As you know, Twitter is not about the numbers.  Twitter is about building relationships with relevant people.  I found that when I started, finding people, listening and generating conversations via @replies was the best way to connect.  But Twitter has grown in leaps and bounds in the last year (1,444%!) and the way I tweet today reflects that growth.

Twitter: Build Relationships. Image: MichielGaas

Broadcasting or Information Sharing Platform?

It is my opinion that Tweeting via your Twitter-stream to your followers is a very effective means of broadcasting both your own messages and messages that inspire you. A year ago, few were talking about Twitter as a broadcasting platform.  Twitter was strictly seen as an information-sharing/collaboration platform.

But over the past year, as the number of valuable tweets increase in volume, how much of what you say really gets read and/or digested by those in your network?

The truth is, people are probably missing your tweets.  But if you build a solid network of related people, even a few eyeballs per tweet can provide immense value.

I made the decision last month to engage with Twitter in a different way in order to continue to utilize it as an information sharing/collaboration platform with a focus on building relationships.  Today I use Twitter as follows:

1. I use TweetDeck to group important conversations so I never miss a beat.
2. I am very careful with who I follow, focusing on those who most closely relate to my business.
3. I broadcast messages through the Twitter-feed, on a limited basis.
4. I re-tweet articles/blog posts/interesting opinions on my stream each week.
5. I make a concerted effort to engage more people in conversation.
6. MOST IMPORTANTLY: I have joined a few niche Twitter groups specifically related to my business.  Because I follow relevant people, I was able to find these groups through my regular Twitter stream by following hashtags such as #solopr and #prstudchat.  By adding these hashtags to my TweetDeck search, I never miss a chat.  This is a great way to learn from others!

So, is Twitter a Broadcast or Information Sharing Platform?

Both, and more.

As Twitter continues it’s growth spurt, try new tactics to determine the best way for you to build meaningful relationships and share your thoughts with others.  I use Twitter as a broadcasting platform, a venue to share information, a place to learn best practices, and most importantly, a forum to build relationships with like-minded individuals.

How do you use Twitter?

Within minutes of Mr. Wilson shouting at the president last night, my Twitter-stream began filling up with requests to call Joe Wilson and tell him what you think. I was seeing phone numbers before Obama’s speech was over.  Not only was the news fast, but it provided something a network news team never would: personal contact information.

Check this out:

Joe Wilson Trends on Twitter

I have to say, I was surprised.  I expected people to be angry.  I expected people to trash him.  I even expected people to refer to him by Twitter-name.  But distributing his phone number and cell phone number (and later his fax number)? WOW. “Joe Wilson” is still the number one trending topic on Twitter as of 4:00 pm the next day.

I shouldn’t be surprised.  When we as people get upset about anything nowadays, we shout it to the rooftops, and we post post post as much as we can.  We want everyone to know we are upset!  Most want to both vent and protect others from their misfortune.

And in this case, people even stepped in and altered the message telling folks to call Mr. Wilson to show their support.  That’s a lot of phone calls between the angry and pleased, don’t you think?  (And I hear the phone lines were all busy last night.)

Joe Wilson put out an apology on YouTube today wherein he acknowledges that his outburst was wrong and that he apologized to President Obama immediately after his speech.  Mr. Wilson then goes on to ask for a donation to support his stance on the Health care option.  I don’t know about all of you, but I am tired of these YouTube apologies that aren’t REALLY apologies.  (See Chris Brown.)

All this to say:

In 2009, everything you say and do in real life could easily show up on the Internet.  Think before you speak, and be prepared to apologize and/or defend your actions.

If you communicate on behalf of a corporation remmeber, bad things may be said about your company, but it’s how you respond that matters.

Oh, and if you set out to apologize- actually apologize.

So what did I learn from this experiment?

Visibility is Important

Next time I tweet a celebrity it will be one that I think has a reasonable chance of seeing my tweet. For example, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are sent 8 pages a minute when they tweet.  The chances of them seeing your tweet are about 1 in 400. Not very good odds.  Others though, like Lamar Odom, Kirk Morrison, and Andy Bloch receive around one page of twitter responses when they post, so your chances are much better.

Be Relevant (Duh)

Don't be a crazy fan on Twitter. Image: Paul Nicholson

Don’t confuse what I am saying about visibility. Just because a celebrity has a limited number of responses when they tweet doesn’t mean they will definitely respond.  Quite the contrary.

The most important thing I learned during this experiment: RELEVANCY wins out.  If you respond to a celebrity, whether an actor, comedian, poker pro or athlete, the content of your tweet is of the utmost importance. A “yo Lamar, I am your biggest fan! Say hi to me! won’t elicit a response very often because celebs get that kind of comment on a daily basis. Instead, something they can relate to will yield a much higher chance of a successful response.

