sell it and run to Mexico

Sell advertising

Offer “pro” accounts with perks

Charge companies to use it

Just sell it and run to Mexico

Why do people use Twitter?

It keeps you connected with: Your community Your industry Your friends Your world

Your community

Your industry

Your friends

Your world

How do people use Twitter?

Share updates on their lives

Start conversations

Find answers and advice

Promote themselves

How do businesses use Twitter?

Twitter helps businesses: Raise awareness Offer proactive customer service Answer questions Promote events, products, services

Raise awareness

Offer proactive customer service

Answer questions

Promote events, products, services

Who’s on Twitter? Starbucks Southwest Airlines Dell Zappos Little Debbie

Starbucks

Southwest Airlines

Dell

Zappos

Little Debbie

Businesses should: Be conversational Jump in the discussion Pay attention Pace themselves

Be conversational

Jump in the discussion

Pay attention

Pace themselves

Businesses should: Reward their followers Offer giveaways Host local “Tweetups”

Reward their followers

Offer giveaways

Host local “Tweetups”

Businesses should NOT: Be sales-oriented robots Be repetitive and dull Follow too many people at once

Be sales-oriented robots

Be repetitive and dull

Follow too many people at once

Deciphering a few Twitter terms

@ reply: A comment aimed at one user, but visible to the public.

@ reply:

DM: A direct message sent in private to another user.

Retweeting: Sharing someone else’s post. Often abbreviated “RT.”

Retweeting:

Twitterati: The elite Twitter users with massive audiences.

Who has the most followers on Twitter?

A few Twitter tools Twitter Search – Vital way to track comments TweetLater – Schedule posts for future times/dates Twilerts – Like Google Alerts for Twitter

Twitter Search – Vital way to track comments

TweetLater – Schedule posts for future times/dates

Twilerts – Like Google Alerts for Twitter

A few more Twitter tools TwitterFon – Twitter on the iPhone TwitPic – Share photos on Twitter Twiddeo – Share video clips Twhirl, TweetDeck – Desktop tools that make Twitter easier to use

TwitterFon – Twitter on the iPhone

TwitPic – Share photos on Twitter

Twiddeo – Share video clips

Twhirl, TweetDeck – Desktop tools that make Twitter easier to use

Closing thoughts

Thanks for your time. [email_address] Twitter.com/griner TheSocialPath.com

[email_address]

Twitter.com/griner

TheSocialPath.com