Twitter is a microblogging platform that allows users to post short updates called tweets that are up to 140 characters. Users can follow other users on Twitter to receive their tweets, and other users can choose to follow them as well. Unlike on Facebook, following is not necessarily reciprocal on Twitter. Twitter has grown rapidly since 2008 to over 20 million users, gaining about 10,000 new users per day. Organizations can use Twitter in passive, active, and hybrid ways to engage with audiences and disseminate information. Common uses include live tweeting events, press conferences, and facilitating online discussions through hashtags.

1. What is ? Twitter is a micro-blogging platform. You send updates, or “tweets” of up to 140 characters (theoretically) answering the question: “What are you doing?” Your tweets are received by your followers – people who opt-in to receive your updates. Meanwhile you receive tweets from those you have followed. Unlike Facebook profiles following is not reciprocal. Twitter is now the third most popular social network, behind Facebook and MySpace ( Compete, 2009 ). Twitter grew by over 1,928% between June 2008 and June 2009, to over 20 million users. 10,000+ people are joining each day.

2. Rapid growth

3. But not who you think… (Medium Age = 31)

4. Including internationally…

5. The Oprah effect – 40% jump

6. Why join Twitter? Connect with ‘early-adopters’ and ‘influencers’ Direct attention to the things you care about Follow and converse with thought-leaders Get the news first Pick your filters Grow personal and organizational brands It only requires a modest time commitment The earlier you join the easier it will be to grow your network It’s good practice at saying a lot without saying much It’s fun!

7. How Organizations use Twitter Four options: Passive (Listening) Organization accounts – eg. AshokaTweets Personal staff accounts – eg. Tomjd Hybrid accounts – eg. JackieatDell / ashoka_jenna Ashoka’s goals: Be human (no auto-DMs or RSS feeds, identify staff) Be timely and engaging (news from across the Ashoka network, photos, live tweeting) Be proactive (reach out to people) Convene our community (eg. #SocEntChat)

8. Ways Twitter is being used Live tweeting events – eg. Skoll World Forum (#SWF09), Personal Democracy Forum (#PDF09) Event visualization – eg. PepsiZeitgeist http://pepsicozeitgeist.com/ Press conferences – eg. Israeli Consulate www.twitter.com/IsraelConsulate #AskIsrael hashtag Election monitoring - http://blog.twittervotereport.com/ Twitter-based chats – eg. #journchat, #SocEntChat, #4Change Twitter-based interviews - http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/03/my-twitterview.html , www.tweeterview.com RSS Mashups – www.twitter.com/HomelessDC Laundry is ready - http:// twitter.com/laundryroom

9. Applications 1: content Clients Tweetdeck – www.tweetdeck.com Hootsuite – www.hootsuite.com Seesmic Desktop – www.seesmic.com Integration Ping.fm – www.ping.fm RSS TweetLater - www.tweetlater.com/ Rich media: TwitPic (Photos) - http:// twitpic.com / Bubbletweet (Video) - www.bubbletweet.com

10. Applications 2: find and filter Search Twitter Search – http://search.twitter.com TwitterFall – www.twitterfall.com TweetGrid - www.tweetgrid.com Trends Hashtags – www.hashtags.org What The Trend - www.whatthetrend.com TweetMeme - http://tweetmeme.com

11. Application 3: track/analyze Bit.ly – http:// bit.ly / TwitterCounter - http://twittercounter.com/ TweetStats - http://tweetstats.com/ Twitalyze - www.twitalyzer.com Twist - http://twist.flaptor.com/

12. Personal or Professional? Or Both? Staff as a marketing asset Growing our network through our diverse interests Being yourself “ I follow @ tomjd and @ AshokaTweets because I find them both interesting, but I maintain @tomjd has something that @AshokaTweets lacks. He reaches a new audience with his "personal" tweets but also exposes them to his work at Ashoka .” - http://www.socialcitizens.org/blog/are-you-two-faced-social-networker

13. Cheers! Tom Dawkins Change Manager | Digital Marketing Strategy Ashoka: Innovators for the Public www.ashoka.org Ashoka on Twitter: @AshokaTweets – news, events @AshokaTech – AshokaTech blog @Changemakers – Ashoka’s Changemakers.net @AshokaGenV – Ashoka’s Youth Venture Me on Twitter: @tomjd – www.twitter.com/tomjd #4change chats – http://4change.memeshift.com