JMPR Communication

One of my first posts was about the importance of relevancy when Tweeting.  (Ironically, this was exactly a year ago.) While I had previously used Twitter on behalf of my then-employer, I relativity new to Twitter on a personal level.

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?