With mainstream online social networking sites such as facebook and LinkedIn do you really need to join another? That’s what I thought until I came across Twitter. In this post I go through what twitter is all about and why you should join as well as some useful resources for beginners.

Although twitter was launched in 2006, I only joined towards the end of 2008 and it wasn’t until 2009 that I really understood and became interested in the service. By no means am I an expert, I am only sharing information that I found to be useful when starting out with twitter.

What is twitter?

Twitter is a microblogging platform centered around the question “What are you doing?”. It allows you to publish your messages and updates in 140 characters of less.

Herein lies twitters strength; combine this with the social element and you can see why twitter can be so powerful. You are able to befriend and follow (more on this later) thousands of people, and join in conversation with all of them or just an individual.

Why use it?
You can use twitter for a many different purposes, from just updating friends and family on what you’re doing to seeing what celebrities are doing. However, there are some real benefits and advantages of using twitter:

• Networking: There are millions of tweeters out there from all walks of life that you can befriend.
• Branding: Just like any other tool, you can use twitter to further solidify your brand
• Research: Have a burning question or problem, sometimes you will be able to find an answer on twitter faster than anywhere     else.
• Discovery: I’ve discovered a tonne of articles, blogs and sites through the people I follow on twitter that otherwise I would never     know existed
• Traffic (for bloggers): If you are a blogger, you can reach a real audience and let them know of updates to your blog.

There are no friends only followers

When you start using twitter you’ll quickly notice a followers and following counter. Think of followers as your friends.

What that can be confusing is getting used to @replies and direct messages (DM). Basically if you want to target what you say toward someone then you should start your message with @username. However, with this method everyone who is following will see your message.

DM are more discreet, they are only seen by the intended recipient. To send a direct message simply follow this follow this format: d username message.

How to grow your followers

This is what I have learned from observing successful tweeters (those that have a following of several thousands). They all have this in common in the way they tweet.

• They provide value: share links, quotes or any other valuable information and people will show an interest
• They tweet often: post often and regularly, but still provide value in some way (no one really wants to know that you’re making a cup of tea!)
• They ask and reply to questions – which in turn creates conversations

Resources

Here are some resources and reading that I found to be invaluable when I first stared out with twitter.

• Tweetdeck: a desktop client that will help you manage your tweets, replies and much more. Also check out this helpful tutorial,
• Mr. Tweet: Suggests followers, recommends you to others and gives usage stats
• Twitter search

Some helpful articles

• Twitip: Generally an excellent source of all things related to twitter – a must read for all twitter users. Try these to start.
• 17 ways you can use twitter: a guide for beginners marketers and business owners
• 5  stages of twitter metamorphosis

6 people you may want to follow when starting out

• @problogger: Blogger, Author, Social Media Participant. Get a peek behind the scenes with my Tweets
• @tferriss: The real Timothy Ferriss (not just blog RSS): author, vagabond, joker
• @guykawasaki: Online magazine editor
• @copyblogger: Copyblogger, Teaching Sells, DIY Themes, Lateral Action and sub-radar sites
• @TED2009: Breaking news and announcements from TED2009
• @nlptoolbox: wealth of easily understood techniques for positive change

You can also follow me on twitter @abhijat.

Have you any other resources, tips or people to follow for beginners. Share them with us in the comments.

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