How I use Twitter, and you?
Everyone will approach Twitter in a different way, and should find the way that works for them, here’s my approach on Twitter:
How I use Twitter
While I am high volume twitter publisher, I try to add value, here’s how:
1) As a ’shared feed’ reader. I’ll post up links of what I’m reading that I find is interesting in near real time, and give some commentary. I try to add value here, rather than adding to noise. So use me as a news filter.
2) As a chat room. We collectively work out problems, issues, and I gain insight to other people’s viewpoints. Often when conversations are just between a few folks, I shift to direct messages or email –sparing my community from hearing my minutia.
3) Event capture: Lately, when I attend an event (like Mark Cuban’s presentation at BlogWorldExpo, or Teresa’s webinar on Facebook yesterday) I’ll fire off the top nuggets I learn/
4) Listening tool: It’s interesting to find out what others are sharing and talking about, from very personal to big concepts. I frequently use the search tools around different topics to keep on top of what’s happening.
5) Traffic driving tool: I use it to direct people to this blog, sometimes (I’ll admit) a bit too enthusiastically. Google Analytics indicates this is one of the largest referrers of folks to my blog.
How I don’t use Twitter
1) Personal Minutia: I rarely talk about waking up, eating lunch, or starting my car, instead, I want to add value.
2) Excessive personal discussions: I’ve been criticized for not @replying at people, but it’s because I’m sensitive to not overload the community with a discussion that’s only relevant to a few people. Instead, I may direct message them, favorite a tweet, or shift to email. Update as of Sept 2008, I have sent/received over 4000 direct messages, out of 10,000 updates. So 40% of my communications shift to private discussions.
A few people have found me too noisy (filling up their stream) but there’s a simple solution, although I would hate to see it happen, one can simply opt-out. You’ve got to do what’s right for you and I understand.
If you’re a Web Strategist at a company or agency, read Web Strategy: What the Web Strategist should know about Twitter.
I hope to see you on Twitter, add me as a contact. Also, one of the keys to Twitter is to add people you know, it then becomes more like a chat room. Following me alone isn’t sufficient, see a list of active twitter accounts on Twitter Poster.
So, how do you use Twitter?
84 Comments so far
Leave a reply
Although I think it’s great for all the reasons you outline, I find it the most interesting when it’s used for action (http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/2007/09/09/twitter-day-for-kareem/), and experiment (http://twitter.com/imwiththepress).
All the things it hasn’t been used for yet are the things I’m looking for. Where does the border of its utility lie? We haven’t crossed it yet, I don’t think?
Curt
I’d like to see it mashup so we could separate voices by location or other type of genre. Maybe by industry etc.
Is it open in such a way that people can do that on their own? I don’t know no tecknologies but I think not. Hopefully they’ll open it up so that can happen.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the most important Twitter application of all, as what this guy called “poetry” and I might call a “dada engine.” http://blog.nowpublic.com/2007/11/twitter-poetry/
That’s a pretty good summary of how I usually use Twitter. I think I find it most fascinating as a chatroom and as a listening tool.
I keep seeing news on Twitter before it shows up anywhere else (duh - mobile & practically no barrier).
Weimin, Twitter might be a good traffic driving tool if we know how to use it.
oops I didn’t even know how to use commenting.
I thought I was emailing this post to someone.
I use twitter as a sharing, learning, promotional, and entertainment vehicle. And I learn a lot from you.
The odd thing is that it is not a community. Each of us have followers but they don’t all form a community because there’s disconnect. But we can develop our own community if our followers are passionate about, well, following us.
Here at Buydomains.com and Afternic.com, two of the leading domain name aftermarkets, we started experimenting with Twitter for purely commercial reasons. When I see an attractive domain for sale that one of our members has listed, I tweet it.
So far 3 of the domains I’ve tweeted have since been sold. It’s unclear how many of my customers are active on Twitter, and how attributable Twitter has been to those sales. But it’s not much of an investment of time to tweet, so there’s no risk to jumping in before my customers do. I’ve blogged about Twitter to spread the word: http://afternicdlsblog.com/2007/10/25/use-twitter-to-sell-domain-names/
Much experimentation needs to be done ( tweeting single pieces of inventory, rather than promotions, knowledge, creating conversations, etc. is admittedly a “throw spaghetti on the wall” approach ). But it’s promising.
