To Twitter … or Not To Twitter!

That is the burning question on so many people’s lips these days, and the answer, quite simply is … Tweet away!

If you still have not yet heard of Twitter, where have you been? Twitter is one of the hottest social networking sites around these days and it is getting bigger by the second.

twitter-what-are-you-doing

What makes Twitter better than all the other social networking sites out there, you might ask, well, for one it is the preferred hangout for Internet Marketers. If you are in the business of making money online, like I’m sure you will be, then it makes sense to network with others that are in the same line of business. I’m sure you must know that the more exposure your site or product gets, the better chance you have of succeeding online.

Twitter’s simplicity to navigate and its ease of access also help make this one of my favorites. Creating your account is really simple. You can create your own Twitter account with nothing more than a username and a password, as soon as you have created your account and customized your profile you can begin following other people. To follow what a person is doing, all you need to do is to visit their page and click the follow button.

Try it now, create an account and then follow me here: http://www.twitterdave.com

Once you are following a person, you will be able to see all their posts on your home page.

A really useful feature with Twitter is the ability to be able to update your messages via your cell phone, simply log into your account and click on ‘settings’ and then ‘devices’ and add your number in there. This is really handy if you are always on the go or just on Holiday.

As Twitter becomes more and more popular, there are more and more applications and platforms being brought out to make your Twitter experience more enjoyable, some of the more popular ones are:
TweetMyBlog, TwitterFox, TweetDeck and Twhirl.

Here is a link to many more Twitter applications:
https://twitter.com/downloads

With TweetMyBlog, you can automatically post updates from your blog to Twitter, it is really easy to use, once setup it will automatically  post a tweet to Twitter every time your blog is updated.

Twitter Fox and Twhirl are basically tools that make your Twitter posting in the same style as instant messaging. TwitterFox is an extension for Firefox and Twhirl is an application.

Tweet Deck is another desktop application that basically helps you organize your Twitter updates. This is great if you want to view tweets from certain groups only.

With the emergence of WordPress plug-ins like “TwitThis” and the various twitter badges found on numerous blogs throughout the Internet, it is obvious people adore Twitter. Just what is it that makes this social networking site so lovable? Let’s find out.

We all know that WordPress is one of the best blogging platforms around and now due to its popularity, Twitter has swiftly become the favorite micro-blogging application. So when the two meet up it can only mean something really good.

Some of the most popular Twitter plugins for WordPress are:
TwitterTools, TwitThis, TweetMyBlog, Twitter for WordPress, TwitterFeed, and SimpleTwitter.

Here is a link to many more Twitter plugins:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/search.php?q=twitter

Twitter Tools is a plugin that creates a complete integration between your WordPress blog and your Twitter account.

TwitThis is an easy way for people to send Twitter messages about your blog post or website. When visitors to your website click on the TwitThis button or link, it takes the URL of the webpage and creates a shorter URL using their URL shortener! Then visitors can send this shortened URL and a description of the web page to all of their friends on Twitter.

TweetMyBlog is a plug-in that will automatically announce your blog posts to your Twitter followers and include a link directly to the post. This plug-in has some great features, the best one being an affiliate program!

Twitter for WordPress displays yours latest tweets in your WordPress blog.

TwitterFeed is a plug-in that simply allows you to promote your blog to your twitter followers. It is similar to TweetMyBlog, but not as extensive.

Although Twitter can never replace a blog, it is a great and simple way to communicate socially, you are limited to 140 characters per Twitter post so it makes it nice and easy for people to read too. Try to keep your followers up to date with what you are up to and what you are working on, tweet regularly but not excessively. Try to use Twitter to be a lead-up to your blog posts where readers will be able to read the full story.

Don’t use Twitter to replace your blog, use it as a tool to build on your blog. Use Twitter to give people a taste of what is in store at your blog and use your blog to give people the knowledge about yourself, your business or just some real content that will help others improve their business or their life in general.

