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May 9, 2011

Social Media 101: Twitter

What is it?

If you go to Facebook to socialize, then you go to Twitter for information. Twitter, in its simplest form, is a one-stop shop for what's happening as it happens. Once you join Twitter, you begin establishing followers and a following. By following someone or something, you see a real-time feed of whatever that individual or organization is "tweeting." Each tweet is limited to 140 characters, which means all the information broadcasted is short, concise and easily viewed on a handheld device. There are 95 million tweets per day and 175 million registered Twitter users.

What is it good for?

Twitter is most useful for staying on top of the latest news. It can also help you keep track of what your competition is up to. Take Worcester-based Polar Beverages. According to a report in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Polar CEO Ralph Crowley Jr. was clued in to a possible trademark infringement by Pepsi through Twitter. It's also a mode for interactivity. Your followers can send you direct messages (similar to an email) or they can send you more public "@replies" which can be read by anyone.

How can it work for your business?

Twitter is another free way for you to reach out to new and existing customers. It can also open up a dialogue between you and your followers about your business. Twitter can also be a very important tool to drive traffic back to your website, especially if your tweets include links back to your site. Twitter recommends sharing photos and behind-the-scenes information about your business to help drive followers and loyalty.

Success story

Nicholas Gagalis, marketing manager and broadcaster for the Worcester Tornadoes, is a power Twitter user. A recent graduate of Boston University, the 24-year-old has landed a job and an internship through his use of social media sites like Twitter, and now he's using his tweeting skills to connect with fans of the local baseball team. Gagalis said the team's Twitter account went dormant during much of the recent off season, but he's reinvigorated it since he joined in March. He has basic advice for anyone new to the site: "Make a valuable statement and ask a relevant question that relates to your audience. If you do those two together, it will work," he said.

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