Our Twitter feed is http://twitter.com/buydomains
Adam
Promote much?
[…] ambient intimacy, the social sixth sense, amongst others. I’ll take a quick turn at trying to define the essence and why I think it […]
LOL - you got me, Jeremiah. Thanks for posting.
Adam
Good sense of humor (I’ve got one too) thanks for participating regardless. I hope you can continue to join the authentic conversation.
The question in my mind, is not “how do you”, but “why don’t you.” Twitter is a great opportunity for news organizations, from building online audience to branding and distribution, Twitter should be an important part of their online arsenal.
Yes! I enjoy and learn a lot by following you all on Twitter. Thanks, as you have said, recently, it has started driving traffic to my blog. Thought it is about Pune (India) real estate!
[…] Jeremiah Owyang lists the many ways he uses Twitter: […]
Jeremiah: I don’t use Twitter yet, but I love seeing how you strategically thought through how you can best leverage such a simple tool. You’ve pushed me one step closer to giving it a try.
Have a nice evening.
-Dan
Hi Jeremiah and thanks for the post! I use Twitter to meet people in my area who also work in the Internet industry. Twitter is also a neat educational tool to stay up to date on industry trends. Follow me at http://twitter.com/shonnoll.
I’m finding things serendipitously through Twitter. I’ve stumbled on insights and people that have had a major impact on my business. In the social media world its become a big part of ’showing up’…
I am still trying to find my way on Twitter, but I just finished doing some research on how others use it - http://thebutterroom.com/2008/02/11/twitter-what-is-it-good-for/
[…] Thanks, Jeremiah. […]
[…] leaving valuable information for you along the way. My suggested reads: -Jeremiah Owyang on how he uses Twitter -Shana’s awesome post about 26 reasons why I love Twitter -DoshDosh put together a fine list […]
[…] Jeremiah Owyang asked on Twitter the other day: “By you sending me an email (and me responding) we’re in a social contract. Can I use the content of an email without your knowledge?”http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2007/11/29/how-i-use-twitter-and-you/ […]
[…] my twitter profile page, I have a link to a post that indicates how I use Twitter. I try to be forthcoming on what to expect. It’s also no secret that I tweet links to just […]
I wrote a comment here this morning, and answered very honestly, but you removed it.
What a poor show.
Jason CH
Huh? Your comment is still live to me.
I signed up for Twitter a few months ago, but didn’t get it. Then I read a few blog posts about it recently and decided to take another look at it.
I’m now hooked. I use it for much of the same reasons you do. Like Dean, I find alot of things serendipitously through Twitter. Things that are quite useful.
On my Columbus centric blog, the270, I have encouraged my readers to start using Twitter and hastags. I’m even inciting a hastags war with Indianapolis.
Follow me on Twitter: Wyliemac
I would like to talk to you in detail about this issue, but I find myself in a constant conflict. I have over 3000 contacts and I like most of them… but this week is doomsday and I’m going to start picking value added again. I just wish I could keep them all an filter certain words out or something. there has go to be something @Jack can do about organizing our contacts into some kind of friend template that could change over time. I might start creating multiple accounts just so that I can follow certain feeds.
(hell I even like some that aren’t contacts that blocked me…. enemies are always of interest and I always bookmark people who block…. what is it about people who hate us that are just so fascinating? hmmmm ;-p)
[…] and went to his Twitter profile page. On the page at the end of the obligatory bio was a link to an entry on Jeremiah’s blog entitled “How I use Twitter, and you?.” I had a look and it got me to […]
[…] what da peeps on twitter are saying about your brand. Some more links from Jeremiah about twitter here and […]
Jeremiah,
I also recently blogged about this: http://pamelog.blogspot.com/2008/04/twitter-my-favorite-social-media.html
I use Twitter in some of the same ways!
