Mozak Design Blog

What is Twitter?

Let’s start with a definition from Wikipedia.

“Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users’ updates (known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.”

Twitter is a micro blog platform. You are limited to 140 characters per post. This forces you to be concise and keep each tweet (Twitter post) to just one topic.

The key to effectively using Twitter is to understand that it is a conversation between people. It is about sharing information. It is not a sales platform although some will disagree with that. I am not saying that you can’t use it to sell but you need to do it the right way.

If all you are planning to use Twitter just as a platform to send out your links forget it now. Just like a blog you need to supply valuable information and build your reputation as a valuable resource.

Do that and when you occasionally recommend something people will be interested. Just send links and very few will continue to follow you.

It works like any type of networking. It is most valuable when you are sorting information about your niche for others. Just like a blog if you find valuable resources from others and let people know about what is valuable to your readers on your blog or followers on Twitter.

Just like off line networking you don’t go to the local Chamber meeting and introduce your business. You talk to people there and ask about theirs. Have an idea that can help them – share it. Do that and you develop relationships that will help your business not because you pitched your business but because you became a valuable resource that others will recommend.

Twitter works the same way. I encourage you to jump in. Start following people whose thoughts you value and begin sharing yours as well.

If you want to follow me you can do so at: http://twitter.com/mozakdesign and I’d be happy to follow you back!

Using Twitter For Research

Twitter can be a great research tool. You can use the search at http://search.twitter.com to find the latest tweets on any topic you wish.

This can be a great way to keep track of new things happening on any topic.

You can use these for…

• Topics you blog about
• Products you own
• Your own name and business name
• Anything else you may need or want to track including your competition

Lets say I wanted to know what is said about my business.

I could go to Twitter Search and type in Mozak Design. Then I could click on “Feed for this Query”, grab the url, and add it to my preferred feed reader. Each search you preform generates a feed that you can add to your favorite feed reader and automatically see all the new things happening on Twitter for that topic.

I recommend at the minimum that you follow your name your business’ name.

Yes if someone replies using @mozakdesign it will show on my Twitter time line but if someone just uses the name Mozak Design in a tweet it won’t show up unless I am following them. It is always nice to know when someone is saying something good and even more important to know if it is bad.

Are you Watching your Twitter ROI?

Great tutorial by HubSpot