Twitter and the Microblogging Phenomenon

It's no secret that social media (a.k.a. Web 2.0, soon to become Web 3.0) is quickly becoming the darling of Internet aficionados and casual surfers alike. Newcomers and experienced marketers alike are creating blogs, participating in forums, and communicating online like never before.

The names MySpace and Facebook have quickly become ubiquitous in social networking, a testament to their user-friendliness and marketing sophistication. Now, another form of communication has emerged. The microblogging tool Twitter is creating buzz and achieving mainstream acceptance four years after its inception.

For those not familiar, microblogging is simply the posting of short messages (140-200 characters) to a personal blog that "followers" and other subscribers can read. Microblogging websites, most notably Twitter, have the flexibility to work on both mobile and desktop platforms. In fact, numerous Twitter "widgets" have been created to specifically enable wireless microblogging. Some people liken the activity to "group instant messaging", or even real-time brand tracking for marketers on the go.

As a marketing tool, Twitter remains a social media option that promises a lot but has yet to deliver big time. Granted, microblogs are less time intensive and lower maintenance than regular blogs. However, can you really connect with people in your chosen niche in this manner? Several Internet Marketers have no doubt jumped on the bandwagon with visions of financial gain in their eyes. However, if they lose sight of the big picture, i.e. Twitter as a relationship-building tool, then the weight of false expectations risks sinking the fledgling site faster than its infamous "FailWhale" ever could.

Even the most successful social networking sites have fallen victim to spamming and identity theft. Not to mention a whole host of serious legal issues.

Still, microblogging's simplicity and inherent user-friendliness is attracting a huge following, and Twitter itself is drawing more attention from mainstream news organizations.

So, if you're game and willing to delve deeper into the blogosphere, why not give it try? When done right, Twitter can be a non-intrusive way to find like-minded people who have ideas to share and want to have fun while doing it.

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Microblogging Your Business to Success With Twitter

Twitter is constantly becoming an increasingly popular way to communicate and stay connected. It is totally free to use. Messages sent through Twitter, commonly referred to as "tweets", are always 140 characters or less. You can send them from your cell phone as an SMS or through the online service. Other users who are following you will receive all the tweets you make. Encapsulating your ideas into 140 characters is an art known as microblogging, and it is not always easy at first. You cannot cheat by using several consecutive tweets to form a longer message either.

Using Twitter as a business marketing tool can be very beneficial, but care must be taken to not send too many tweets to customers and potential clients because they can become too spam-like. The key to success is making short tweets that are interesting, grab the reader's attention, and lead them to visit your website. Boring tweets will be ignored, so make sure that your messages are packed with useful information.

Twitter widgets and links make excellent additions to your company's website. These links let your potential clients follow you on Twitter easily. That will let you stay in touch with them and continue marketing your products and services to them directly. Placing a widget on your site lets people know that your company uses Twitter actively and will help generate buzz about your business.

Marketing your B2B business with Twitter is a smart choice. Sending advertising teasers and special announcements as tweets is a great way to stay in contact with potential leads and existing customers. Remember that the goal of Twitter is to get people to your website where they can purchase your products and services.

Ray Perry is an Internet marketing executive with more than 25 years of experience. He is the Chief Marketing Officer at MarketBlazer, a small business marketing company and authorized Duct Tape Marketing coach. You can get more information about Twitter at http://www.MarketBlazer.com.