Image via CrunchBase
Twitter is fastly taking over some of the previous methods for communicating. I don’t usually use messenger services like MSN or Yahoo. Not because I don’t like them, but because they’re so time consuming. I don’t like for my employees to use them either for the same reason. Just for the record, here are a few of my pet peeves concerning time consumption:
- The Television- I don’t waste my time on it except for Fox News or an occasional movie.
- Chat services- I know people who spend their whole time chatting on the computer and even using text messages on their cell phone, Get a Job!
- Telephone calls about the weather- Please don’t call me up to chat about the weather, I only have 24 hours in a day (so do you).
Since I’m a charity worker I enjoy helping people so please don’t get me wrong and say that I’m anti-social. Being social is part of my job. There are just better mediums to communicate with friends and associates. Of course the best way to communicate is person to person. However that’s not always possible. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world.
Nowadays there are a lot of new social networking programs out there. All these new social services are great. Figuring out which one to use and how to use it is a bummer. I usually ask a teenager for advice.
Being slow to really get involved in any new service I finally got my twitter page up and running. You can see it at http://twitter.com/1purpose.
By the way, if you’re new like I was, you may not even know how to find your twitter ID, I double-checked mine by clicking the settings button on the twitter control panel. The page will open in the account tab. Your URL is located right next to the user name. Mine says “Your URL: http://twitter.com/purposemission”
As you can see, I had no idea what to do and am still learning. You may be in the same boat. Here’s a few questions I want to answer.
- What is Twitter?
- How can you get started with Twitter?
- Can I make money using Twitter and Wordpress?
- What tools are available for twittering?
- Since twitter is said to be addictive, how can you actually save time and still use it?
- How can you use twitter to get more web traffic?
What is twitter?
Actually twitter can take the place of most of my above mentioned time consumers (t.v.,chats, telephones and cell phones). However, there’s one important difference. Twitter uses a mini blog format and I love blogs. Here’s a video by commoncraft.com introducing twitter:
Why should you use Twitter?
No the answer is not “because everyone else is using it” although it’s a good start.
Michael Hyatt, President and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers give 12 good reasons to start Twittering. He includes the benefits of friendship, web traffic, entertainment and the cost (free).
Twitip.com
I guess now is the best time to mention this brand new site which just opened a few days ago. It’s called Twitip and is located at http://www.twitip.com/ If you don’t follow any other of my links in this article be sure to go to www.twitip.com TwiTip is edited by Darren Rowse from ProBlogger and is all about Twitter.
Here’s one of Darren’s videos on “Why I love Twitter“:
So How can you get started with Twitter?
Of course, to get started with twitter just go to twitter.com and follow the easy instructions for signing up. I found a couple links on the subject:
CNet has created a Newbie’s guide to Twitter that you can download for free.
Dosh-Dosh also has good guide for everyone on 17 ways to use twitter
What tools are available for twittering?
Now we’re getting to part I am most anxious to tell you about. Besides the actual twitter program itself there are a whole host of tools.
First off, Here are the tools that I’m using:
Twitterfox
Let me start with the easiest one first. Since I use Firefox I simply got the twitterfox plugin.
Twitterfox Firefox Extension For Twitter
This extension adds a tiny icon on the status bar that notifies you when your friends update their tweets.
Twitterfeed
Use this handy tool to post your blog messages into your twitter account via RSS. You can enter as many blogs as you like with twitterfeed.
Go To Twitterfeed
Tweetlater
Tweetlater is like an auto responder for tweeter. You can set up automated messages like the one I have when you become one of my friends at http://twitter.com/purposemission. I’ll tell you how to use it more effectively in just a few moments.
Hellotxt
Hellotxt: Ever wish you could update your Twitter and several other social sites like Facebook at the same time? Then Try out this tool.
TwitThis is an easy way for people to send Twitter messages about your blog post or website.
You may also want to download the TwitThis wordpress plugin here:
Can I Make Money Using Twitter?
I checked clickbank to find out if there are any affiliate programs to make money with twitter yet. I was surprised that my search didn’t show any.
I found this plugin called “Tweet My Blog” which is very well thought out.This is far more than just another Wordpress plugin – It’s an entire marketing plan that combines the power of Twitter and Wordpress.Here’s some of the highlights:
- It will instantly post your blog messages to twitter.
