Twitter = BFF

Looking in from the outside, twitter is kind of weird. It could be considered a time suck, and yes, who really cares what you are doing? But it is way more than blasting “I’m eating a sandwich!” to your followers. Once you start engaging with others, asking relevant questions and posting your thoughts, it’s becomes like a friend…a friend with all the answers.

Here is why Twitter and I could be BFF’s:

• Twitter helped me locate a store that carried black gloves with skeleton bones  to complete a Halloween costume.
• Twitter alerts me of school closings.
• Twitter solved a school bus stop problem quickly and easily.
• Twitter showed me instructions on how to bake an easy Lego cake.
• Thanks to twitter, an audio file was converted and reduced for inclusion on a website.
• Twitter connects me with other communication professionals, as well as leaders in the financial industry, an industry that is new to me.
• Twitter keeps me posted on breaking news.
• Twitter has strengthened the PR – journalist relationship (at least I think so).
• Twitter has directed me to great new local restaurants.
• Twitter has given me advice on electronics, books and even children.
• Twitter has found freelancers (including writers, photographers, graphic designers and technology gurus) that have helped me with events, technology questions and given me leads for other projects.
• Twitter continues to connect me with individuals who share my interests, and directs me to professional resources, events and opportunities that I might not have heard about.
• Twitter has steered me away from traffic jams and other road construction.

So, yeah, twitter and I…we hang out about every day.

Now, of course, Twitter isn’t actually responsible for any of these things…but the people, businesses and organizations I follow on twitter, are.

But guess what? Just like a friend, twitter expects something in return. Engagement. Conversation. Ask questions. Helping others. Be active. Contrary to what you think, it’s NOT all about you. Setting up a twitter account, posting once a month and never replying to others is not how twitter works, and it will soon dump you for it.