Twitter has been around for some time now and I have had an account for a lot of that time.  I did not begin using it regularly until just a few weeks ago (month or so? eh, a bit now).  I had a small handful of updates and a few followers but honestly, I just could get it.  I could see it for celebrities and others who looked for the cult following but I just couldn’t grasp it for me, my use.  I shot out a snippet here and there but all in all, maybe once a month.  So I did not use it myself nor did I really follow anyone.  I obviously was following some technically, but I never got on and really used it or check updates, feeds, the tweets of others.  I heard guru after guru say how they loved Twitter and are making all this money and getting success from Twitter but I couldn’t grasp it still.

The Turn to Twitter

Finally, one day I am speaking with an associate about Twitter and other technologies when he made the simple comment about utilizing it as an aggregator and the light finally clicked on!  I fairly regularly surf for new articles, content, reviews, etc.  I may as well share the wealth with others!  If you have ever seen my twitter updates, 90% of them are interesting articles, posts, and other tidbits from around the web.  I rarely, practically never, respond to direct messages (dm’s) or other more active forms of twitter use.  I do re-tweet from time to time and now I actually follow others in search of good articles, ideas, etc.  So my use, both in posting and reading, is looking for thought provoking tidbits, articles, and blogs.  Now, I’m not saying the other uses are not valuable, only that I haven’t found them to be for me (at least not yet). Twitter tends to be one of the biggest traps when attempting to regulate the information flow.  It is a matter of balance as well as efficient and effective utility.  At this point it is neither efficient nor effective FOR ME.  I definitely have to emphasize this as me sharing my use.  I am keen to the fact that others have found additional means of value and power to them!

My Future with Social Media

There are so many social media sites, venues, and services that it is impossible, and a waste of time, to be present and active on all of them.  I have chosen a small list, developed over time, that I believe to be the most effective in my strategy.  I am now in the implementation stage.  This step entails choosing one service or opportunity at a time and building it out.  Once I have a solid and efficient grasp on it, I will move to the next on my list.  You will see more and more regarding my social media usage as each venue develops for me.

Your Future with Social Media

It is important to really decide what your goals are with Twitter as well as other forms of social media.  Are you on them because everyone else tells you that you should be?  Do you find real value in them?  Do you find value in ALL of them or just a few?  It is a matter of making a list of networks you find real value in, prioritizing this list and systematically developing your presence on each individually and integrating them together appropriately (i.e. this is personal, this is business, etc.).  Drop any networks or ideas that do nothing but consume your time and energy with little to no return of any sort (monetary return is rare anyway. Return would be traffic to websites, fresh interactions, etc.) There exist many management tools for most of these systems that can greatly enhance your efficiency as well as effectiveness.  Be careful with them, however, as you can destroy your brand with the simple misuse of auto-posting responders, etc.  Gauge the possibility of each tool as well as the potential harm before implementing.

Let me know what you have found as effective and efficient use of social networks.  Which ones have been the best for your purposes?