Twitter’s IPO filing is expected to exceed $20 billion.
#NewRules
Are you new to social networking? These days, if you don’t have an account on Twitter, Facebook or Google+, or what I call the “big three”, you might be missing out on a lot of useful content. Like it or not, social networks are here to stay (sorry mom #sadface). The actual platform might become a memory (anybody remember MySpace and Friendster) but the technology is something that will remain in place for quite a while. It is the fabric that keeps us connected as a global community.
Some popular terms like LOL (for “laugh out loud”) have evolved into unique words that have a meaning greater than their original abbreviation. – bit.ly/1eWFDuZ
I often find myself in debates with people that don’t use Twitter asking me what its good for. I don’t mind the debates and to be honest, I think intelligent debates are quite healthy for the mind. The thing that surprises me most is people don’t know how to use this social media platform. And if they do they use it, they use it the wrong way. I’ll have to admit; when I initially discovered Twitter I followed my favorite celebrities too. But this got really old…really quick. What’s the point in following someone that you are never going to actually talk to or meet in person (does anybody remember old-fashioned face-to-face conversations)?
It is important to stay on top of current trends and remain connected to consumers using the existing social network tools.
A Global Community
While it may be true that a lot of people use it to follow their favorite celebrities or catch up on the latest gossip blogs, Twitter can actually become quite a productive tool if used correctly. Do you have a business? Think marketing and branding. Anywhere there are consumers, there exists opportunity. You should have someone online 24/7 sending tweets to spread all of the awesome goodness that your company has to offer. Are you running a blog? Then think of Twitter as an extension of this and utilize it to attract more followers. Engage in discussions with other people using hashtags to find topics of interest.
There are feeds catered towards just about anything. Are you unemployed or unhappy with your current job? Well there are numerous feeds that exist that can help you find a new career. Are you a shopaholic and want to know when your favorite store will be putting that wish-list item on sale? Most major retailers (and hopefully most mom-and-pops) have a feed too.
Where do I go from here?
Now you might want to know where to begin. You should get yourself acclimated to what hashtags are and how to use them in conversation. Create an account, find out what’s trending and start tweeting.
What about you? Do you guys use Twitter or are you avoiding it like the flu? Let me know in the comments below. Or follow me @carltonstith on Twitter.