It's been just about a month since I first joined Twitter. Jeremiah Owyang, Einstein's photographer, immediately asked me what took me so long, ignoring the fact that I got there faster than 6.67 billion other people.
I've sent 300 messages, am following 111 other people and have about 175 people following me. I keep receiving private Twittermail, but have not yet figured out how to reply. Twitter Direct let's me have a private conversation on it as well.
After a month, I love Twitter. I am probably using it more than Facebook these days. While Facebook has been a remarkably enjoyable tool for business, Twitter's concrete benefits remain less clear to me.
So far the most significant thing that has happened is that I discovered Jeremiah was in Boston at the same time I was and we got together because of Twitter. That was neat, but no one has asked me to consult or speak because of Twitter.
But Twitter seems to be the most intimate of social media--and the most social. I personally know most of the people I follow, and I know a good deal about the people I have not yet met face-to-face. I get to know about their lives. I watch the dynamics of my social network as it bops around the tangible world. It helps us stay current and close.
If, at some point, it helps me in business as Jeremiah says it will, that would be nice. If not, it is helping me know more about my friends and that in itself is very valuable.
OMG
what have I started?
Posted by: pat phelan | October 13, 2007 at 10:46 AM
I haven't quite caught the Twitter bug as I thought I might. Maybe it's because, unlike you, I don't have that many friends or colleagues on Twitter. I do have more friends and colleagues on Facebook, but that's because I work in higher education and many of my acquaintances and colleagues have been using it longer. I've been on Twitter for a few weeks now and like you I've yet to figure out the possible business benefit. Although with the advent of Twitter Tracking (try saying that five times fast), Twitter now can be used as yet another resource for monitoring conversations about brands or topics.
Posted by: Andrew Careaga | October 13, 2007 at 11:08 AM
It should be noted that Pat Phelan got me Tweeting, probably in revenge for me getting him started as a blogger. Andrew, I have not tried Twitter Tracking yet. I won't say it five times, but I will try using it later today. Thx.
Posted by: shel israel | October 13, 2007 at 11:38 AM
I absolutely love Twitter. By far my favorite social network these days. I love jumping in the comment streams and seeing what's going on.
Posted by: Geoff Livingston | October 13, 2007 at 08:09 PM
Shel - Twitter and Facebook have impacted my blogging, but I see the whole as more of a social media ecosystem for me now.
Which one is dominant? Dunno. But they all provide different levels of information/conversation/immediacy and I also find them fueling each other.
For example, I may find a link through Facebook that gives me a thought I put out on Twitter which sparks a conversation I wind up blogging about. The depth of my connections have greatly improved thanks to Twitter and Facebook.
Posted by: Kevin Dugan | October 13, 2007 at 08:45 PM
It's like any other communication tool, results depend on how you use it.
Email, Blogging, IM, Skype can all be applied to business.
For example, I have conversations with people in my market, or can listen to who is having problems and then be able to identify them as someone I could help, or could benefit from my research.
Posted by: Jeremiah Owyang | October 14, 2007 at 04:57 AM