Twitter fans have a way of bringing social networking to the local level and getting more people involved. The TweetUp can range from a small gathering to a weekend-long convention . At the same time, those who set up the TweetUps not only teach about what they do, they tweet about it. This gives the newcomer or curious attendee a fantastic way to see how both communities can interact, online and offline. Those setting up such events use Twitter to find speakers, locations, and discounts on these items as well as generating interest in the convention by well-timed and written tweets.

The Long Beach Tweetup Site

Naturally, Tweetups evolve from Twitter activity. However, to have people gather locally, one must set up Tweetup outposts. This lets the organizer network with authorities in the area, making sure that venues are used responsibly and in accordance with local regulations. The outposts also give the organizer an easier way of finding keynote speakers for the event based upon its exact theme. One of these outposts must be a dedicated landing page on the Internet , preferably a dedicated event site or Facebook page. Often, this will be where attendees can find registration and hotel information and officially sign up for the event. After the Tweetup, the landing page can become a gallery of photos from the event to help generate interest in the next one.

Create an original #hashtag on hashtag.org or Twitter search to define the meeting. Make it searchable and put it on the landing page so others can join in discussions utilizing Tweetchat. While setting these up, also go into a service such as Google Alert or Tweetbeep and set up alerts to arrive in your inbox when someone clicks the #hashtag , event or its keywords, or the eventís blog.

Use the #hashtag as the name of a Twitter list for the Tweetup. This helps to generate attention and curiosity about the event. Post the list on the landing page for the Tweetup so others can follow it, especially the keynote speakers. Mentioning the keynote speakers and having them follow this page will create an environment where people will want to be as new information gets added. Also, create a whoís who list of volunteers, speakers, and attendees to help keep track of the event and keep it organized. In this way, it will be easier to know which people and speakers to invite to future Tweetups and what new volunteers may be found.

Thus, organizing a Tweetup can be a rewarding experience. It allows groups of Twitter users to come together locally or regionally while still including others. By attending such an event, one can learn how to use the Internet for social networking and to meet others who use some of the same online tools but perhaps in different ways. This exciting new way to network gives people the chance to do so both online and offline simultaneously as they tweet while meeting.

Let’s face it miscommunications can be horrible, for many they create a situation of uneasiness, they can easily led to mishaps and can even ruin relationships. We live in a diverse world and many times what you may think is the assumed by your peers, just isn’t so. Add an 140 character limit into the equation and you run an even greater risk for miscommunications.

Twitter is a great social networking tool, it offers many great opportunities for people to connect – that may have otherwise never have. But with the good there is always some level of negativity that can to turn an easily rectifiable situation into chaos.

So how do you avoid these miscommunications while still maintaining a certain level of pleasure and/or productivity while using the Twitter Platform? The answers are easier than you may think.

1. Be Clear – Make your point as clear as possible, avoid using lingo that is not universal, age specific or of a metaphorical nature. While tools like the urban dictionary are easily accessible, not everyone knows about there existence, nor can you guarantee they take the time to research it.

2. Use Email - if you can not get your point across in 140 characters or less, make it a point to email the person and express your full intent. There is nothing in the Twitter TOS that states you can not contact people outside the social networking medium.

3. Don’t Jump the Gun – if you are unsure about a message you have received from an individual or business, ask for clarification. Send them a message to seek clarity, mistakes happen, don’t them them ruin your day.

4. Send a public reply before Direct Messaging – Not everyone checks their Twitter direct messages, try sending the user a public @reply before sending a direct message (DM). If you do not receive a response back from your DM or public reply try again at a later time.

5. Have some one else review it- if your message screams the need for clarification, have a friend review it and ask them what they think. If the the message is received by them in the same manner as your intent, chances are you are on the right track.

6. Be Objective – Don’t let your personal biases of situations cloud your judgement. Be objective, take each messages as it is and not what you feel it may be.

7. Keep it Simple – Large words may make increase your vocabulary, but not everyone understands what they mean in the 140 character message you may be using them in. Use small direct words, that don’t have multiple meanings to have the greatest chances of success.

The phrase RSS is a shortened phrase for really simple syndication. This online mechanism that is found on a lot of different websites and pages across the internet gives you the opportunity to read over your favorite web content by only looking at one page.

For example, if you come across a blog that you like and you want to be able to know when the writer of that blog will be posting more articles or blogs pertaining to your interests you simply need to register for their RSS feed and you will be alerted when something new is posted.

When you subscribe to an RSS feed you will be amongst one of the first people to know when a site has been updated without having to visit the site on a daily basis waiting for something new to be added. You will also be able to read the content that is found on several blogs at one time when you subscribe to different RSS feeds.

You may have noticed while perusing the Twitter network that they also have a host of RSS feeds as well. If you want to be able to track specific updates or anything of that nature on Twitter all you need to do is sign up for their feeds and you will instantly be in the know about everything new that is going on with the social network.

Be aware that you will not be able to update your Tweets through the Twitter RSS feed. However, there is something called Twitterfeed that many people and online business owners are taking advantage of. This feed allows you to automatically send updates to the Twitter community every single time that you have made an update on your existing blog.

If you want to be able to read tweets from your friends and your followers on Twitter without having to log into the site every 5 minutes that you definitely need to consider subscribing to the Twitter RSS feed. To locate the feed so you can sign up, you will need to be on your main profile page. Along the sidebar of your page you will notice that there is a button that reads RSS feed.

All you need to do in order to subscribe to the Twitter feed is click the button that reads subscribe. After doing so, you will automatically be in the know about everything that is happening on the Twitter network without actually having to sign on consistently.

