Since I started blogging in November 2007, I’ve been debating whether I should create a Twitter account. This micro-blogging service appears simple enough, yet it completely intimidates me. What if my 140-character statements are borin
g? What if no one follows me? What if I look like a complete stalker?
To overcome my fears, I’ve been doing a lot of research. Luckily, there are a lot of great posts out there to help newbies start “tweeting”–I’m not sure how I feel about all this avian terminology!– but I still feel lost in this new endeavor of mine.
I created my account tonight, but I can’t even figure out how to start following people (edit: figured it out!). I feel like a Twitter failure, but I’m not giving up yet.
As a PR student, I’m interested to see how this tool can be used to build relationships, initiate conversations, and spark new ideas. Even if I don’t find myself completely taken with it, I’ll at least have an understanding about Twitter’s pros and cons, which can only be beneficial in our social media-obsessed economy.
For those thinking about joining Twitter, here are some great resources to read before signing up:
- Guide to Twitter for PR Students by Dr. Karen Russell
- The Big Juicy Twitter Guide by Caroline Middlebrook
- Newbie’s Guide to Twitter by Rafe Needleman
- How Can PR Practitioners Use Twitter by Ben Matthews
- Examples of Twitter Providing Business Benefit by Paull Young
I’ll keep you updated on the Great Twitter Experiment, and if you’re interested, feel free to follow me: http://twitter.com/megmroberts.
5 responses so far ↓
Ben Matthews // March 3, 2008 at 11:39 am |
Hi Meg,
I (and most people I’ve spoken to) was sceptical about joining Twitter at first, but now I think it’s great!
I’d be interested to hear your experience of it and will be following you too.
Thanks,
Ben
(@benrmatthews)
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Michael Henreckson // March 20, 2008 at 11:11 pm |
Yeah I just joined Twitter recently myself, after hearing all the web community “atwitter” about it. We’ll see where it goes. It is strange how connected you can feel to people who regularly update on the web though, and I’m guessing Twitter is going to be similarly good for building relationships and networking.
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