- It’s easy to customize
- You can add a widget to your sidebar in wordpress that shows your twitter feed
- You make 50% of affiliate sales
- It’s free.
- There’s a free bonus “geekguide on twitter” that is very good.
AS far as negatives, It also places a advertising bar at the top of your blog and there are a few upsale offers. So for that reason I am not using it on this website.
If you decide to try it out, here’s the link. Tweetmyblog.com When you sign up (free) you’ll be entered in the affiliate program which is through paypal.
More Tools For Twitter
- GroupTweet- Have a group meeting
- HashTag Tag and organize your tweetstweets
- Justtweetit- An excellent twitter directory
- TweetScan- A search engine for finding twitterers and more
- Snitter is a desktop application that works like an IM messenger.
- Twittelator Pro- Twitter Applications for iPhone
- Twitterholic a ranking service for Twitter
- Twitpic-You can share pictures with this tool
- Twitter Tools is a wordpress plugin by Alex King. It integrates twitter with wordpress. I like the idea but I haven’t tried it out yet
- Twellow- Directories for Twitter
- Twubble is a tools or finding new people to follow
- Tweet2Tweet lets you track you Twitter Conversations
- Twit(URL)y: you can follow URLS posted to Twitter using this tool
- Twitscoop find out what’s “In” on Twitter
- TwitterCal – integrate items to your Google calendar
And here’s a couple I really more I really like for stats;
TweetBurner lets you track which links people are clicking on in your Tweets.
Monitter.com has a tool that allows you to minitor your stats by entering up to 3 keywords into the search boxes provided on their site.
You can also run a poll on your Twitter account using StrawPollNow:
There are many other tools for Twitter available. You can even visit the Twitter sites download page or go to this Wiki page at http://twitter.pbwiki.com/Apps for more applications.
For those of you who are really serious and are tech minded you can even add Twitter to you blog by using this script by Remy Sharp: http://remysharp.com/2007/05/18/add-twitter-to-your-blog-step-by-step/ All the codes and step by step instructions are found at his blog at RemySharp.com.
Strategies For Using Twitter Tools to Save Time and To Get More Traffic To Your Website
Make a custom link and promote your products or webpage Joel Comm figured out a simple way for you to make a custom link to send to your email followers when he sent me this message:
See the link below? When you click it you will go to Twitter and it will automatically fill in the text with your affiliate link. You only need to click the UPDATE button on Twitter. And, of course, you will need to be logged into your Twitter acount. Simply click this link to Twitter about AdSense Secrets with your affiliate link now! //twitter.com/home?status=Download+Joel+Comm’s+Adsense+Secrets+For+FREE!+-++at+http%3A%2F%2Finfomedia.infusionsoft.com/go/as4/a619577 (don’t forget to hit the update button)
Of course, you’ll have to figure out how to change the information to suit your own needs.
Use Twitterfeed To get more traffic to your website.
Use an autoresponder for your messages.I’ve set up an auto response message at tweetlater.com that says … “Hi and Thanks for Following Me on Twitter. You Can Also See What I Am Up To On My Blog at http::www.Real LifePurpose.com”
Just customize your own message to suit you needs. You may make another message similar to the one Joel Comm sent me above.
If you want to get some more twitter followers, try searching twitter using twellow.com in your niche of interest. Some people automatically follow everyone that follows them. I prefer to choose who follows me as I had some real wierdos who found me.
You may search out some of the big traffic guys and follow them. Some of them may even follow you back. Here’s a good place to start:
The Twitterholic.com Top 100 Twitterholics based on Followers
Who Has Maximum Twitter Followers?
How to Get More Twitter Followers: by DoshDosh -Some Methods That Work
More Advice
Rosalind Gardner admits that shes no pro using twitter but she does have a good article on getting more traffic using twitter Find out what tool she uses.
Jack Humphrey also found these Twitter Tools
Let’s stop twittering our fingers and start twittering with our fingers (couldn’t resist just one).
We’ve all got a lot to learn so I’d appreciate your advice. Especially if you know of some Twitter time saving tools or advice.
Twittering with Purpose,
Greg
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