Subscribing to Twitters RSS feed can benefit both your personal as well as your business life. Even though there are a lot of Twitter maniacs around not everyone has the time to consistently be tweeting. The RSS feed will help you stay in tune with all of your friends on the Twitter network. This way, you never have to worry about ever missing out on an important Tweet.

Composing your personal bio on Twitter can be extremely difficult to accomplish. You are given exactly 160 characters to explain everything about yourself. These characters are given so you will be able to tell the world who you are, what you do and the reason why you want to share what you know with the world. A lot of people that are new to the Twitter world do not have the slightest clue where to get started.

This bio that you create on Twitter is going to be one of the main things that people read about you in order to gain a better understanding about you as a person and your reason for wanting to be a part of the social network. Knowing the proper Twitter tips of the things that you should and should not include in your bio will help you make your Twitter presence meaningful.

There are many different places where it is considered appropriate to spill your guts out to someone. However, Twitter should not be the place where you conduct in these types of actions. Twitter was primarily built for a place where you can have brief but meaningful interaction with others.

Don’t be this guy

Unlike the 140 character Tweets that you can make on the network to other Tweeters your bio has a little bit of extra space for you to fill in information about yourself. Remember that each social network features their own unique attributes that make them attractive to the public. Twitter is no different from MySpace and FaceBook you are able to connect with others.

However, it does help if you are a little bit of a wordsmith when it comes to writing interesting tweets and above all creating an interesting bio that people can grab a hold of and utterly enjoy. Although, your Twitter profile will be short in stature you can always create a link in your bio to additional things that you are associated with so people can create an understanding of who you are and what your main agenda for utilizing Twitter is.

It is a good rule of thumb to list who you are and what you do s well as what you enjoy. If you are utilizing Twitter for your business you want to make it apparent that you are, but not to make yourself sound entirely commercial when doing so.

Your bio needs to let the networking of community have a little bit of insight about you. Obviously, some people are a little weary when it comes to following people within the Twitter community. However, if you make your bio intriguing there is no telling how many people will follow you out of pure curiosity.

Even though the amount of characters that you will be using on Twitter are relatively small; Twitter is a great way to drip a little bit of content information into the laps of prospective clients or people that are simply interested in what you have to offer. There are three Twitter tips for content marketing that you can follow in order to help lead people to your site.

1. Sharing larger content is easy to do when you submit a small tweet that incorporates a link that leads intrigued followers to a useful location of some sort. A lot of people use this technique to be able to highlight any blog posts that they have made or articles that they have composed.The initial goal of content marketing is to be able to provide an adamant amount of useful but relevant information that will showcase you as being an expert in a particular field. Part of the value of the Twitter network is being able to find information that you feel is intriguing and lead your followers to the information as well.
2. Creating short content may sound like a daunting task to some people. However, you can get a lot of useful information out to the masses by using these short tweets in order to do so. For instance, you can highlight something that is significant in your blog with a few short words and then include the link to your blog in your tweets.
3. Learn how to deliver your content to the masses without imposing on them. There are a lot of people that love to hear about interesting articles on the web, and other valuable things of that nature. However, it is imperative that when you are tweeting and sending personal emails to your followers that you try to think about their needs when you are marketing.Including things in your email such as I saw a tweet on here that you left about purses and thought that you would like to read this article would be something great to start off a conversation with. This way you are showing that you pay attention to the tweets that your followers leave and they will be a lot more open to listening to you and responding to your requests to go visit content that you have posted.

There are a lot of businesses and individuals that find Twitter is an extremely useful system that allows them to easily market whatever it is they are involved in. However, many writers know as well as anyone else that sometimes marketing content can be extremely difficult to achieve. Build up meaningful relationships with as many tweeters as possible and you will be surprised how many of them would be more than obliged to take a gander at some of your articles.

Getting started on Twitter may look like a monumental task, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be breezing along and reaping the benefits of an expanded social media profile. However, there are some basic guidelines of being a good Twitter citizen, and by following them you’ll reap the benefits of a positive Twitter experience.

Here are some basics Twitter tips for the newcomer:
- Twitter is an interactive social media. This means it’s not all about YOU. Interact with other people, don’t just post about you, you, you. Not only is this directly against what Twitter is all about, it will get you ignored quickly.

- If you wouldn’t say it out loud at a dinner party, chances are you shouldn’t say it on Twitter, either. Remember, there is a wide variety of people on Twitter, and some subjects are just not appropriate. Be personable, and know your audience and what they will tolerate.

- Don’t spam your followers with a barrage of sales Tweets. You may have a product or service to promote, but posting every two minutes about it will help you lose every single one of the people who have taken the time to follow you. If they wanted a constant barrage of commercials they’d be watching network television.

- Be polite. Don’t pick a fight, and refuse to engage if someone starts one with you. The beauty of Twitter is you can unfollow unpleasant people with a simple click of a button. Twitter is not the venue in which to argue, and all it does is make your followers uncomfortable. Take it outside.
Follow back – if someone has taken the time to look you up and follow your Tweets, it means they saw something interesting and wish to get to know you better. Return the favor. You will meet some fascinating people, and a follow is not necessarily a concrete contract if you find that after all, you don’t have anything in common.

- Share information and offer value, don’t just lurk quietly and keep to yourself. Again, Twitter is an interactive social media platform, and conversing with your fellow Tweeters is key. Share links, tips, and information about subjects with which you’re familiar. Comment on the information shared by others, and re-tweet what appeals to you for your followers. Fellow Tweeters will return the favor, expanding your Twitter network.