Pamela
With so many followers and others that you follow, how do you manage to keep up in the conversations? Its like a a big chat you can never get a hold of, no? I applaud you for managing this kind of massive information stream!
[…] http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2007/11/29/how-i-use-twitter-and-you/ […]
I use Twitter as part of my campaign for State Representative in Utah. I post about what I’ve been doing, what I will be doing, what I hope others will do, and political observations. I also use it to drive traffic to my campaign Web site at http://voterob.alexanderfamily.org
good blog, and good points, driving traffic this way, for some reason has a more fluid natural feel.
now that i follow you, i get tabs on all sorts of interesting conecepts and goings on that bring context to the content i read here,
you’re SO on my google reader now!
happy twittering
twitter.com/coreycottrell
[…] leaving valuable information for you along the way. My suggested reads: -Jeremiah Owyang on how he uses Twitter -Shana’s awesome post about 26 reasons why I love Twitter -DoshDosh put together a fine list of […]
[…] you know, I’m very active on twitter (my profile), if you haven’t already, read how I use Twitter. Yesterday, I lost 1000 followers, due to Twitter removing spammers “Twammers” most […]
[…] you know, I’m very active on twitter (my profile), if you haven’t already, read how I use Twitter. Yesterday, I lost 1000 followers, due to Twitter removing spammers “Twammers” most were bots […]
Sweet tips. Being a shared feed reader/writer go hand in hand
As a television news anchor and blogger I find twitter an essential tool that helps me link what I am doing on air and online. I host an online chat room as I solo anchor my interactive show at ten pm and I can pass the latest and gather the latest info on twitter. I share blog topics, webpolls, breaking news, ask for weather reports, storm damage info, etc. I now use ping to post to all my social sites, so that I can loop it all together into an effective social network. Love connecting with my viewers this way.
[…] Networks, Twitter I was doing my normal “Twittering” this morning and ran across JEREMIAH OWYANG’s post where he was thanking his Followers. Now that’s not the interesting part. What WAS […]
Here’s one I haven’t seen before. Our corporate Twitter feed recently became a very valuable crisis communications tool. Our Twitter followers became our eyes, ears and support voices to help us turn an overly hyped, incorrect and damanging story into factual balanced coverage distributed on the AP wire. Kyle Flaherty details the experience on his personal blog in this 3 part case study:
http://www.engageinpr.com/2008/08/06/social-media-case-study-iii/
[…] try to add value here, rather than adding to noise” es la primera norma del estratega digital Jeremiah Owyang SF Bay Area, US. Y este es realmente el propósito que ha de animar a cualquier individuo u […]
[…] hacerlo bien en twitter y blogs Las leyes de Jeremiah que considero […]
I keep reading you want to add value to what is posted on Twitter. I find your limiting who you respond to on Twitter takes away from the community and that really is not of value. You offer a lot in what you Tweet but not replying to questions can work against your post’s value.
I know Scot, it’s a tough balance to handle. I do reply to folks, but I’m conscious not to overwhelm others.
But here I am responding to you (within minutes) so I’m quite interested in conversations –as long as they are considerate to others.
Mr. Owyang, I totally understand, and I think it’s an excellent idea how you have set up a page strictly for explaining your personal use for Twitter.
Jeremiah,
I don’t really use twitter and perhaps I am missing something. This really seems like mindless dribble done by people who are not productively employed.
The posts I see are neither useful nor interesting.
Sorry. Am I wrong?
Heh Mark, yup this is often the case. Do check out my tweet stream however, I try to add value around the topics of social media and corporations.
[…] Web Strategist […]
[…] How I use Twitter, and you? […]
This works for me..as I’m a fairly new. Thanks and good to connect w/u via twitter. all the best,
susan kn
www.pinkoliveboutique.com
www.linkedin.com/in/susankangnam
lately I have “attempt” to use your list..and still exploring it along the way…as I continue to change my strategy. However, ur list is still a great template for me. Thanks. Best, Susan Kn www.pinkoliveboutique.com, www.linkedin.com/in/susankangnam
I agree wholeheartedly with both your ways to use twitter and NOT to use twitter. I have taken to un-following people who post about their daily minutae like what they are eating for breakfast. It clogs my feed with useless info.
