Twitter

2009 was the year that Twitter made it big.  Even though the micro-blogging site has become a household name, most people have little idea of what Twitter can do for them.  Here are some questions and answers for the beginning-to-intermediate Twitterer, to give a broader idea of why you should bother using Twitter.

1) Can you explain what the hashtag does?

A hashtag is a word preceded by the symbol #.    Hashtags are an easy way to denote a word or topic that is important to your tweet.  For example, if you are excited for your favourite TV show’s finale, you might tweet “so stoked for #LOST tonight!!!” or “new #lost episode has surprise ending; what else is new?” .  This distinguishes your post from “I think I may have lost my keys…”.  When people search for topics in Twitter or use applications that accumulate tweets about a topic, hashtags help them find on-topic tweets.

2) How does one follow a webinar on twitter?

In order to follow something like a webinar or a conference on Twitter, you can click on a keyword preceded by a hashtag to see all Tweets that are marked with that hashtag/keyword combo. For example, click here to follow Twitter mentions (tweets) of the F5 Expo at the Vancouver Convention Center tomorrow.

Another way you can do this is just by using the search box on the right hand side of the screen when you’re logged into Twitter.

3) Are you able to retweet/ reply, etc on a blackberry/smartphone, or is this an iphone thing only?

An iPhone user myself, I don’t know first-hand.  After doing some research, it appears that there are a lot of good applications out there that are smartphone compatible, that do allow you to reply and re-tweet.  One that got a good review (from someone who tried many, many, mobile twitter apps…) was CeTwit .  There are many clients available, both websites and applications, that will better your smartphone Twitter experience.

[Adam's note: Yes, you can re-tweet (a.k.a RT) from a blackberry, by manually copying a message you see and then posting the Tweet to your profile. It's best to include RT before the user name so people know it's a re-tweet. However, this is a bit cumbersome. I currently use Twitterberry on my blackberry and the version I'm using right now 0.8 does not have an easy to use RT feature. So it's manual for me. There may be better apps out there though! Any input from our readers?]

4) What else can you do on twitter besides update your status?

Well, first off, you can do a lot with status updates.  They can contain links to pictures, videos, and websites – any of the stuff you would normally browse online.  You can also look at other people’s status updates; other people’s content can be interesting and useful.  In many cases, Twitter will explode with breaking news before the best news outlets feature it.

[Adam's note: One of the most important aspects of status updates is your ability to have conversations with other Twitter users. Building your network of contacts, of people you can help or who can help you, hire you, teach you, do business with you and vice-versa, is one of the most important things you can do with Twitter right now in my opinion.

The way to do this is by replying to things people say. When you mouseover a Tweet, you'll see the reply button when you're using a desktop. On your mobile it will depend on the app you're currently using. Jump in and get involved in some conversions. Remember: email is for more private discussions but Twitter is public for a reason! The more people you talk to and get to know, the larger your network can grow and the more benefits you're likely to see. Start meeting and speaking with people in your industry, in your area and who have similar interests and see where it takes you.

Other things you can do include:

• Creating lists of people to follow
• Use the search box to find information or people much like you would when you use Google
• Use the direct message feature to send private messages
• And you can use Twitter to monitor trends or follow what people are talking about right now

There's an endless list of things you can use Twitter for but a lot of these things are not obvious when you first begin using it because it looks so simple compared to something like Facebook for example. ]

5) What is the point of twitter for the average Joe, if you’re not promoting anything/ business purposes?

Use it for disseminating your opinions and thoughts; use it to keep tabs on news; use it to see what your friends are up to today.  Personally, I use my Twitter account to share my daily occurrences with people, as well as small ideas that pop into my head:  recommended reading, restaurants, fun stuff.  If you and your friends all use Twitter like this, it can be interesting in a non-business way.  I would think that most of Twitter is actually devoted to non-business activities.

6) When I sign in to twitter on the web, I can only see the last few tweets from people I’m following.  Do people really go to the next page to read everyone’s past tweets?

It varies from person to person.  I would depend on the number of friends a person has on Twitter, and how often they check their account.  I have managed HUGE twitter accounts before, and unless you are refreshing every 2 minutes, you won’t catch everything said by your friends.

[Adam's note: I think most people never delve too far into the list of past tweets and use Twitter as more of a snapshot in time of what's going on. It's up to you though! Some people spend hours and hours on it, just like Tv...or facebook . Twitter lists can help you break up your stream into useful chunks so you can stay up to date on the important stuff more easily.]