Using common sense and courtesy goes a long way in the Twitter universe, similar to what happens in real life. Be polite, don’t spam, and be yourself to maximize the benefits that Twitter has to offer. The best way to put it is, imagine you were attending a party with people you’ve never met. If you behave the same way you would at this party, your Twitter experience should be informative, entertaining, and most of all, fun.

Maintaining a professional presence on Twitter is a little different than just letting your personal alter-ego fly by the seat of his pants. What you want to do is establish a level of trust with your Twitter followers and yourself as a trustworthy and dependable source of information for your followers. This doesn’t mean you should be stiff – on the contrary, you want to appear approachable and friendly, but still retain your air of professionalism.

Here are some tips to establishing yourself as a professional on Twitter:

- Create an informative, engaging profile page. Include your contact information, and a place where potential clients and followers can get an idea of what you and your business are about. On your Twitter bio, you have 160 characters to make your case. It’s in your best interest to make them count, so if you’re stuck for words, hire a writer to help.

- Display your full URL or web address on your profile page. Shortened URLs are necessary when on Twitter, but on your profile page it looks like you’re hiding something. The complete address assures your follower or potential client when clicking on the link, they know exactly what they can expect.

- Verify the links you re-tweet. On Twitter, don’t ever pass on a link to a site you have not visited yourself. If your follower clicks on a link you have endorsed and it takes them to a dead site or worse, it will hurt your credibility and ultimately, your reputation and you’ll lose followers. Do your due diligence.

- By all means, share your product or service, but don’t spam your people. Your goal on Twitter is to establish your reputation as an authoritative source of information in your chosen industry, and using Twitter to Tweet exclusively about your product or service will only alienate the very people you’re trying to win over. Space out your information about your products among other valuable Tweets.

- Bulk automatic direct messages (DMs) are not a good idea. Most veteran Twitter users, when receiving an automated or “sales” DM, will immediately drop you and may block your Twitter stream entirely. They may complain on Twitter, and others will read their complaints and likely decline to follow you, as well. Save the DMs for personalized messages.

It’s important to maintain a business focus, but don’t let that prevent you from being personable and approachable. Remember, Twitter is a social media outlet, and the point is to interact with people. People are much more likely to do business with someone with whom they are familiar, and have gotten to know and trust. Following these simple guidelines will go a long way toward establishing you and your business as a force to be reckoned with in the ‘Twitterverse’.

When becoming a part of the Twitter collective, it’s important if you’re a budding small business owner or freelancer to stand out from the crowd. Since there are millions of Twitter users, this can be a tall order. One of the tools at your disposal is the right choice of photo, or avatar, to display in your Twitter stream.

An avatar is not mandatory; if you choose not to upload a photo or avatar, one is automatically assigned – a generic Twitter avatar sported by all who don’t choose to upload a personalized avatar. This can really hurt your chances of connecting with those on Twitter by reducing the recognition factor, and wastes a golden opportunity for branding.

Image Credit Cinematropolis

Most Twitter people agree, they like to match an actual face to a name. Some people may be uncomfortable with displaying their photo in such a public space, so there are ways to work around this to make everyone happy. An odd camera angle may work, or a picture with you in trademark sunglasses that tend to cut down on the recognizable features of your face. A cartoon caricature might be an option, or even a pencil sketch. Consider a photo of you when you were a child, in a costume, or any other photo that gives an idea of the person behind the account without giving everything away, unless you’re comfortable with being recognized offline as well as online.

You may choose to display a company logo or graphic, and that’s fine, but there are some considerations. Because the space allowed is so small, make sure to choose colors that are bright or contrast nicely. It’s difficult to pull out the Tweets of a logo that looks like all the rest – and since many Twitter users monitor their account with third party applications, some of which have dark tones, a brightly colored or contrasted image stands a better chance of being noticed.

Choose your avatar or photo carefully, because until you establish your presence on Twitter, changing the avatar frequently will confuse your followers and they may not recognize who you are on your next visit. Once you are a regular contributor, it’s acceptable to switch out your photo as you wish, however, be prepared to lose a follower or two who may not realize who you are right away.

For branding purposes, it is recommended that you use the same image on all your social networking sites for maximum recognition, so the choice of your avatar is an important one, indeed. Before you make your final choice for Twitter, solicit the opinions of trusted friends, partners, or co-workers to get some feedback on what your avatar portrays. By choosing the perfect Twitter avatar for your profile you take advantage of an opportunity to brand yourself, your service, or your business for instant recognition.

More and more businesses today are discovering the benefits of having a dedicated Twitter service team. The cost is low and the benefits are high for both consumer and company. Twitter provides a perfect platform in which to reach out and get in touch with your customers in a way that’s been unprecedented before the dawn of Twitter.

Charter Cable Company, for instance, monitors the Twitter feed stream for any mention of Charter, especially ones that contain a complaint of something wrong. The team is on it in an instant; before the Tweet even disappears off the screen, a Charter Cable team member is in touch with the customer to ascertain the problem and if there’s some way to help. Often, the issue is resolved through Twitter and the customer never has to wait on hold for the next available operator. Many other companies have started to adopt this customer service model with great success for all parties involved.

Twitter is having quite an impact on how customer service support is being viewed by big business, and small business should probably take a good look, also. How can you best serve your client? Immediate attention through Twitter not only fosters good customer relations, it also inspires brand loyalty. Why would you go elsewhere for a product if the product works reasonably well and more important, if something goes wrong, it is immediately fixed? In most cases, a happy customer is a loyal customer, and the business industry is starting to realize what a valuable tool Twitter is to good customer support.

