So what is Twitter?

Social media is exploding and new social media networks are popping up all the time. Some will survive, others won’t. One of the fastest growing social media networks that is here to stay is Twitter.

Twitter is known as a micro-blogging platform. It’s designed for people to make short posts, 140 characters or less, to their followers (their online community) about things of interest.

So what do you Tweet about? You can Tweet about any number of different things. You can Tweet about updates, news, photos, links to new blog posts, random thoughts, activities you’re up to, you name it, you can Tweet about it.

One of the most astonishing things about Twitter is how quickly news can spread. In recent world events, people on Twitter had spread the news globally long before any media coverage had time to broadcast.

It’s a great tool for sending out information fast, and it’s also a great tool for receiving information fast.

There’s lots to be learned by watching what your followers are Tweeting about. You can learn about them personally. You can find out what their hot buttons are. You can find out what they think about different subjects.

For a business, it’s a good idea to monitor their “reputation” on the Internet. Remember the old saying that when people have a good experience they tell one friend, and when they have a bad experience they tell 10?

Well, with tools like Twitter, it’s possible for them to tell thousands. This leverage can work both ways for your business. Keep them happy and encourage them to Tweet about you, and your message can be broadcasted to tens of thousands of potential customers. Upset them, and just as many can hear about their bad experience.

So is it worth the risk then? Well, if you’re in the business of providing sub-par customer service, and you look at your customers as people that simply give you their hard earned money, then yeah, best to stay away from it.

But if you’re a business that truly cares about their customers and realized that the products and services you provide benefit and add value to people’s lives, then definitely you should capitalize on Twitter.

So what if your business revenue comes from locals? No problem. With geo-targeting technology, it’s possible to  add people to your community that are in your area. You can also encourage people that walk in to your business to add you on Twitter too.

Imagine the power of sending out a Tweet that tells locals that you have a special offer that’s only valid for 24 hours and that they must show you the Tweet you sent to get the discount? Talk about a money printing press where you can create cash inflows at will by simply sending out a 140 character message on the Internet…

Here’s a great video from CommonCraft that explains Twitter in plain english (and they do a much better job that I just did!)

Enjoy and please share your thoughts, questions and comments below!