Well, I think everything that needs to be said about Twitter has been said.
You’ve got beginner’s guides galore.
Then you have advanced guides coming out of your ears (not literally, I hope).
There’s a bunch of apps for every platform under the sun. And you can make your own using their API.
I find Twitter very useful to keep up to date with friends. It’s kind of a “they use it a lot, so I will too to keep up with what’s going on” thing. It’s also good fun to discuss random things, like TV shows, the weather or copyright. Kind of like being able to text message a whole bunch of people, and never have to worry about the cost!
As to business use of Twitter, I see a few things that need to be addressed.
- Twitter is not a broadcast medium. It is two-way. If you aren’t going to respond, don’t bother posting.
- Post useful things. This will depend very much on the business’s audience.
- Keep it relevant to the business. The personal stuff can go on a personal account.
- You might not want to use Twitter to troubleshoot, but people will complain, and people will ask questions you can’t answer. Be ready to find out.
- Investigate the use of complimentary websites (get satisfaction, for example).
- Finally, treat everyone as your peer. Twitter puts the biggest company and the shyest child on equal footing.
There are many other takes on this.