Establishing a team of customer support reps on Twitter requires some minimal training and investment, but the dividends pay off handsomely for both the business and the customer. Both come away from this arrangement with benefits, and with the growing population of Twitter expected to keep on rising, more and more people can be reached and serviced through this medium.

On the company side, reduced revenue for customer service is a winning situation for them. Some employees are able to work from home, reducing overhead costs. Operators can stay in touch via Twitter through mobile applications to both their company and their customers. Response is real-time and instant; a log can be kept of all correspondence, making misunderstandings less of a concern. An active Twitter presence is becoming more important to online and offline businesses as they fight to beat the downturn of the economy. Using Twitter as a tool to help support their customers is another one in the arsenal to be a success.

A business these days needs every edge they can get, and customers are looking for value for their dollar. Advancing technology and platforms such as Twitter are making this an easier proposition for both customer and company that it ever has before.

Once you become familiar with the Twitter interface and have acquired a following, it’s easy to become comfortable with chatting to other people and being friendly. For the most part – this is a good way to make and maintain several great connections. However with every social media platform there are a few out there that will stop at nothing to use and abuse your kindness for profit or just shear malice.

1. For business purposes, you may want to list your physical address on your Twitter profile, or make it available as a link. However, it is not advised you do this for your personal address. If it is important for people to get a hold of you for whatever reason, it’s better to provide a post office box number. Remember, while you have control of whom you follow on Twitter and who follows you, you don’t have control over who sees your profile.
2. Twitter is vast, with a network that reaches wide. If you are planning a vacation, use Twitter to gush about it or post pictures when you return. Divulging times and dates when you will be away from your home or business is asking for trouble from unscrupulous people who may make you a target from the information they glean from your Twitter stream. If you need to maintain an active feed set up automated Tweets when you’re away so it looks like you’re still active in the community.
3. If you have not protected your Twitter updates, it means that everything you Tweet is seen on a public timeline. Anyone who accesses the Twitter homepage can then view your Tweets, so keep personal information you wish to be private to yourself, or protect your updates so only the people you accept as fellow Tweeters can see your postings.
4. Do not give out your Twitter password. If you have delegated Twitter duties to another person in the case of a business, make sure they are instructed also to not give out the password to the Twitter account, and change the password often. Giving out a Twitter password is like giving someone the key to your front door, so be just as careful.
5. There are a plethora of viruses, and Trojans out there just waiting for you to click on a Twitter link to infest your computer. Keep your virus program up-to-date and run it daily. The best advice is to not click on a link from someone with whom you’re not familiar, and don’t post links to Twitter that you have not checked out yourself. If you receive a link in a direct message, unless it’s from your someone you trust, resist the temptation to click on it.

Common sense will take you a long way toward protecting yourself on Twitter. As with most things, the more familiar you become with Twitter the more comfortable you become, but this is the internet, after all. Utilizing the above Twitter safety tips will insure both a pleasant and profitable Twitter experience.

From musicians to political pundits; from pro athletes to rap stars, Twitter has become “the” place to be on the internet social scene for the rich, famous, and glamorous. After a struggle with celeb impersonators, in June of 2009 Twitter introduced the verified account, meaning celebrities could provide proof that they are, indeed, the authentic real deal and receive a button that displays on their Twitter page, although it doesn’t verify who actually writes the Tweets.

I follow Alyssa Milano on Twitter because her Tweets do not focus solely on herself, but also the pulse of the social media community. She often tweets about charity projects and has a tendency to retweet ‘everyday users’ that provide value.

How does following celebrities benefit the normal Twitter user? Well, if you are involved in a particular industry, it’s a good way to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on. For instance, if you’re a writer, following on Twitter the publishing stars such as agents, editors, or famous writers in the genre in which you work can give you invaluable insight into where the market is going, what issues are concerning the upper echelon, and give you an idea of where you can concentrate your own efforts.

Following the industry leaders on Twitter and becoming familiar with how they think and how they work can give a competitive edge to those paying attention. You may get first crack at a new product, an innovative idea, or valuable information and tips that help you in your own business.

Interested in politics? Follow some of the better-known pundits and learn, through Twitter, about the upcoming battles on the political front. From the Tweets of your favorite sports star, you can learn about planned appearances or how they prepare for the big game. You favorite director on Twitter could let something really revealing slip about his newest project.

Let’s face it – we’re all fans of something or someone, whether it’s sports, music, or movies. Following celebrities on Twitter allows unprecedented access to the life and thoughts of people whom we admire. You can follow on Twitter the latest information on breaking news in the lives of your favorite star, movie director, or musician. Find out when the next tour starts, who’s having a baby, and who’s feuding.

We live in the Information Age, and we’re all hungry for more. Although following your favorite celebrity on Twitter might be more of a distraction than a benefit, there’s nothing wrong with a little entertainment and the opportunity to getting to know your favorite celebrity on Twitter just a little bit better. The bottom line seems to be they are people too, and they have interesting, entertaining, and sometimes informative things to say.

Twitter is an equal opportunity communication outlet for all. It’s like being at a big dinner party, with thousands of different people with whom you can interact and learn about all kinds of subject. Celebrities on Twitter have just as much to offer as other people, and it never hurts to be thoroughly entertained by that. However, keeping an eye on whatever trend in which you’re interested can have more than just entertainment value.

What is TweetDeck? It’s a third party application developed by Adobe Air to help you manage your Twitter account. Unlike the Twitter home page, TweetDeck provides you with the tools you need to maximize your Twitter experience and enhance the benefits of having a Twitter account.