+1 for me - your summary of Twitter is pretty much how I use it also. It’s a great tool for “accelerating serendipity” - I have discovered new things and managed to gain deep insights into topics quickly that I had only managed to cover superficially in the past. And I hope my value-add posts do the same for others.
Still listening,
Edward
www.emissary-consulting.co.uk/reportage
[…] Jeremiah Owyang posts how he uses Twitter (my list would be similar, how about […]
I originally joined Twitter to stalk my grown son, but now I have a following all my own. For me it’s mainly a social network but it also drives traffic to my blog. I’ve “met” some amazing people and hopefully I’ll get to see some of them at Blog World. Not you, unfortunately. You’ve already told me you won’t be able to attend.
Primarily a listening tool, but I do share little nuggets of interesting news as I come across them — on a variety of topics, not just tech-related.
Still trying to determine the value ratio - much of what I “listen” to isn’t of real value from my perspective.
I was a Twitter-hater until this spring when I got on board. Couldn’t understand the point. But now, I mainly use it for your reasons #1 & #4 - sharing sites I find useful/interesting and learning from the pros I get to follow. It’s impacted my learning curve for my industry (marketing communications) exponentially and is the social media tool I use the most.
[…] I was recently asked this by a fellow analyst: “I don’t get Twitter, should I use it?” Well first of all, the mechanics of the tool are pretty simple to use, you simply share with others like you would in a chat room. In fact, despite my heavy volume, I’m strategic in my usage, see how I use Twitter. […]
[…] one from Owyang about strategic use of Twitter so it doesn’t overrun your […]
I’m coming to this post of yours a bit late but it is as relevant today as it was in 07. I appreciate how you approach Twitter and often find myself focusing on your posts on a busy day–because you do add value and not noise. I’m still studying and playing with social media in order to translate it for our real estate agent clients [not to mention company execs]. I mainly scour it for resource material and new ideas. Most of my feedreader blogs come from people/blogs i’ve found on twitter. i love it.
I’ll be adding this post to my list of resources for clients to read.
If you are an agent reading this and want a good overview of Twitter and the real estate biz, I have appreciated @gahlord posts on Union Street Media blog http://blog.unionstreetmedia.com/twitter-for-real-estate-or-business/
Thank you for your generosity, Jeremiah.
Just received your Tweet about this post. I am very new to Twitter and only saw useless noise when I first checked. Your point about successfully “adding value” is well demonstrated by the fact that I am here actually replying. I certainly see the value of your posts. I am starting to see the light…
Thanks for the fast track education,
Gilles
Gilles
That’s great! Give it some time, it’s a new tool and requires new ways of approach.
Twitter is a hub of insight and information that spawns new ideas for me. The challenge is to translate personal ideas, thoughts and philosophy into my own as I create social and emerging media programs for my clients. I don’t mind the noise - I can quickly navigate to what I respond to and resonate with. Thanks for the Tweet.
I have recently started studying the social web space and find your posts extremely valuable (Thank you!) and insightful. Almost like a crash course to get to current state. I use Twitter to be in touch with some of my contacts, as a medium to dive deeper into a headline that grabs my attention. As a secondary effect my observations are teaching me new ways to think about and look at technology trends.
Jeremiah, I’ve enjoyed your postings on this site for quite some time, and started following you on Twitter for the exact reasons you outline above. I appreciate the value you provide.
I’ll admit I am so far taking far more from the Twitter universe than I am giving. I mostly follow people I know, or would like to know, who provide interesting news, commentary, and links related to my professional and personal interests. Or even just people or companies I think are using Twitter in interesting ways. It’s developed into a primary news, learning, and idea-spawning channel for me.
My own Twitter posts vary from (admittedly) personal minutia, links to items I find interesting, and the so far rare comments or insights about a trend or event.
I’d like to change the balance, but I’ll probably always take more than I get, and I’m completely comfortable with a smaller collection of followers as a result.
