Why Twitter?

May 4, 2012

icons by Pasquale D'Silva of darkmotion

It’s been Tweeted and Retweeted so often that no one knows where it originally came from: “Facebook is for for friends who are now strangers, Twitter is for strangers who should be friends.”  And in a way, it’s true.  After all, half of the people I’m “friends” with on Facebook are people who are no longer much of a part of my life — but we’re Facebook friends so we can sort of keep in touch.  I have only a handful of family members on Twitter, but my Twitter lists are filled with professional contacts and references.

Facebook is personal and you begin your influence by first gaining personal friends to follow/like your blog, etc. Twitter is more for outside your personal sphere.
-Mandy, @DailyCupOfGrace

According to writer Jeff Goins, Twitter is a unique resource, a “conversation that connects you to the world.”  It can be very fast-paced.  It’s very real-time.  And it’s also very overwhelming until you get a handle on the fact that you don’t have to read each Tweet by everyone you follow.

Twitter is much more than a social media network; rather, it’s a global real-time information network
-Claire Diaz-Ortiz (@claired) in Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time

So why would you want to join another network—especially one that’s often more professional than personal?  Because it cuts out the spam and the junk: on Twitter, it’s all about quality content.  You follow people on Twitter not only because of who they are, but because of what they share.

I was attracted to Twitter because it seemed to be the more professional and serious sharing network. The simple fact that the content is reduced to text and links keeps so much foolishness (like Farmville requests and photos of people I don’t know) out of my feed.
-Trina Holden, @TrinaHolden

Why Twitter?Why Twitter?

This week, I posed the question on Twitter itself: Why Twitter? The answers fell into several broad categories, but the Tweets themselves speak as to the varied uses and users of Twitter.

I had fun reading their tweets, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet and follow new people through the various hashtags I had Tweeted the question to.  Check out their responses and consider following some of them: they just might be the strangers who should be your friends!

Twitter Levels the Networking Playing Field

Twitter. It is such a great way to network and I think it levels the playing field. I can follow anyone I want and they can follow me. Twitter has increased page clicks, but frankly, Twitter has allowed me to connect with individuals and cultivate relationships that I wouldn’t otherwise have, from women in my community, to friends, to colleagues.
-Kristina, @kjtanner

Twitter is the perfect network because it allows you to cultivate professional connections into personal relationships. <—-click to Tweet this  My fellow blogging mastermind group member Kristina summed it up: Twitter levels the networking playing field.  It doesn’t matter who we are, or how many followers we have: we can interact just as easily with our best friend on Twitter as we can with a New York Times bestselling author.

Twitter is about relationship that leads to conversation, and vice versa.
–Jeff Goins (@jeffgoins), in “What Is Twitter?”

Through Twitter, I’ve been introduced to awesome people in my industry…  Short of bumping into them at a conference or cornering them after a presentation, I never would have met or had the chance to form a personal relationship with many of these people.
-Jason Stambaugh (@jaytheson) in
“Social Media is Free, But it Comes with a Price” on Michael Hyatt’s blog

Twitter is a great tool for extending your influence. You can engage your “tribe” in real time, offering leadership and assistance in a way that would have been impossible just a couple of years ago.
-Michael Hyatt (@michaelhyatt) in “Do You Make These 8 Mistakes When You Twitter?”

Twitter is Smart for Business Marketing

In Twitter for Good, Claire Diaz-Ortiz gives a fascinating glimpse into the way organizations can use Twitter.  But Twitter is not just for non-profits; Twitter can be a powerful tool for small business marketing, as well.  Social Media Consultant Yasmin Bendror of yMarketingMatters tells us why in her response to “Why Twitter?”

Twitter is so appealing because it’s informal, concise, conversational and it reaches a large audience.  It’s the best self-selecting cocktail party to get the word out, hear fast breaking news and have a good conversation!

Twitter is far less time-consuming than other social media channels, plus the 140-character limit forces people to be more concise and clever.  There are a lot of social media sites to master these days, but the payoffs of Twitter can be significant for the small business, if you use it correctly.

But Twitter is not free — it takes time, and time is, after all, money.

I think there are five main reasons why it’s smart (and not too late) for any small business to jump on the Twitter bandwagon:

  1. It is a great megaphone for branding
  2. It is a great prospecting tool
  3. It is a great networking tool
  4. It is a great tool for staying connected with your customers
  5. It a great tool to stay updated with your industry

That’s why I use Twitter!

-Yasmin Bendror (@yasminbendror) of yMarketingMatters

Twitter = Friends & Fellowship

It’s neat to be able to talk to people you would not have access to without Twitter, but I also use Twitter to keep in touch with friends. One of my best friends is on Twitter and most of our communication these days is Tweeting. It kind of makes us feel like 9-year-olds again, talking through signal flags or sign language! If you use Twitter with a “fun” attitude you can make it very personable and hysterically fun, too, rather than a “cold” and professional way of communication.
-Mandy, @DailyCupOfGrace

For many of us, the initial answer to “Why Twitter?” is simply “Friends!”  It’s all about connecting with others who share similar interests, it’s all about the conversation.  And, especially when we first sign up, it’s very much about being able to easily follow your friends who are already Tweeting.