Once you acquire hundreds of followers, having to refresh the Twitter home page to keep up with the constant stream becomes a full time job. TweetDeck is a free program, designed to manage your followers and follow pertinent Twitter conversations without having to continually refresh, complete with alerts, customized columns, and an URL shortening service.

The download is fast and easy to install and takes up minimum room on your computer. Columns are pre-loaded to display “All Friends”, “Mentions” (or @Replies), and “Direct Messages”. You are able to set up your own columns according to your interests and direction. For instance, you can add specially designated columns that displays “Friends”, “Family”, and “CoWorkers” to help you better manage the people you are following. Or, you can create a column devoted to business industry topics and the movers and shakers in that industry. You’re only limited by your imagination and ten Twitter columns.

In addition, additional columns can be set up to reflect specialty groups or search terms. If you are interested in trending news, for example, you can create a column specifically for “health care”, and all the Tweets that reflect that particular phrase will show up in that column. This is a good way to find fellow-minded Tweeters you may not have ordinarily encountered.

You may have up to ten Twitter columns, and there is a slide bar at the bottom for access, or you can restrict yourself to a single column view. Twitter settings are easy to change from the tool button at the top right of the screen. Uploading a photo, recent hashtags, and even translation buttons are also available on the upper right of the screen.

In the beginning of your Twitter career, the Twitter home page may be enough for you to handle your followers and interests, but as you become more involved in the Twitter universe, gaining and following more interesting people, the Twitter home page will not be enough for you to manage efficiently. Relevant columns set up with TweetDeck will organize your Twitter experience and reduce the amount of frustration from missing a relevant Tweet or just trying to keep up.

TweetDeck is not perfect – the interface may seem a little intimidating at first, but it is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Colors can be changed in settings, and if the chirp of the Twitter alert is annoying, you can mute it entirely. All-in-all, TweetDeck is a very efficient way of managing your Twitterverse, designed to minimize frustration and help you get the most out of your Twitter experience.

Okay, you’ve been on Twitter a couple of weeks, have gained a few followers, started to get the hang of chatting with friends and family in “real time”. What else can you do with Twitter? Is it just a glorified chat program, or is there more to this form of social media than meets the eye?

Twitter is actually a great deal more powerful and useful than you might imagine. It has great search capabilities, if you know what to do, whether you are looking for people, information, or a job. Once you learn about Twitter’s capability to pull up information, you will wonder how you got along without it.

Whether on the main Twitter page or using a third-party software such as TweetDeck, Twhirl, or other programs to help you manage your Twitter-verse, there is a search field included. Enter the keywords or description of what you’re looking for, and every mention of that particular subject will pop up in a separate column.

Some of these mentions may not be of much use, just bits and pieces of conversation between Twitter buddies. However, in sifting through the mentions you could find exactly what you’re looking for. For instance, perhaps you’re looking for information regarding health care, or breaking news on the latest tech gadget. Simply enter the keyword of your interest, and plenty of information is available for your perusal.

Twitter search is also a powerful tool for job searches. Enter the keyword for the career in which you’re interested, and chances are there are employers looking for suitable candidates for jobs. Often links are included that will take you to their specific website, with instructions on how and when to apply. In this economy, you need every edge you can get when looking for employment, and Twitter can be that edge.

In your searches, you may not find the exact information for which you are looking, but the Twitter stream may give you a good jumping off point to continue on your quest for information. This is particularly valuable as a writer or journalist, where breaking news often shows up on Twitter before it hits the mainstream media. You can also set up permanent columns in TweetDeck to do a constant search, and you can monitor the stream for events as they happen.

Whether you are researching a paper, looking for a job, or writing about current events, Twitter is an invaluable tool in your arsenal of research. If you are really stuck, ask your fellow Twitter buddies for help. If you’ve chosen the right mix of followers, you have people who represent every walk of life, and someone on your Twitter list may have just the nugget of information you need. Either way, there is a plethora of information out there for every subject, just a simple click away.

In this video Evan Williams (co-founder of Twitter)  goes on to speak of how the Summize search engine came about – without the pre-fromatted intent by Twitter’s inception. This is by far one of the most powerful features  that has evolved from the Twitter Platform. So powerful, in fact, that Twitter bought Summize and now integrates this search functionality into the Twitter architecture.

Let’s face it, Spam sucks. It has plagued us for so many years through our personal and business email accounts. It tells us we should order viagra, it tells us we are fat, it even
contains malware that attempts to phish out your personal bank and social media login credentials.

The sad fact of the matter is that Spam is here to stay. As filtering algorithms get more and more sophisticated so does the methods in which spam is distributed. According to the State of Spam Monthly Report from Symantec, on average, 87 percent of all email messages sent in the month of October 2009, were Spam. It’s in our mailbox’s and it now plaques us in our social media presence.

If you find yourself frustrated by tons of Twitter Direct Message Spam here are a few simple alternatives to help you deal with this unproductive annoyance.

1. Unfollow All Followers – This would be the most simplest solution, but I would not advise it. They are so many great Tweeps out there that you run the risk of missing out on some good information. Not to mention you take on the status of one who takes but never gives back.

2. Turn off your Direct Message Emails – While this will not eliminate direct message spam completely, it will cut down on the number of email messages you have to sift through on a daily basis. Making it more feasible for you to actually read your legitimate emails.

3. Get a Twitter Manager – Use a third party Twitter manager such as Tweetdeck or Socialite to quickly filter your DMs. If your check your twitter account on a regular basis, having a third party manager will allow you to quickly skim over your direct messages and find the ones that truly interest you. Spammers are smart, but they are not too creative when it comes to making the actual spam messages. Many of them will follow a similar pattern and you will be able to quickly spot the ones that you really need to read.