Each of the responses I received were on topics that the tweeted individuals cared about (see previous blogs for exact tweets). One was regarding the Chris Brown incident, while another one was regarding a side bet made by the particular person.  So remember, be smart and ask a relevant question!

I have had an amazing time tweeting the selected categories, and I hope you had a good time following this experiment. I know I was able to learn a few things about twitter and I hope that you were too.

The Bet

This week I was reading a poker blog that talked about the World Series of Poker Main Event – specifically a bet that had supposedly been made.  The bet was between Phil Ivey and Andy Bloch, both well known, top-level professional poker players.  Both on Twitter.

Poker players are usually very hush-hush about side bets they make, mostly because the dollar figures are more than us “normal people” can fathom.  This particular bet was leaked on various blogs including this one.  Ivey was giving 99 to 1 on a $20,000 bet that he would not win the WSOP Main Event. Andy Bloch laid that price and covered the bet.

I wondered: At what point was this bet was made in the tournament? How many chips did Ivey have when he accepted this bet?

Twitter: The Resource

Who better to ask than the guy who offered the bet, right?  I quickly tweeted my question to Andy Bloch.  Within an hour he answered!

To my surprise, my question, and Andy’s answer was quickly re-tweeted a number of times.  The tweets prompted the poker world to ask whether Ivey or Bloch got the better of the bet.  In case you don’t know, Ivey has since reached the final 9.  This group is known in the poker world as the November 9 because the final table is delayed until November for broadcasting purposes.  Currently Ivey sits in 7th chip position.  So, Ivey can now win $2,000,000 for his $20,000 bet if he can capture the most coveted championship in poker.

Andy Bloch's Twitter Reply

Relevance Rules

What was my lesson this week?  This week’s events showed me that no matter who you are and no matter who you are tweeting, if you ask relevant questions that resonate, it is more likely that you will have that two-way conversation that Twitter is meant to provide.

Now, if I could just get Phil Helmuth to listen to something other than his own voice, maybe, just maybe, I can explain to him what Twitter is really for.  Some people have no clue, and could really improve their images if they did. (And for the record, I absolutely think Phil Helmuth is a great poker player, all things Twitter aside.)

Next week:  GTE recap and final thoughts.

Looking for a new Twitter application for my Blackberry seemed like a waste of time.  But then, TwitterBerry had been wasting my time for months: crashing my phone, not loading my tweets, requiring too many clicks just to see my @replies and direct messages, and not allowing me the pleasure of the re-tweet.

I could do better.

I held a number of interviews.

TweetCaster

• Made me tell everyone on my Twitter stream how awesome it was in exchange for the download.  This was ironic foreshadowing.
• Tweetcaster only allowed me to view a handful of tweets at a time, requiring a large number of stream refreshes.
• Upon requesting an update of my Twitter stream, TweetCaster crashed my phone.  (Multiple times.)
• At this point, I uninstalled the application.

UberTwitter

• Showed me photos present in updates without the need to click through to the picture.
• Is that Re-tweet capability?  Amazing, and wonderful.
• UberTwitter, really proving its “uber” status, even allowed me to search Twitter AND see trending topics.
• Apparently, you can update your status on Google Talk with your last Tweet, but I never tried that.
• Uber-blooper: While there were plenty of my tweets available for reading, status updates resulted in my Blackberry crashing.  (Multiple times.)  This did not happen to a friend, who was also testing.  But crashing?  That’s a deal breaker.

SocialScope

• In a stroke of luck, my beta invite showed up as I was rejecting TweetCaster.  (Go register for an invite!)
• Featured tabbed browsing: DM’s, @replies Facebook updates, or everything jumbled on one stream.  Bonus!
• Alerts chimed when an @reply or DM was received.  I would never miss a reply again, and I could stop wasting time looking for replies.
• Opened an @reply, and saw the entire conversation thread, aiding in future conversation clarity.
• Updates had no effect on my phone’s performance.
• Re-tweet, go to Twitter users or search – one click.
• Could reply to Tweets with amazing ease in provided boxes complete with character count.
• Single click posting to Facebook, Twitter or both.
• Facebook updates included recently posted pictures, which I’ve never seen on a Blackberry application.
• Social Con: Commenting on Facebook images?  No go.

VERDICT:

SocialScope wins, in a landslide.

SocialScope: Screenshot: Image by: Florian SEROUSSI

In all fairness, SocialScope is billed as “a mobile inbox for your social networks.”  That means that SocialScope provides updates beyond Twitter, so you can manage your activities in the confines of one application.  TwitterBerry, TweetCaster and UberTwitter are “Twitter only” applications.

But SocialScope saved me time in a number of ways without compromising efficiency.  I was alerted to all personal messages, removing the need for me to be stalking my Twitter application.  I could monitor Facebook, in the same application.  My phone never crashed from its use; even heavy use.  (All the other applications failed the crash test.)

