This post is inspired by Chris Brogan's twitter related blog post I read earlier today.
I will quote the section written by the blog author that has inspired me:
I use Twitter as a communications platform. I don’t use it to microblog. Instead of answering the question “What are you doing?”, I answer the question, “What has your attention?” It’s much more fun to answer. I also reply 75-80% of the time in my stream. (Meaning: if you search http://www.twitter.com/chrisbrogan, you’ll see that most of any page is @ messages.)
Sometimes, I just talk back and forth because that’s a good touchpoint with the folks who want to know me better.
Other times, I promote products, people, services, things that I think are cool. I don’t do it for money. That’s my friend, Ted’s company. I just like promoting good/interesting things. I promote my stuff, too. I do it at about a 12:1 ration (12 them, 1 me).
I use Twitter to learn about other people. I also use it to “look over your shoulder,” if I have to do business with you. Meaning, if I’m going to call Lisa Horner from Citrix Online, I will check out @lisahorner first to see what’s going on, so I know what I’m walking into.
I use Twitter Search before I visit a city, and when I’m in the city, so that I know who’s who in the local scene, and so that I get a sense of WHERE people are hanging out. This kind of info is like mind-reading, and/or it’s a great way to get a leg up on where you’re going from the on-the-ground locals. (try it!)
I ask questions on Twitter all the time. I *love* the human-powered web these days. I don’t ask Google much. I ask Twitter. Why? Because you’re smarter.
Chris. This is how I have developed on Twitter as well! My main account ( @goldcoastgirl ) is where I am active the most. Where I am "me" to a fault. Some of my other accounts are less interactive and more focused (less personal yet still has "me" in them in a lesser capacity).
There is a still a part of me that does "micro blog" on Twitter. Why? Easy! One of my "micro blog" posts might inspire a conversation. At the same time, my feed is now filled up with answers to the question "What has my attention?" more than "What am I doing?".
I'm also similar to Chris in that I promote products, people, services, things that I think are cool. Sometimes I do it for ego (vote for me!!!), money and just because I thought others might benefit (it was interesting thus a "non for profit" promotion).
When on Twitter, not only do I learn about other people ... I learn about the world. I usually connect better (more personally) with people on Facebook, in my opinion. Twitter is more global. It is more noisy thus my connections are not as deep.
Do I ask Twitter questions? Hell yeah! Here are a few examples today:
what is your opinion about the event being a V8 event now not a V8 and A1GP event? me? NOT A FAN as it is going to (cont) about 2 hours ago from Tweetie
(still need HELP on that question btw!)
TWEETIE FOR MAC (NOT iPHONE) !! How do I block people and/or report them for spam not just stop following them ?about 18 hours ago from Tweetie
(and still need HELP on the above question too!)
In the end, "the human powered web" that Chris talks about is rather awesome and cool. This is why I adore Twitter. This is what I do with Twitter.
Do I still use Google? Of course! Just that alongside a search on Google, I'll usually see if one of my tweeps (twitter followers) might be able to be of assistance ?