4. Don’t read your DMs – Make it public to your users that you do not read your DMs and offer them an email with pretty decent spam filter protection – such as gmail. Put your email on your twitter background. This makes it much harder for spammers to target you, because many of the custom spammer programs do not have OCR functionality built into them. While this is possible it becomes very costly for spammers to scan every tweeps’ background for emails, not to mention it would be pretty fruitless for the spammer due to the time constraints and relatively small returns from emails collected.

5. Block the user(s)- if someone is spamming you with such promises of getting 20,000 followers in 3 days and they have only 20 followers. Block the user. If enough users block the spammer, Twitter will eventually take notice and suspend the account.

6. Become a Hermit – Make your tweets private, if you are into twitter just for connecting with friends and family – you know beyond the virtual realm – this option may seem to offer you the best chance for spam freedom. By making your twitter feed private you are in control of who will and will not be able to DM you.

7. Use the Spam button - If you notice that your are receiving spam from certain character and you are 100 percent certain that they are truly a spammer and not the victim of credential theft. Go to the user’s account and fire off the spam button. From here you will be asked to confirm your decision and the user account will be flagged for review.

Women have made strides in today’s society – there are females in every profession and it is no longer assumed that we will marry and have babies right out of high school. But a few things haven’t changed, like the number of women who are tech-savvy and up on all the latest Internet communities. (We’ll save the reasons for this relatively unchanged phenomenon for another discussion!) For whatever reason, many of us are missing out on this exciting social platform on which we can exchange information, invest in interesting conversations, and have a little fun at the same time.

It seems that many of us may outwardly mock the use of Twitter and poke fun at our friends for using it, but deep down really- we want to try it out. But, where do you start? For those of you with just the tiniest inkling of curiosity, here is a guide to the basics of Twitter. Go ahead and try it out – it’s guaranteed to get you on the same page as your male counterparts! Of course you can find some of this information in the “help” section of Twitter, but what fun is reading the instructions? Read on for some basic information to get you started tweeting today.

First things first, right? You must sign up to take advantage of the features that Twitter has to offer. Signing up is pretty simple, you just go to the Twitter website and fill out the required information. If you’ve signed up for anything online before, this will be a snap. The most difficult part of signing up may be coming up with a user name – just relax and get creative! Your user name, or Twitter address, will appear similar to your email address. A Twitter address appears as “@yourname.”

You’ll also need to provide your profile. It is helpful to note that if you have a website you may want to include it so that you don’t come off as a potential spammer. Additionally, if you don’t feel comfortable putting certain details in your profile, you don’t have to. Don’t worry; it’s up to you as to how much information you provide in your profile.

Once you’ve signed up for Twitter, it’s time to get started. On Twitter, members communicate by tweeting, but what exactly is a tweet? Tweets are simply the messages that you send and receive on Twitter. It’s really quite easy to send a tweet. Simply type your message into the “What’s happening?” section and keep it under 140 characters. Short and to the point is the way to go on Twitter.

Once you know how to tweet, you’ll also need to know how to follow. If you find something particularly interesting on Twitter, you just opt to follow them. People can also choose to follow you, if they so desire. Once you have added people to your list that you’d like to follow, any messages they post will appear in your Twitter stream – this is just like your email inbox. It’s also possible to send direct messages. These look a little different than regular tweets. Direct messages are often marked as private tweets that will not appear on any main Twitter stream.

Though this guide is in no way exhaustive, it should show you other ladies just enough to get started on Twitter. The days of pretending that Twitter is totally silly are gone! – you know you want to tweet about every mundane experience you have throughout the day! Go ahead, get started today.

Just like many social networking websites, the iPhone can help you stay connected with family, friends, and colleagues whether you’re near or far. The iPhone is so much more than a phone – allowing you to send text messages, emails, and even surf the web when you need to. Because the iPhone has Internet capabilities, it is not uncommon to see people tweeting away right from their phones.

Staying connected through social networking sites like Twitter is simple on the iPhone. Twitter was designed with a mobile phone in mind which makes it the perfect accompaniment to the iPhone. There are plenty of cool ways to use Twitter on your iPhone, and if you haven’t tried them out, now’s your chance.

The SMS System

The easiest way to use Twitter on the iPhone is probably through the SMS system. Essentially, this is the text messaging system that you are probably quite familiar with. Text messaging is what the founders of Twitter must have had in mind when they implemented the 140 character limit for tweets! The best way to use your SMS system with Twitter is to register your phone number on the social platform then just send whatever message you want anytime, anywhere!

Twitter Mobile Website

Since you have access to the Internet with the iPhone, you can also visit the Twitter mobile website to update your followers with any news or comments. This is quite easy and takes no time at all. Simply access your mobile browser and head to m.twitter.com/ which is a special URL to be used on a mobile phone. From there, log into your account and tweet away! You can do this while you wait in line, sit in class, or on your lunch break. The Twitter mobile website allows you to do all the same things that you’d do right from your computer.

Emailing Twitter Updates

Did you know that you can use Twitter through email on the iPhone? Well, you can. If you don’t have the time to log into the Twitter site or simply don’t want to use the SMS system, you can just send an update via email. All you have to do is register with TwitterMail.com and provide your Twitter details. You’ll be given a Twitter email address to which you send your tweets. Once you’ve set this up, your tweets will be instant.

iPhone Twitter Clients (highly recommended)

If none of the above ways of using Twitter on your iPhone work for you, there is another way. You can send tweets through a web-based Twitter client developed for the iPhone. The two most common are TweetDeck and Tweetie2. These are both client optimized applications that allow you to manage your Twitter account from the iPhone. You’ll be able to see all the latest tweets from your followers and contacts, update your status remotely, and view the public timeline over Wi-Fi or AT&T’s Edge network.