7) Is there a way to see if you’ve been mentioned without having to search it on the web?

Definitely.  When you sign into Twitter, click “@limekwok” under the menu on your home page.  It’ll show all the mentions you have garnered.  Looking at your mentions is a great way of keeping track of who is talking directly to you.  Checking for new mentions is an easy way of cutting through the Twitter clutter to messages you should be aware of.

8.) What is a list/ what does it do?

A list is a compilation of Twitter users.  Kind of like a segment. Simply put, you use lists to organize Twitter to your liking.  Lists are a great way of organizing those who you want to watch, but without their tweets filling your main feed.  For example, I follow the Economist, the Onion, TechCrunch, Mashable and others through a list, “news”.  I can look at the list when I want their updates, but they won’t show up on my wall because I’m not following them.  Convenient, huh?  You can also organize your different social circles by lists, which is great for Work, Friends, People I’d Rather Not Talk To, etc.  Oh, and you can also make your lists private if you so choose.  Even the listed account won’t know they’re on the list.

Summary

There is a lot more to Twitter than there appears to be at first glance.  Used properly, it’s a great way to stay informed of what your friends are doing, keep abreast of news items, and glean popular opinion about current events. It can also be used as a communications and marketing platform, a market research tool, a search engine and more!

PS: Thanks to @limekwok for the great questions!

If you have any additional questions, feel free to leave them in the comments

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Gary Bizzo is one of Vancouver’s top Twitterers (yes that’s a word now..)

In the span of a few short months he’s amassed a following of 30,000+ people. Known for his work with S.U.C.C.E.S.S BC, an organization dedicated to helping new entrepreneurs, Gary frequently blogs and speaks about successful marketing and business practices.

I had a chance to sit down with Gary and asked him a few questions about his success with Twitter and the benefits he’s seeing as a result. It’s a quick clip and offers insight into how you can build your own, profitable network online.

Follow Gary on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/gbizzo

Or visit his Vancouver business blog here.

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The Canada Line (a new speedy rail system) opened today in Vancouver and based on the activity on Twitter people around the lower mainland are pretty excited.

When deciding whether or not I would take advantage of the free ride out to the airport I decided to check Twitter first and came across a ton of people talking about it (mostly people waiting in line…). Thanks to @thebuzzer for pointing out there was a 2 hour wait on average which convinced me to stay home and try it during the week as I’m usually not one for long line ups.

Here are a few of the more entertaining Tweets I came across:

• @sanazj Avg human walking speed 6km/hr,#canadaline 19km long, walking from Waterfront to #YVR 3 hrs shorter than waiting in line!
• lyteforce To those who have gotten on the #CanadaLine – is it more comfortable & pleasant than the 98 Sauna Bus to RMD Centre?
• stryderjzw Hmm… I’m sure #canadaline will still be here tmrw. *cross fingers* I’m hoping I don’t miss it by not going today.
• dannydang @sanazj Lil’ wayne is stuck in the line waiting to ride the new #canadaline http://tinyurl.com/5o4r2y
• abusse I get reception even in the tunnels. Cool. #canadaline
• g_campbell Wow. The only word for response to #CanadaLine. What a difference it’ll make. Lines around the block for today’s free rides.

And no doubt the list goes on…follow this link to see more from #canadaline on Twitter.

This is a great example of what happens when you provide something that people want, I mean really want and have been waiting for, you market and promote it well and then give something away for free to generate some buzz: people talk.

The moment I finished that last sentance 47 more of them added comments to Twitter and no doubt when I login to facebook later on there will be pictures etc from people who took one of the 1st free rides today.

So in a nutshell, here’s what’s right about the Canada Line’s opening day:

• Pre-launch marketing and promotion to build desire
• Tapped into the power of free by giving away free rides on day one
• The product is slightly better (we hope) than previous versions and competitors (cabs, busses, old sky train)
• It services an area that people wanted (service to the airport) and does it cheaper

All great things to include in your next product or service launch in order to get people talking…and buying.

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Looking to learn more about Twitter’s business strategy? For an in depth look at what this social media giant in the making has in store, take a look at this post at TechCrunch in which loads of “secret” documents are covered in detail including strategy outlines, to do lists and strategic responses to Google and facebook are all laid bare.

A must read for anyone interested in what makes social networking services like Twitter tick.

Full article here.

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