I hope this post helps you to improve yourself in some way with the use of Twitter.

If you want to follow me, you can do so from here:
http://www.twitterdave.com

As ever, please feel free to leave a comment, or you could even catch me on twitter! 😉

Dave

21 thoughts on “To Twitter … or Not To Twitter!”

  1. Hi Dave

    EXCELLENT point you make here regarding Twitter.

    Although Twitter CAN be somewhat distracting at times – you should never let the upsides of it stop you building your business online.

    You simply follow other internet marketers, build relationships by getting involved in what THEY are doing (commenting positively etc) offering help and support, and then promoting THEIR products….

    This opens many doors and eventually will make it easier when you come to ask them to promote YOUR products – I’m assuming that’s what you meant by building your business? 🙂

    In fact Joint Venturing has been made a whole load easier using Twitter! So ACT and follow Dave NOW.

    …and I’m sure you’ll be interested to let your subscribers know about my blog where I wil be “opening my JV doors” to EVERYONE and ANYONE with a quality product in the next week or so, take a look at my VERY popular post made on Saturday where you and your readers can guarantee a JV to my 9000 strong list:

    —> http://www.ray-johnson.co.uk

    Regards Dave

    Ray

    PS – If you want to follow me on Twitter too, you can do so here, I’ll be happy to follow you back!

    http://www.twitter.com/RayJohnson

  2. Dave
    This post was just what I needed. I have been looking for a place to ask q and a about twitter. Like how do you reply to someone you are following?

  3. Hi Dave

    Great content, been with twitter for some time now, its great to interact with people in your marke, But don’t often tweet as much as i should, will do now with some great feature’s that makes it even better…

    Thanks Dave

    Danny

  4. Hey Danny,

    To be honest, I don’t twitter as much as I SHOULD.
    Sometimes we know what we should be doing just can’t find the time for everything!

    @ Ray, yeah, you are dead right there, in order to build your business you need to build your contacts, in order to build your contacts you need to network!

  5. Hi Dave,

    While you might not be Twittering as much as you should be, I might be towards the other end of the scale for Tweeting too much!… Although I can’t seem to help it, and without a site like this, I’d probably NEVER get to interact with some of the people I do!

    There’s isn’t no right or wrong way to Twitter, but if you do spend all your life there, then it’s going to be quite hard to get any work done! I use TweetDeck, and it’s just great! – Sometimes I have it open all day, and sometimes I just open it whenever I like. But with the little notification window that you can enable, it means I can instantly keep up-to-date with the Tweets from people I’m following!

    OK it can be a little distracting at times, which is why I will either close the desktop application or just disable the little notifications I have appearing. BTW, I like your Twitter background too! =)

    Thanks
    Mark

  6. Hi Dave,

    Twitter sounds very interesting. The problem with all of these social networking sites is getting the time to actually do anything with them. If I had a choice, timewise, of making a post to my blog or adding something to one of the many social networking sites as people suggest we do; the blog post wins everyday.

    It’s a time thing more than anything.

    There is just not the hours in the day to cover all the bases that I guess we (read “I”) should be doing.

    Cheers and thanks for the article,

    Doug.

  7. Hey Mark,

    Yeah, I see you are always on there, nothing wrong with interacting if you have the time, in fact, the more, the better if you do have time on your hands!:-)
    You hit a good point there too, when you know you need to get some work done just don’t let it distract you!

    @ Doug Yeah, spot on there Doug, the blog wins every time! The beauty about social networking sites like Twitter is that you can make a short informal post in a few seconds as opposed to writing a blog article.
    As you said, it’s a time thing. Whatever you have the time to do.

    Talk soon,

    Dave.

    P.S. If anybody wants a custom Twitter background, contact Steve direct here:
    graphics@planet-divinity.com

  8. DAV,

    I am having hell of a time getting tweet my blog to up date with my blog. Is there somthing that I am missing. I downloaded it signed up at the website. It is active Did I miss something.

