…I just can’t make up my mind about this one.  I’ve known about www.twitter.com, the microblogging site for ages, I could just never quite get my head round it.   It struck me as one of those sites for those who are absolutely manic internet marketers selling a different Ebook every week and more involved in self promotion than any tangible business.   However, a couple of things have put Twitter in the news lately and it’s got me thinking that it’s perhaps time to explore it a little bit more.

There was a story recently of a Twitter subscriber who had escaped a plane crash in the US, and the first thing he did when he got out was to send out a tweet to all his Twitter friends about having been in a plane crash.  Now I think if I was in a plane crash, the furthest thing from my mind when I escaped would be to reach for my phone and let everybody know.  But hey, perhaps I’m just a bit too old to understand this kind of constant need for online communication.  Nonetheless it put Twitter in the news.  Then a few days ago the comedian Russell Brand joined Twitter and acquired something like 8,000 followers in less than 24 hours.  Twitter is going increasingly mainstream and you can already buy a hundred and one different downloads from early adopters on how to use it for your business. 

So I’ve succumbed to the hype and signed up for a Twitter account and am going to put some effort into it over the next few weeks.  I’m still a bit unsure as to it’s value for business, detractors tend to say “do we really need another web based timewaster” – probably not.  But I like to give these things a go for myself. 

 For starters I’ve found some great info on Twitter if you’re thinking of giving it a try.  I really like this article from the NY Times but the link to the Twitter for Business guide from Duct Tape Marketing is more relevant for small business and nicely it’s also absolutely free.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/technology/personaltech/15pogue-email.html?_r=2

http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2008/08/04/twitter-for-business/