TweetDeck

Tweetie2

Today, there is absolutely no excuse for not staying connected. Even though people are busier than ever, you can stay in touch with your iPhone using Twitter. Using any of the four ways mentioned above will allow you to connect with your friends, coworkers, family, and colleagues instantly and without delay.

Over the last few years Twitter has grown monumentally which means that the amount of scammers attempting to use the platform to victimize individuals has also increased. Scammers employ various phishing schemes through using the technology of Twitter directly, but also through something called “social engineering.” In a direct effort to protect its users, Twitter has since implemented many of the same security measures used with email and web browsing.

More and more we hear about Twitter spam, which a hot trend among scammers these days. Most of the time this particular scam involves making a quick buck from home and the most frequent of victims are those that aren’t familiar with the Web and are desperate to make a little extra money on the side.

In an effort to protect consumers the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has sent out warnings against Twitter scams. These scams claim to teach people how to make loads of money with Twitter. Within these warnings from the BBB specific websites that seem to be at the heart of such scams are called out. The main similarity between these is that they claim to provide a very lucrative income for very little work. The other hook is that victims usually need to purchase training or instructional materials in order to get started.

Despite the BBB’s efforts to warn the public, the depths of the phishing scams involving Twitter seems to be growing. Almost everyday there is a new Twitter scam popping up, or an old one reemerging with a new twist. And every time we turn around, there seems to be a new warning about avoiding this link or that.

One of the most prominent Twitter scams in recent times involves victims receiving a direct message claiming that they are featured in a video and includes a link. The link leads to a landing page that looks like the log in page for Twitter but isn’t. (Simply look at the address bar to see that you aren’t even on Twitter’s site!) Logging into the bogus site will allow scammers access to your account to continue their scamming ways.

Because Twitter is always on the cutting edge, new security features are always being introduced and perfected. Previously, Twitter had a dedicated spam identification feature where users could make reports to @spam, but this method wasn’t very visible. Now there’s a way to report spam accounts easily right on the side of profile pages. This is much easier and more direct.

Though the new Twitter spam reporting feature will help, it is far from perfection. However, it does allow users to fight back against phishing scams. Hopefully, the spammy messages that you have a new follower will be reduced significantly once everyone takes advantage of the new and improved spam reporting process. And just remember, no matter what security measures are in place, spammers are savvy and will find new ways to attack. So be careful before clicking any links or falling for any lures for making money fast.

There is no denying that businesses are using Twitter more these days. It has been found that the social media landscape is an invaluable environment for businesses in today’s tech savvy world. Whether you think Twitter is a fad or not, there is no question that it is a powerful communications solution. With millions of people subscribed to the platform, it seems like it would be an obvious choice for businesses as well.

Now, even if you don’t tweet personally, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that it may be well worth learning how for your business. So, first things first – you will need to build a Twitter account for your company. Your Twitter user name should be something that clearly identifies you, so that any potential followers can find you quickly and easily. For obvious reasons, you may want to choose your business’ name. Also, add a picture to your profile – this can simply be your company’s logo if you wish.

Once you’ve joined the Twitter community, you’ll want to start using Twitter Search. This feature allows you to listen for your company’s name, your competitor’s names, and even words that relate to your product, service, or company. This helps you find a targeted audience within the Twitter community and become a viable member of the platform.

When you begin tweeting, there are a couple of things to remember. While you are there to promote your business, extend your reach, and make a profit for your company, you don’t want to toot your own horn too much. So, talk to other Twitter users about what they’re interested in. This might not sell more of your product, but it will show that you’re human and build a rapport with others. You’ll also want to point out interesting stories or other things of interest when you tweet, not just about your company and products. This includes sharing links to events in your community or even stories about your employees (with their permission, of course!) You really just want to be a part of the Twitter community to have the most effective outcome.

Though you want to be an active Twitter member, it is a good idea to keep your tweets somewhat relevant to what your business and product are all about. This is much like how you would treat your blog! Offer helpful insights. For example, if you specialize in travel arrangements you may want to offer various travel tips from time to time. Oh, and you should include non-business topics, such as charities and other interesting endeavors.

Remember, as you tweet about your business you don’t have to simply answer Twitter’s traditional question, “What are you doing?” You can angle your tweets to relate to what has your attention at the moment or what is interesting to your audience. Use Twitter as a forum of sorts – you can ask questions in your tweets and get amazing results. Twitter is an excellent place to mine data and opinions.

There really is no limit to how you can use Twitter for your business. You can use it to promote your product or draw attention to your company. It can be used as a source of information for your customers or a place for them to contact you. The more familiar you become with Twitter the more potential you will see.

You may want to maximize the visibility of your Twitter profile for various reasons – monetizing your profile, spreading the message about your products or service, or simply for the fun of it. The one thing you need to remember is that your Twitter profile is just like any other website, so the basics behind increasing your reach is very similar. So, when it comes to maximizing your Twitter visibility, come at it from the angle that you would for your own blog or newsletter.

So, just like with any other website, increased visibility comes from increased traffic. This means that if you want more followers on Twitter, all you need to do is drive plenty of web traffic to your Twitter profile. And if you’re looking for a particular audience, your best bet is to drive targeted traffic to your profile! Though this is probably pretty obvious for the seasoned online marketer, it may not be as clear to the average Twitterer.