Jim
http://twitter.com/jphoff
Jeremiah,
Thanks for the tip in this posting. I’ve been testing Twitter to see how it works in an educational context, since I’m teaching an online course. Most of my students are still learning about blogging so getting them to think about microblogging requires a mind-shift. As I myself learn more about this tool, I’m finding that there’s a lot of political bashing and ’self-promotion’ going on, so I’m grateful to find some refreshing uses of Twitter. Thanks! - yinbk
Yin
Self promotion is fine, but you have to add value and earn trust first. I link to my blog all the time, but I wouldn’t get new followers if I didn’t first add value!
A novice’s approach:
I follow people who seem to understand Twitter’s potential (generally have some expertise in marketing and social media);
I follow others in my industry w/ similar values and standards of quality;
Also follow competitors whose values and quality standards are much different from our company’s;
Generally I post twice a day — once in the morning and once in the evening. The morning post links to upcoming workshops, networking events, etc., that I find useful. The evening post links to fun recipes or other food facts (which sometimes appear in my blog, sometimes not).
So far I’ve made some great connections and learned a lot, and spend very little time on it to boot.
[…] How I use Twitter, and you? by Jeremiah Owyang Everyone will approach Twitter in a different way, and should find the way that works for them, here’s my approach on Twitter. (tags: twitter) […]
I use Twitter to stay on top of what is going on in the areas that are NOT my expertise. It absolutely awesome to see emerging new trends and discussions around them lead by thought leaders. Oh, and the fact that you have to get to the point from letter one - priceless.
Apolinaras “Apollo” Sinkevicius
Revolve, Inc.
Flexpertise(TM) - Business Law - Capital
www.revolvethis.com
Way to work a “Twitter Party”
I will be sure to link to these tips in an updated Twitter Party post
[…] read the excellent Caroline Middlebrook Twitter Guide for detailed information and Jeremiah Owyang How I use Twitter, and you? for brilliant insights about using […]
Hi Jeremiah,
Thanks for your comments, it is indeed very new for me. You mention that some may find you too noisy but I keep being hungry for your Tweets. I love Twitter now! I have learned sooo much in the past few weeks. I have distilled the info from many sources and wrote down how and why I want to use Twitter for my business.
The experiment is just beginning for us - we’ll report on the results as we move on.
Gilles Arbour
http://tinyurl.com/3tnjah
[…] have been plenty of great posts and articles on how to use Twitter for marketing and Twitter for PR. We wanted to take a slightly […]
Jeremiah,
You’ve provided a good summary of how how you use Twitter. How I’ve used in the few short months I’ve participated has been about the same. Utilizing lots of the Twitter tools that have been created has enhanced my experience and the usefulness of this social media tool. It has been a great generator of traffic to my blog. More than I would have imagined. It has also enhanced relationships with others that I had met online through blogging and then found them on Twitter.
[…] you aren’t using Twitter, check out How I use Twitter, and you? by Jeremiah Owyang at Forrester, and Twitter me this: Is it time to tweet? by […]
[…] of the comments on that blog post mentions another great source written by Jeremiah (@jowyang) from Forrester […]
Jeremiah - Great stuff! I couldn’t agree more. Keep it coming!
-Steve otherwise known as @implu
i: http://www.implu.com/user/steve
i have been following you for a while and you write great. I have learned quite a bit with your detailed articles. Thanks…
I haven’t quite figured out how to use twitter. Can anyone tell me the best way to search for people with similar interests as mine or do we have to browse every user?
Stan
Jeremiah
This is a great thread. The thing I am waiting for is to be able to segment my followers. Some people want to hear about my personal exploits and some want to hear my thoughts. Similarly, I’d like to have a stream to read for fun vs. work. I could have two twitter accounts, but I’d rather stay focused on one personality!
David (ex-Forrester)
Jeremiah - Really helpful blog. I’m trying to work out how to use the huge power of Web 2.0 to fight poverty. I’m really excited about the potential of Twitter. Anyone else using it in that way? You can follow me at http://www.twitter.com/FightPoverty
[…] Jeremiah Owyang, one of the most prolific analysts on Twitter, describes how he uses it. (TW) […]