Twitter with a Purpose

When Twitter first started, I took a look and did not get it. I could not imagine who would want to know what I was doing every moment, ie drinking coffee and working or feeding kitties. As well, it encouraged my mischievous side that wanted to tweet things like: Dancing Can-Can on dining room table. So I put away Twitter and moved on.

Last year, as I began making more and more political contacts, the question was: Are you on Twitter? And, of course, the Obama campaign certainly brought Twitter into the living rooms of America. I revisited and joined the 140 character craze and I have not regretted one moment.

Twitter with a purpose is how I explain it as people ask me: What do you tweet?

Twitter is the ultimate tool for purposes; Political, Photography, Cooking, Music, Entertainment, Events - you name it, you can find your little niche of the Twitterverse and tweeps that share common interests.

For those new to the Twitterverse, I recommend a few things to get you started and give you some ideas to Twitter with a Purpose:

• Make sure you follow your friends - tweeting is more fun when you know people who are also on Twitter
• Hashtags - hashtags are how you can sort Tweets by ideas or groups - Just add the # and the tag. Example, for photography, common hashtags: #photography, #photos, #photogs, #photooftheday. You can then follow hashtags through Twitter and find other tweeps that have are interested in the same things.
• Interact with other Tweeps - broadcasting is boring and Social Media is about being ... well ... Social!
• Don't be discouraged - the first few times on Twitter is like stepping into a different world where noone seems to be speaking your language. Stick with it and soon you will be dropping comments like #FollowFriday and RT casually.
• Use the search and read timelines from other Tweeps. Find out what people are tweeting.

I have gotten over my initial aversion to Twitter and have found it to me incredibly useful in connecting with people, getting the word out about my business and my causes and sometimes, well, sometimes I do tweet about doing the can-can on the dining room table.

If you are just joining Twitter or an old hand at it - Follow me! I would love to chat!