I encourage everyone to request an invite to SocialScope.  I recommend UberTwitter while you wait, as its functionality far surpasses TwitterBerry and TweetCaster.  But as soon as you can: SocialScope.

Of the five chosen comedians (see last weeks blog for a list) only two tweeted  this week. TWO!  I was surprised. My part here is that in the end, I didn’t select the best ones to tweet.  But in my defense, the comedians I selected last week seemed to be active.

Now, to the two that did tweet: @sarahksilverman and @jimgaffigan. Communication was difficult, as they didn’t tweet questions or anything eliciting a two way conversation.  That’s not to say their tweets weren’t good or funny, because they were!  I tried to respond and generate some kind of communication, but it didn’t work. At all.

My conclusion, though a guess, is that these comedians weren’t looking to have a two-way conversation, but instead give their fans something to laugh about.

Onto Week Five:

In addition to social media, one of my hobbies is poker. I love to play and have been quite profitable throughout my life. I’ve noticed that the professional poker world has really taken to social media.  Proof? Read this article or just take a look at the sites like Poker Road and Card Player. If you check these sites out, you’ll note that many professional poker players are both young and active on Twitter.

Professional Poker Players Tweet, too. Image by: tobyleah

Here is my list of professional poker players I will be tweeting this week:

@realkidpoker (Daniel Negreanu)
@joesebok
@phil_hellmuth (I’m a bit skeptical on Phil, as he follows no one and responds to no one. I may add a 6^th.)
@howardhlederer
@realannieduke

This list may vary if the players aren’t tweeting, so I could (and probably will) add a number of players to this list.

I have a good feeling about this week. I think I will run good.

Shuffle up and tweet!

Let’s just say that some people stayed on their phones the whole show- to tweet.

And let’s just say that “these people”  who are arguably 100% addicted to their Twitter account(s), made fun of me two years ago when I suffered from the same disorder. Only then, Twitter was an unknown, and so my addiction was not understood.

Twitter can be addicting: Image by: dewaldp

One of two things is going to happen when you start Tweeting:

1) Oprah Effect: You sign up for Twitter, because you heard so and so has been using/loving it.  (Remember the surge in numbers when Oprah signed up?)  As you begin to participate, you don’t “get” the big deal about Twitter. Your usage disappears over time.

2) Twitter Addiction: You love reading tweets on the stream and you tweet a lot in-kind. You read and post updates constantly.  If your Twitter activity distracts from your day-job, or annoys your family/friends, you have a “Twitter Addiction.”

I always tell my clients:  Twitter is a useful tool if implemented correctly, but it can be very distracting and even “addictive” if not managed properly.

Here are some tips/tricks I employ to manage my own Twitter addiction:

• Schedule Twitter sessions two times a day
  On busy days I sign onto my Twitter account in the morning and in the afternoon/evening for 5-15 minutes to participate in the conversation.  During the day, I work.

  This is a great tip for companies who are just beginning to tweet.  By participating twice a day, you show that you are present for the conversation.  Feel free to send one tweet about your company each day.  But dedicate your morning or evening session to building relationships with others.

• Use Tools to Moniter Your Stream
  Maybe you’re on Twitter all day because you are looking for direct messages, @replies or mentions of your company?  You don’t need to do this all day.  Let cool Twitter applications do that for you.

  TweetDeck: TweetDeck is my favorite Twitter tool.  You can group your followers, so you never miss a Tweet.  You can conduct a search that will then live in its own column.  You can see your @replies and DMs in their own columns, as well.  TweetDeck allows you to keep an eye on your Twitter stream, so you can focus on your work.

  Twitter Search: Twitter Search (which is part of TweetDeck and Twitter Web) is a one stop search spot to see who has been talking about your company.  I utitlize Twitter Search to monitor the conversation for clients.  I also monitor the conversation on TweetDeck. Here’s the current stream discussing Twitter Addiction.

• Go Mobile
  Having Twitter access on your phone is important.  Sometimes you need to reply to a Direct Message or @reply on a timely basis.  And yeah, it’s just cool to be able to tweet from a concert or TweetUp.  I’m on Blackberry, and so I’ve tested TweetCaster, TwitterBerry and UberTwitter. I’m a huge fan of UberTwitter for a few reasons.  The updates don’t overtax my phone, I can see pictures posted without having to click any links, Re-tweeting is really easy, and basically, it’s 10 steps ahead of the other services.  Test the services yourself and settle on the one that works for YOU.
• Utilize Alerts
  Sometimes I’m not at my desk, so I use TweetBeep to send certain alerts directly to my e-mail.  As a Blackberry user, I can see any important tweets in real-time, even if I’m not on Twitter.
  
