To Tweet or not to Tweet
…That is not the question – at least not for me. I have been on Twitter for quite some time now, and I did not regret it one minute.
There are – more or less – five reasons for me to use Twitter regularly. Mind you – I am speaking for myself. But maybe you find one, or two, or even more of them that could apply to you as well.
- Every time I go there I learn something useful – I get informations about new blog posts, websites I’ve never heard of, interesting people.
- Almost all the people I am following (which means, I can read their tweets) have websites or blogs. They are included in their short biographies. So, I know where to go when I want to have a look at them. I don’t have to bookmark them or subscribe to them.
- I can promote my own blog posts. Due to the different time zones I do that in the morning and in the evening.
- This I combine with promoting other people’s blog posts – I’ve got my reader open and Twitter at the same time, and if I’ve found a post which I find informative, thoughtful and worth reading, I post it on Twitter. It is a matter of give and take.
- And – after all – to tweet for me is like going over to my local pub, meeting persons who became friends, talking about the weather, about one’s plans for the day or the week. It is also a possibility to communicate globally. It makes me feel like a global citizen.
Why do you tweet? Or why don’t you? Let’s talk!
11 responses to “To Tweet or not to Tweet”
Leave a reply to Brad Shorr Cancel reply
Ulla Hennig's Weblog 
Hi Ulla, Twitter really is awesome. I like it for the things you mention. In particular, for me it is an excellent way to get to know bloggers better and meet new bloggers with similar interests.
I am slowly getting into it, but I agree that some of the links sent out on Twitter are fantastic and that’s what brings me back – it’s great to find out as a post comes out, I love the immediacy.
At first I felt like the one at the party standing at the edge watching everyone else have a great time. but now I’m learning how it all works on a meta level, I feel more comfortable with it.
A great place to spark ideas in a day! Your post says it all — thanks!
Ulla, you know I love it, it’s such a great way to meet people. It’s the most positive boost to my day.
I really enjoy it when people I don’t know reach out to me for the first time. Like a shy but audacious blogger I know who lives round about these parts…
Ulla, I love Twitter and your reasons are 5 of mine too. I love the rapid fire interaction of the global community. It really does feel like you are sitting in one room chatting with friends from across the world. As one of your followers, I am very glad that you love Twitter, it loves you too!
I love Twitter too, perhaps most for your reason #5. Working alone, although I do keep in touch with people, most of the conversations and correspondence are very organized and to-the-point. I miss the everyday random conversations.
Twitter really does feel like what happens around the coffee pot or water-cooler, quick conversations as we’re mixing in creamer and sugar, selecting our donut or bagel. Little snippets about work, about play, whatever is on our minds right at *that* moment…
Just stumbled here from Wendee’s blog and loving this post.
I’m a big fan of Twitter myself and completely agree. I love that it’s so random and you learn little things about the people you know and respect that you never would have otherwise. (if you would have even met them otherwise)
I also keep up with news through twitter, I love that things such as the expected flood where i’m from, is posted on a regular basis and I can just wait for the twitter report to hear things like the flood water levels! HOW CLEVER!
Never in a million years would I have expected something as handy as Twitter to be all there in one convenient place or in my little hand held device that’s with me always.
You have a question about what’s happening in the world while driving shot gun in a car? Flip open the blackberry, check Twitter. and find out what’s happening in the world. No problem.
Oh, and a quick hello from your friends via twitter always makes a girl feel special 😉
I use twitter, not so much at the moment.
I have met some great people through it though.
I agree. I met you through Twitter! 🙂
Best wishes, Barbara
Hi Ulla,
Good points on Twitter. I’ve been a “twit” (Ha, Ha) for a couple of months now. I’ve found some interesting people there. It can be addicting though, so I try not to get too involved. I am still not sure how to promote other people, but am guessing it is mainly by typing @their name. Follow Friday seems to be popular with this.
I did show a local realtor’s (he’s on Twitter too) website on my post which hopedully helps him.
I am still new to the blog and Twitter scene and promoting other people. Hopefully I am helping you by writing this!
I don’t use Twitter – it kind of seems no different to status updates on facebook, and I didn’t see the point of reading similar sorts of things somewhere else too. But this week, with the uprisings in Moldova, where a lot of that was organised and reported via Twitter, it has made me think about the positive role that it could play, and I am thinking of signing up.