What’s Next After Twitter?
A humorous look at what could be coming next when we get tired of Twitter (will we? really?)
What is Twitter?
More and more online businesses are getting wind of the fact that an increasing number of successful entrepreneurs are singing the praises of Twitter. But still they’re not sure what it is or how to go about utilizing it.
So every day we get asked ‘what is Twitter?’
Essentially, as Twitter says itself, it is a microblogging application. This means that users are invited to register free of charge and post regular micro blogs or ‘tweets’ of 140 characters or less. To get you started Twitter invites you to tell everyone what you’re doing. Those who follow that advice usually fail miserably at a meteoric rate within the Twitter Village.
Those who go on to accrue a considerable following and to create their own vibrant little Twitter communities are those who realize that, for the most part, people aren’t interested in exactly what you’re doing. But if you Tweet about your latest discoveries online such as resources that everyone can use, or if you give away free niche advice that is useful to your followers, you’ll quickly make a name for yourself, and more importantly you can use Twitter successfully to build your business.
Mark that well, for if you want to unlock Twitter’s many benefits, you must first give to the community. Once you’re trusted you will be able to:
- Keep track of latest industry developments
- Follow what’s being said about you or your clients
- Get the word out about your goods and services (as long as you do it subtly and not in an aggressively promotional way)
- Get traffic for your website
- Learn about products, services and applications that will help your business
Why has Twitter been so successful? Because it’s so versatile. Twitter can, essentially, be anything you want it to be online as long as you bear in mind the guidelines above. It’s useful for just about any community online and it can be used across a wide selection of platforms, including iPhone and SMS. To add to its ease of use and popularity, literally thousands of applications have been created to make your use of Twitter more effective and more enjoyable.
Next we’ll take a look at some of those applications.
Jason Calacanis Launches Mahalo Answers
Jason Calacanis has launched Mahalo’s answer to the various ‘answers’ facilities around the web, including the famous LinkedIn Answers.
Jason gives a reason for the creation of Mahalo Answers
For the past couple of years, I’ve been studying the intersection of individuals and three Internet services: search, content and knowledge exchanges (aka KEs). These three products–or processes–serve individuals by helping them solve their real-world problems, and all three services have been booming over the years.For the past couple of years, I’ve been studying the intersection of individuals and three Internet services: search, content and knowledge exchanges (aka KEs). These three products–or processes–serve individuals by helping them solve their real-world problems, and all three services have been booming over the years.
And here’s Jason’s explanation of what Mahalo Answers is:
Mahalo Answers is a Knowledge exchange where you can post questions which are answered by other users. Optionally, but highly encouraged, you can offer a tip for the best answer given for your question. Tips are given in our virtual currency, called Mahalo Dollars, which are purchased at a one-to-one rate with U.S. dollars, and which can be removed from the system less a 25% fee (i.e. how we make money!).
Ryze Business Networking Planning a Comeback
I have been a member over at Ryze Business Network for some time, but after a period of inactivty I find my curiosity has been piqued again. During 2005 and 2006 Ryze was at the ‘cutting edge’ of social networking. Then it fell behind. However, there is a flurry of activity all of a sudden, and Ryze admin have announced plans to revamp this potentially useful network. If you haven’t already, I recommend you go over and sign up for a free account just in case I’m right. Remember, with any network, having an older established account is more useful than a brand new one.
Twitter Goes Mainstream
For a long time social media hovered on the margins of the Internet, with only the terminally adventurous venturing in there (or teens). Today things have changed radically. If you want to know just how far social media acceptance has come, here’s a milestone for you:
I have just read an article on the NYTimes website on How Twitter Can Help at Work by Sarah Milstein. While Twitter users are not in need of vindication from a ‘higher source,’ it is gratifying to see that Twitter’s virtues are spreading to the world beyond the Internet.