  
• Just put it down.  Really.
  There is a time and a place for Twitter.  Don’t tweet when you are driving, in a meeting, at dinner, in the movies, and on and on.  And sometimes, it’s just good to cut the cord.  Your messages will be there later.  I promise.

Week 2 of the GTE has come to a close and in the words of a very funny man: Great Success.

I tweeted like a crazy person this week. I didn’t quite realize just how often the professional athletes I selected tweeted. It was as if they never slept. If they weren’t tweeting, they were working out! As a huge sports fan, it was appreciated, because I really hope the likes of @shawnemerriman and @chrisbosh have great seasons.

One note: I was supposed to tweet @tariza this week and seeing how he is no longer a Laker I decided to swap him out for @KirkMorrison52 – middle linebacker for the dreaded Oakland Raiders, but a local SDSU alum.

My tweets this week ranged from sports figure initiated topics like Chris Brown, the Taco Bell dog, and whatever else players were tweeting about. Low and behold I GOT RESPONSES! I’m not sure how many tweets I sent this week, but I sent a lot. (I realized just how much when @JenMitch started calling me a celebrity stalker. Hey, I am conducting an experiment here!)

I ended up having a great exchange with @kirkmorrison about the Chris Brown apology and his trek to the races. Also, @shawnemerriman knows I was the one that came up with Snoop Dogg when he asked about the top 5 dogs of all time.

My @reply from Kirk Morrison

This was a fun week, and I am happy to say that professional athletes have restored some faith lost last week tweeting actors.

Week 3 is nearly upon us and that means comedians next!

Jim Gaffigan: Image by missjdub

My targets are:

@jimgaffigan
@sarahksilverman
@dougbenson
@rustyrockets (aka Russell Brand)
@cklouis

I hope that I get some good one liners outta this week!

@kevinspacey (11 tweets sent)
@Matt_Damon (9 tweets sent)
@tuckermax (10 tweets sent)
@JimmyFallon (11 tweets sent)
@JeremyPiven (9 tweets sent)

Here are the responses I received:

Nothing. Not a single response. Not one “thanks for the comment” or “here is the answer.” Nada.

I said I was surprised, and I was. I don’t get it. I didn’t tweet crazed fan stuff like, “OH KEVIN I love you, please add me.” On the contrary, I asked pertinent questions directly responding to their most recent posts. I never tweeted more than 1 hour after they posted and usually I replied within 10 minutes of their last message. I also took into account how each celeb tweeted (i.e. from text, TweetDeck, Web, etc.). I considered that if someone is using text or a mobile application as their primary Twitter tool, they would be less likely to see their @replies than a celeb using TweetDeck or the Web to monitor their stream.

I know the individuals I communicated with are busy. Really busy. And I understand that many of them receive up to 200 @replies a day. Still, to send 50 tweets and not get a single response, I was a bit surprised. Wouldn’t celebs see Twitter as a tool for 2-way conversation with fans? If I was a celeb, I would.

Week one is a wrap. Film stars are not responsive. Let’s see how sports figures do in week 2.

Trevor Ariza, NBA on Twitter: Image by Keith Allison

I will attempt to engage the following sport celebs next week:

@shawnemerriman (Since I shook Shawne’s hand once, and he’s local, I have high hopes on this one)
@chrisbosh (NBA player for the Raptors, very active on Twitter)
@DwightHoward (NBA player for the Orlando Magic, extremely active on Twitter)
@tariza (NBA player, formerly of the LA Lakers now on the Rockets
@CV31 (Charlie Villanueva, NBA player, very active on Twitter)

I know this list is heavily skewed toward the NBA. Because this is their off-season there seems to be much more Twitter activity among these players over any other sports stars.

Let’s hope those sports figures are a bit more communicative with their fans!

And we’re off.

Are Celebs on Twitter as Friendly as They Seem? Image by: FriskyTuna

Over the next four weeks I am going to break down which group of “celebrities” is MOST responsive to their fans on Twitter. I hope to determine which group is most interested in a two-way conversation and which celebs are only on Twitter to push their information? I will do so by actively engaging celebrities in four separate categories:

- Actors/Actresses
- Sports figures
- Comedians
- Professional poker players

I will select my top five from each category and I will tweet each of them twice a day at the times they regularly tweet so they are more likely to see these tweets. I will then track any and all responses and have the results for you each week. (I do realize this is a small sample size and totally subjective, so I probably won’t be presenting you with scientific data. But I hope you find it interesting anyway.)

In my first week, I will focus on actors. I have selected these five actors/actresses in no particular order:

• @Matt_Damon
• @KevinSpacey
• @TuckerMax
• @JimmyFallon
• @JeremyPiven

I hope over the next four weeks I will be able to confirm my belief that if you “just ask, they’ll answer.”

Let the experiment begin!

How do you think this will turn out? Do you have any suggestions to make this experiment even better?