Traction Marketing Group

Okay, first and foremost, what is Twitter? Tough question, considering the founders have wrestled with the answer to it themselves. Actually, the only difficult thing about wrapping your head around Twitter is accepting its simplicity. Seriously. Read the simple answer to “what is Twitter?” on Twitter’s home page.

And now that you’ve done that, you’ll probably wonder to yourself, “Yeah, but what IS Twitter?”

Well, Twitter is the question and the answer to our hyper-connected society. Think of it as a system for sending mass text messages (we call ‘em tweets) to everybody in your phone book. But instead of you adding the contacts to your phone book, they add themselves and are called your followers. At the same time, you get messaged every time somebody you’re following sends out a tweet. In this manner, thousands and thousands of people know what thousands and thousands of other people are doing at any given moment.

Mowing the yard? Tweet it. Running late for a meeting? Tweet ahead. Found inspiration in an unlikely place? Tweet directions.

The next question you’ll ask is “Who cares?” The answer, it seems, is a lot of people care what a lot of other people are doing right now. And once you accept that, only then can you leverage Twitter for your business.

When it comes to explaining how and why to use Twitter for your brand, this SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday video does a great job of breaking it down simple-stupid style.

SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday - Adopting Twitter from Scott Willoughby on Vimeo.

We’re going to paraphrase here, but the following points are the gist of how you can use Twitter’s multiplying user base (the headcount was 800,000 at the beginning of the year - up from a few thousand last year) to pub your business or brand.

First of all, whether you think Twitter is ridiculous or not, just do it. (For more about the ridiculous history and future of Twitter and its founder, read this story on Inc.com)

Second, make sure you get in early enough that your business’ name isn’t already taken. Think of your Twitter name the same way you think of your domain name. You do have a website right? The closer it is to your actual business name or domain name, the more recognizable it will be.

If you’re still having trouble seeing the light, consider that Twitter is a micro-blog to which people post via their Twitter page, cell phone, instant messenger or browser software. The frequency, conciseness, simplicity and multiple channels of tweeting mean that information can be passed through the Twittersphere before it hits the blogosphere. That means it's uber-current - you can get and give info through tweets quicker and easier than just about any other vehicle.

And because everybody’s doing it, you can potentially reach thousands upon thousands of people for free. The best part about this is that your message is basically being subscribed to, therefore it’s interactive instead of interruptive. Of course you have to present your message in the right way if you want people to absorb what you say. The best way to maximize absorption is to approach your followers with a Don’t-Sell-To-Them philosophy. Talk to them. Entertain them. Tell them something that makes their life better. Just don’t sell to them.

Finally, if you’re anywhere cool and/or doing anything cool, tweet it. Matchbox Twenty concert – yes? Mid-year power tool convention – yes? Jail – no.

Hopefully, something in this bird’s nest of info will end up helping you grab a hold of the Twitter craze. But if you’re still having trouble killing one bird with all these stones, here’s one more you might try.

Wanna know what Traction's tweeting about? We suggest you follow us and find out.