I love Twitter. It is a continuously open tab in my Firefox browser right alongside Bloglines. Yes it can be a huge time waster and some people “abuse” it by updating about the most ridiculous things. However, I like it and find it quite useful for a number of things.
Maki of DoshDosh has come out with an excellent post listing 17 ways one can use Twitter.
Entitled “17 Ways You Can Use Twitter: A Guide for Beginners, Marketers and Business Owners,” Maki first of all provides an overview of what Twitter actually is.
Twitter is a micro blogging platform which allows you to publish short messages of less than 140 characters through different mediums like IM, cellphones and the web.
It has a social element as well, as it allows users to befriend and monitor each other’s messages or updates. So what you have here is a publishing tool that can be either public and private.
It is similar to an IRC channel although messages are displayed less rapidly. Some have called it a slower version of internet messengers.
One of the disadvantages that Maki points out is that Twitter can be distracting. He says, “It saps your attention and pulls your focus away from other tasks.” Therefore one has to manage Twitter time wisely in order not to be unproductive in other areas of work and play.
Here is his summary of the 17 ways one can use Twitter. I have bolded the ways I personally use the service.
- Personal Branding
- Get Feedback
- Hire People
- Direct Traffic
- Read News
- Make New Friends
- Network For Benefits
- Use It as a To-Do List
- Business Management
- Notify Your Customers
- Take Notes
- Event Updates
- Find Prospects
- Provide Live Coverage
- Time Management and Analysis
- Set Up Meetings
- Acquire Votes
Nice list.
