After a week of using Twitter, I thought that I’d publish my first impressions of the media. (This is NOT my conclusions about whether or not Twitter is useful as a business tool, which I’ll publish later in the month on Business and Blogging. Rather, this is a description of my initial experiences.)
1st Day – My first impression of Twitter was one of complete disorientation. I immediately recognized some familiar names, but for a minute or two, I couldn’t follow any conversations. After publishing my Twitter link on two forums and one of my blogs I have 13 followers and am following 21.
The twitterers seem friendly enough. Lin of Telling It Like It Is sends me a link to a Twitter guide.
2nd Day – Today I am following 28 and have 22 followers. I have found additional twitterers to follow by looking on the profile pages of other twitterers. I asked for a post on business blogging and was sent the link to one.
I have discovered that most twitterers publish links to their blog posts on Twitter. I decide to do the same.
3rd Day – No twittering today, it’s family day.
4th Day – Today I published my Twitter address on WritingThoughts. I am folowing 34, 35 twitterers are following me. I must remember that what I say on Twitter is public.
I look through the list of those that are following me. Most of them are twitterers that I have also chosen to follow. I do see a few names that I don’t recognize. So far, I am spending about a half an hour a day on Twitter.
5th day – I have minimal Twitter use today due to my workload. Still, I now have 38 followers, 34 are following me.
6th day – I have inspired a blog post today. Grant Griffiths of Home Office Warrior publishes The twitter Tools of a Home Office Warrior in answer to one of my questions. I’m now following 48, 47 are following me.
I notice that some of my initial followers have dropped me. Presumably my tweets are too boring?
7th Day – I had a long conversation on Twitter with James Chartand of Men with Pens today. The fact that every single twitterer sees a different slice of Twitter finally sinks in. I am following 52, I have 53 followers. Tomorrow I will make the time to customize my settings.
Contents (c) Copyright 2008, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved
5 responses so far ↓
1 James Chartrand - Men with Pens // Apr 5, 2008 at
Ha, you made yourself look like old hand at it, too! I didn’t realize we’d started on Twitter around the same time.
I have no idea how you manage to follow that many people. I’m following 41 and find that’s a lot to keep up with. I’m also being followed by 189 (and dear readers, you can follow me on Twitter, too!), and adding that many people to my follow list would explode my brain.
2 Shannan P // Apr 6, 2008 at
I’m another in the same Twitter “kindergarten class” and am having fun with it so far. I have seen quite a few clickthroughs to my blogs, when I post links there. I haven’t too many that I am following or that are following me yet, but I’m sure that will change.
If anyone wants to follow me: http://www.twitter.com/slpowell
3 Laura // Apr 7, 2008 at
Hi Yvonne, James, and Shannan!
Whatever the reason, Twitter is hot right now. Or at least, everyone seems to be talking about it.
4 Book Marketing Buzz // Apr 7, 2008 at
I am confused by it all…I really must make a point and go over there and study it some more when I get a chance. I think I’ve signed up for it but never really got into it fully. Thanks for reminding me about this place because I’m hearing good things about it.
5 Forum Review: The Performancing Hive // Apr 8, 2008 at
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