First let me say, Twitter is not NEW. It’s been around for years, but its new to those who haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet. (Advanced Tweeters might want to skip this post…)

“What’s it for?”
Twitter is a social networking tool that uses cell phones and the internet to broadcast short messages – 140 characters – of anything you want the world to know. It’s not rocket science, just tell the world what you’re doing, or something you saw, read or just want to share.

“Why does anyone else care what I’m doing?”
The same reason why one man’s trash is another ones treasure. Who knows and more importantly – who cares. Just write and have fun. you never know who shares your interests or point of view, and who might be lurking in the shadows – waiting to give you the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Are Businesses Using It?”
Aside from most media outlets, yep. They are. It’s an inexpensive way to broadcast things like:

• What’s on sale
• An event you’re promoting
• Job opportunities
• Press Releases
• New Products and Services

The list goes on, and you’ll have to get creative to say it in 140 characters. Use your imagination and for goodness sake – grab a thesaurus or dictionary so you can keep it brief! Brevity is very important in the tweeting world. Give enough information to spark interest, but not enough to give away the bank. After all, your goal is to get people to GO SOMEWHERE for more information.

“How do you market effectively with Twitter?”
In a nutshell – your content will determine who’s reading and who follows. Twitter is an open environment, so you’ll get a motley crew after you’ve posted consistently and promoted your link. Tweeters are usually on top of things, and looking for specific kinds of content. Keep your post consistent, and you’ll have hundreds – even thousands – of followers in no time.

What are the “Dont’s”?
There aren’t many but some of the unwritten rules, especially for business owners, are:

1. Don’t assume that everyone has unlimited text messaging.
   Sending 50 blasts a day is way uncool unless you’re tweeting about an event or something else that would warrant it.
2. Don’t repeat-tweet too often.
   Twitter followers generally will get the message the first time – after that its annoying. There’s a big difference between sending out your sale promo 3 times a day, and sending it out once a day as a reminder.
3. Don’t send boring stuff.
   Twitter is a place of action. Its a place for what’s happening and what’s hot. If your message is much ado about nothing, skip the send.
4. Don’t use jargon.
   Tweeters and followers are most likely all over the world, so using jargon might hurt more than it helps. (Again, referring to business owners, not casual tweets.)
5. Don’t slack off.
   Once people get used to your messaging, you want to keep up the momentum. You’d be surprised at how many people look forward to their messages – especially if they’re sent about the same time every day.

For those who master its use, Twitter can be a great way to cultivate an audience, grow your mailing list, or simply get your message out lightening fast. My personal advice: “Stop trying to understand it, and just do it.” You’ll never perfect the sculpting of this particular marketing channel because the reach is too far. Do what you do, and tell the world about it. Make sure you have something awesome to say, and go for it!

By the way, you can follow ME at www.twitter.com/webbusiness