Many advisors have put a lot of emphasis on Twitter usage such as the time of day and frequency, but this really doesn’t have a strong of impact as you might think. How you tweet and when you tweet are not crucial to driving traffic, and visibility, to your Twitter profile. What you really want to do is get a larger number of followers. This can be done anytime of day – or night for that matter! Your main goal should be to keep sending visitors to your profile. Remember, you can only get followers when they know you exist!

Knowing that the main key behind maximizing your Twitter visibility is driving traffic to your profile, you are free to experiment with traditional online marketing strategies. Just think about how you might promote a website. This means think about what incentives you might be able to offer and why someone might want to follow you on Twitter. Ask yourself why a potential follower would even want to subscribe to your Twitter profile, especially if he or she does not even know you.

If you don’t have your own website and have never promoted your blog, driving traffic to your Twitter profile may be a little bit more of a challenge for you, but it doesn’t have to be. To help you drive traffic to your Twitter account and maximize your visibility, here is a list of some simple things you might want to try:

• If you’re tech savvy, design a tool or an application that others might like to use. When you promote that, you can also promote your profile.
• If you have your own company, offer Twitter as a form of customer support and a way to contact you.
• Announce, host, or organize a contest on the Twitter platform.
• Include a link to your Twitter profile in your email signatures. You can do this on forums as well.
• Make sure you have a link to your Twitter profile on all of your other blogs and websites.
• Talk about Twitter on forums or blogs and include a link to your Twitter profile.
• Exchange Twitter recommendations with other Twitter members.
• Buy a link or a banner on a website where your target audience may spend a lot of time. Direct the link to your profile.

You know you need to use Twitter to develop your business but it is so easy to find your time being eaten away with twittering. It is important to stay organized and to make sure the time you do use with Twitter is as effective as possible.

A word about Automation:

Many new, and not so new, Twitter users make the mistake of over automating their tweets and other Twitter activities. While it certainly makes sense to use some of the many Twitter Tools available using nothing but automated systems is just false time saving. Twitter is a social site, not an advertising bill board. If you automate everything, people will notice and then ignore you.

Use any automation tools sparingly. They may save time but they may not be productive either. Here is a short list of some of the most popular Twitter tools that you many or may not find useful. There are of course many other tools available too.
- TweetDeck
- MrTweet
- Twitter Search
- WP to Twitter
- Social Oomph

Schedule your Twitter Time

If you really enjoy social networking, you may find yourself spending hours tweeting, especially if you have alerts set to let you know every time someone tweets you. Build a certain amount of time into your daily schedule for Twittering, and then stick to it! It is a good idea to include time not only for tweeting, but for retweeting, checking stats, answering personal tweets and researching. Researching doesn’t need to take long, but it gives you something to tweet about other than just yourself or your business.

Being effective:

Being effective means making meaningful posts and having quality followers rather than quantity. This is where the selection of the tools you choose to use is important. Choose the right ones so your precious time is spent on the business of being real. Don’t just tweet links, and certainly don’t make the mistake of posting only links to your own site/s. A good tweet that includes a link should have something to bring context and meaning to it. Why do you think it is a good link? Say so as succinctly as you can.

Take a little time to retweet other’s tweets. With practice you can quickly move to a link, take in the main points and then have something useful to add to it in your retweet. Always thank anyone who has taken the time to retweet you too. They are adding genuine value to your Twitter presence.

Take the time to be yourself. While you need to maintain a professional attitude, your posts should also reflect something of who you are as a thinking human being. Respond to other people’s tweets. If need be, set yourself a limit of how many tweets you will make a response to in a day. There is no need to go overboard.

We all know that in business time is money. Twitter can be an excellent tool for promoting and growing your business, so long as you use your Twitter time to maximum effect. In other words remember – Twitter don’t Fritter!

If you are thinking of, or already use Twitter there may be good reasons to stay with one account only. There are also times when it is a better idea to have two or more Twitter accounts.

The advantages of using only one account:

Obviously if you are just using Twitter to stay in touch with your friends and make more, then one account should be all you need. If you have made a mess of things (it happens) you could always start a new account with a new user name.

If you are planning to brand yourself it is best to stick with one account only. Have an overall plan in mind and use your tweets to the best advantage you can to get your profile out there. Build your followers trust by letting them see both your personal and business side. Getting people to your blog or even multiple blogs can work best this way.

When Multiple Accounts may work better for you:

Often people wish to use Twitter both as a purely social tool and as a marketing tool as well. It can be a good idea to have one account that is more personal so you don’t need to worry too much about being ‘professional’. Set up a separate account for your marketing efforts and work on developing that in the way that suits you. Put simply, if you are trying to market something people don’t really want to know that you are going to watch the kids play soccer and eating out on the way.

There is nothing wrong though with occasionally having business-type tweets in your personal account and more personal tweets in your business account. Probably the most important thing is to have a clear strategy and plan in place for both accounts. Know what your aim is and then develop your Twitter presence to suit. If you are running two accounts it is a good idea to use something like Twhirl. This allows you to have both accounts open at the same time.

One of the biggest advantages of having multiple accounts is that you can be more selective in your followers and who you are following. There are a few people who even have 4 or more accounts. To do this you will probably need additional tools to keep things manageable.

Examples of where you might want more than 2 accounts would be: business, personal and other (perhaps sending tweets out to a sports group you manage, or church group etc)
Multiple businesses or niches that you are managing may work better with a separate account for each.

There are a variety of ways and strategies that Twitter users employ to make their accounts work. You can always experiment and find out what works best for you. Always make your plan and then take the time to monitor and evaluate what is working or not working and then tweak your Twitter account/s to suit.