    Thanks
    Rob
    Twitter.com/robb_43
    robertchic.com

  9. Hi Rob,

    I personally do not use TweetMyBlog, I use TwitterTools so I can only guess here.
    Have you had a look in your blog settings for TweetMyBlog settings?
    Have you got an option to use TweetMyBlog when you make a post?

    Let me know and I will try to help.

    Cheers,

    Dave.

  10. I have to agree – Twitter is extremely powerful.

    I joined Twitter not too long ago and have over 5oo followers. I’ve only been playing around for a week with it.

    This is really powerful when it comes to marketing to your niche. I have found if you look at a well known marketer within your niche and check out their followers you can add them to your Twitter. This now means you’ve can carve a list. You can pick the people you want on your list. So far I’ve managed to increase my Blog traffic by an extra 50 people a day by just using Twitter. This isn’t to be taken lightly.

    Everytime i create a new post for my Blog I send out an update to my Twitter followers and get instant traffic……..

    Ross Kenny

  11. Hi Dave

    Yet again another excellent post. Will be back later to take more time to fully understand it and how to use twitter. Many thanks.

    SImon

  12. Hi Dave,

    Another great blog by you. I’ve never used Tweeter yet, never even been to the site, but now I am interested in checking it out. I am new to all this Internet Marketing and I am slowly learning all about it. I am taking John Thornhill’s Marketing Masterclass that you’ve been helping with and it is great. So I don’t want to go too many directions at once until I’ve learned the basics. But I will check out this Tweeter revolution.

    Jay

  13. Awsome post Dave!

    Using twitter has really changed my life, i never thought such a stupid program would turn out like this, in all honesty when i first saw twitter i thought ‘ what the hell is this crap’ … but now i cant get enough!

    Its a genius idea, and hats off to the guys behind it. Recently discovered tweetdeck which makes Twitter life that much easier.. .awsome software!

    Anyhow just thought i’d drop by say hello leave ya this comment, was nice meeting you the other week, we had an awsome time right? 🙂

    Looking foward to the next meetup!

    Speak Soon

    Dan Briffa

  14. We’re already following each other on Twitter. I just wanted to state that Twitter is a great way to direct Social Media-Saavy traffic to a specific landing page on your website.

    The Twitter population, as you said, are “Internet Marketers” who understand the power of online pass-along, but they are also self-identifying as Early-Adopters of Technology as well as Thought Leaders and Key Influencers. Unlike many “Bloggers,” Twitterers often have large spheres of influence and multiple contact points to spread information. A target group worth getting personal with.

    Shawn
    shawnpbutler on Twitter

  15. Hi Dave,

    What a great post! And the comments are equally helpful. I am just starting out on Twitter and use TweetMyBlog which seems to work in the sense that when I up-date my blog and an automatic tweet is posted, within hours I have new followers 🙂

    Thank you for mentioning Planet Divinity. I have worked with them on many occasions, and they are simply … wonderful! Their designs are professional, and their customer service is superb (not to mention the very reasonable fees). I highly recommend them and now that you mentioned it, I’ll head on over there to order my personal Twitter background.

    Many Thanks,
    Svenja
    http://twitter.com/svenjasattler

  16. I completely agree; sure there are numerous distractions involved within Twitter, but I must say that it can be used in so many different positive and productive ways! I am an avid TweetDeck application and WP –> Twitter blog plug-in! While my site ( blog: http://www.dwaynekilbourne.com/ ) is my hub, Twitter is a great communication channel for me, both personally and professionally!

    Great post! Start tweeting today, people!

  17. Dave hi,

    You hit the nail on the head here, again, Great post, I agree Twitter is certainly the way to go. It’s hot at the moment.

    As you’ve already pointed out, It’s so easy to use.

    The way i use it is, every time I write a post, I simply link it back to my blog. Then if I’ve any spare time I’ll sign in and tweet about what on my mind. Simple.

    Eamon.

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