How to Get Started with Twitter

Do You Tweet?

Do you Tweet? If you do, sign up to follow me on Twitter and get a link to my blog postings directly through your Twitter account. Think about how that might improve the reach of your blog postings.

If you don’t “tweet,” don’t despair. If you haven’t heard of Twitter, though, you must live in a cave.

Twitter is the latest of the big social media sites, and with the advent of smart phones and text messaging, it offers a new way of socializing and communicating. Businesses are beginning to use it. But, if your customers don’t fall into that “early-adopter” category, you probably don’t need to worry about it. YET!

On the other hand, tweeters may represent a different customer than you might think. I recently read that men represent a significantly larger percentage of “tweeters” than other social media site users. This study found that men represent 45% of Twitter users, while on other social media sites, female interaction dominates.

A study produced in conjunction with the Harvard Business School found that although men and women follow a similar number of Twitter users, men have 15% more followers than women. Men also have more reciprocal relationships on the site.

Finally, the study also found that the average male Twitter user is almost twice as likely to follow another man than another woman. And, female Twitter users are 25% more likely to follow a man than a woman.

So, I have to conclude that Twitter’s 140 characters may be perfect for male communication needs.

I just got on the Twitter bandwagon recently when I purchased a new smart phone. But, I had set up an account with the JanetMacD user name nearly a year ago.

If you don’t have a Twitter account, I’d recommend that you set one up. Stake your claim to a user name that you’d like. Maybe your company name. Or a moniker that relates to what you do for a living.

Beyond, that the best way to get started is simply to use Twitter to listen to what others are saying about things that interest you.

I am still experimenting with Twitter. But, there are companies who are finding unique ways to use it. If you’re not sure of the value of Twitter to your business, check out Twitter’s “101 Guide for Businesses.” The guide will help you find interesting people to follow, and ideas on how you can build your list of followers, as well.