Twitter Teaches Writers the Art of Brevity
(and gives them a fun break from writing)

Twitter can make you a better writer… Twitter forces you to be concise.
-Jennifer Blanchard in “How Twitter Makes You A Better Writer” at CopyBlogger

We writers might deceive ourselves into thinking we are only on Twitter to hone our writing skills.  But the truth is, we Tweet when we’re procrastinating on writing.   <—-click to Tweet

You know what most of this crazy, social media platform maintenance is? Stalling. Procrastinating the real work you need to do, which is writing.
–Jeff Goins (@jeffgoins) in You Are a Writer

Or when we like to feel a bit more anonymous.

Twitter is Just Plain Fun

And sometimes? We just Tweet because it’s fun. Because hashtags lend themselves to inside jokes and our caffeine-filled Twitter parties bond us like little else.  And because our Facebook friends get confused if we use #hashtags on Facebook too often.

I use Twitter to have conversations—kind of like instant messenger on crack, but way more fun because you can (nicely and politely) join conversations.
-Kristina, @kjtanner

Is Twitter for You?

The best social network is the one you’ll use, the one you’re the most comfortable with.
-Michael Hyatt (@michaelhyatt), “10 Ways to Generate More Blog Traffic” podcast

Twitter is not for everyone.  It is not even for all bloggers.  But it could be that you’ll fall in love with it once you join in, just like self-professed introvert Amy Lynn Andrews did:

If you’re one of the ones that doesn’t “get” Twitter like I was, chances are, you’re probably over-analyzing it. Just jump in. Find someone and watch what they do.
-Amy Lynn Andrews (@AmyLynnAndrews) in “How to Get More Twitter Followers”

If you decide that Twitter is for you, the simplest way to learn really is just to get your feet wet.  Here’s what Twitter, Inc. social innovation leader Claire Diaz-Ortiz has to say about the ease of Twitter:

Twitter works because it is simple and easy to use. The barrier to entry is low, and the potential for impact is high. The key is learning the most effective way to use the real-time information network to meet these aims.
-Claire Diaz-Ortiz (@claired) in Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time

(If you’re looking for a simple and effective way to use the Twitter network, like Claire mentioned, be sure to check out the Twitter 101 post on Buffer.  Use my referral link to put an extra space in your “buffer” and mine—it’s free!)

Twitter is where you can personally thank a brand for their product, publicly tell a fellow blogger why you loved their post, or ask a question and get the answer straight from the pros — all of which can be the first spark of a productive relationship. If you are committed to being intentional about the relationships you’re forming online, Twitter is the network for you.
-Trina Holden, @TrinaHolden

I signed up for Twitter before I even had an internet connection at home.  All I wanted to do was be able to read my friend Ashleigh’s (@heartandhome) Tweets without seeing all her @replies in my RSS feed reader, too. She was the only one I followed for a long time.  But signing up for Twitter was the beginning — of a hobby in social media.

Now, I turn to Twitter for gathering information and for finding out which blog posts are the ones to read today.  I Tweet to ask technical questions and to pass on social media info.  I use Twitter to share great blog posts and pithy quotes.  And, of course, I use it for fun chats with my friends.  Even when I can’t make the #allume and #inRL Twitter parties, I love reading through bits of the transcripts later — it’s like being in a room full of friends and actually being able to listen in on all the conversations around you.

How about you?  Do you Tweet? Are you thinking of signing up for Twitter? Comment and share your username so we can follow you. And tell us, why do you use Twitter?

More Twitter 101:
Filed Under: Social Media & Tech Tips, Twitter Tagged With: 9 Comments

Say hello.

*

Comments

  1. SimplyDarlene says:
    May 4, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    Wow, there are a lot of weirdos out there. Other than me, I mean.

    I forgot to say this, it’s the only place we can pretend be little birdies (and don’t have to clean poop off our boots).

    ;-)

    Reply
  2. Yasmin Bendror says:
    May 7, 2012 at 5:40 am

    Hey Gretchen, great post! Thanks for including me. So informative, and encompasses so many aspects of WHY TWITTER? After reading, who would NOT want to be on Twitter?? Makes you think, right?

    Reply
  3. Rachelle Rea says:
    May 7, 2012 at 9:39 am

    This is a grand post outlining all the whys and even the hows! Gretchen, you outdid yourself. I consider you such a great techie mentor. Also, I’m honored you decided to include me. Thank you so very much! You put a great big smile on my face today!

    Reply
    • Gretchen says:
      May 7, 2012 at 9:44 am

      Thank you for sharing your “Why”! I love the way you keep Twitter personal and about friends and fellowship. And thanks for all the RT’s. :)

      Reply