Yesterday I went up to Birmingham to visit Paul Bradshaw and his online journalism class.
Knowing Paul’s area of expertise — social media, web 2.0 and how it all rolls up into one tasty journalism package — I was curious to see how he taught his craft.
Not that I doubted his abilities as a tutor or anything — more that sometimes I feel a lot of social media is unteachable. In the same way that if someone keeps insisting you watch a film, or listen to an album, you somehow start to get fed up of being told how to spend your leisure time.
You have to ignite a bit of interest.
Before I would come up with lots of philosophical ways of telling people why Twitter is the canine’s crackers (“You can connect with conversations and communities all over the world” …blergh), I’m beginning to think that maybe gimmick-y ideas are in fact better to at least get people started. If nothing else, a nice gimmick will remove the chore element of converting someone.
Twitter isn’t a gimmick, but gimmicks keep someone entertained. Allowing them to discover the real power of Twitter… engaging with like-minded— you get the picture. So here we go:
10 things to change your mind about Twitter
1. You’ll know about stuff before everyone else does. There’s nothing quite like breaking news, is there? BreakingNewsOn is so quick it makes you wonder if they’re not watching our every move. Scary.
2. You can use it to find out what people think… about anything. Are you a PR? Search for your clients products and see how they’re getting on. If you represent Nike, it may be motivating to know that people generally like your brand. If people hate your product, maybe you can’t afford to ignore them.
3. You can find people who like what you do. Got a hobby? Find others that have that hobby too. That not good enough for you? Find people with your hobby… near where you live.
4. You can use it to get help. Technical problem? Tweet it. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll get an answer.
5. It can transform your career. Think of five places you’d like to work. And then think of the people who have the power to make that happen. Wouldn’t you love to get them in a room to hear what you have to say? Well hurry up — follow them and get talking. It works.
6. You can campaign for good. Yes, it’s a bit cheesy, but Twitter is fast becoming the most effective word-of-mouth tool in the world. With one simple ‘re-tweet’ (that’s someone copying your message), your ideas could be exposed to thousands. How about @twitchhiker, going around the world using Twitter contacts and very little else. Or TwitterTitters, using Twitter to create a funny book for Comic Relief?
7. You can talk directly to people in power. You know what’s annoying? Wheelie bins. Bloody, rubbish, smelly wheelie bins. If I lived in West Bromwich I’d be able to have right old whinge about it to Tom Watson, the local MP. He’d probably reply too — all without the need for tiresome official channels that are generally a pain. Not all MPs are on Twitter, but the number is growing steadily. Get stuck in.
8. You can read stuff you’d never normally have found. This is a tricky one to explain, but you know how you’re chatting with your friends, and they say something like “Oh, I saw this on YouTube the other day” or “Did you see that screamer scored by Aberdeen at the weekend?”… well, with just a little URL they can share their delight with you. Don’t underestimate how useful this is. Especially when someone sends you a website that allows you to place a rasher of bacon over a webpage.
9. You can use it to save heaps of time. “I haven’t got time to Twitter!” you say? “Madness!” say I. Harness your Twitter friends to help you out. “Where can I find a wi-fi pub around here?”… you’ll get an answer. “I need a restuarant for Friday night in Oxford”… you’ll get a personal recommendation in minutes — rather than having to spend ages looking online for a decent place and then not really knowing until you get there. Timewaster? No chance!
10. MC Hammer is on there. Can’t touch this.
So there we have it. And while you may think I stuck ol’ MC Hammer in there for a laugh, it’s actually quite an important point. Sometimes it’s that little piece of novelty that will tip someone over the edge — curiousity is enough to start the Twitter-ball rolling.
This is by no means a top ten of uses for Twitter. No way. It’s instead a list of things you can shove in the direction of anyone that says: “Twitter? Pathetic. Why would I want to know what Jonathan Ross is having for lunch?”
useful stuff here but I think I am starting to win the battle about the value of twitter @TeessideUni Seeing the SU tomorrow. your tips can only help convince the non-twittering classes…
Hi Dave, I think the points you make are just as relevant for a lot of people, whatever stage they are in of their career and whatever business they’re in. Thank you for mentioning our Twitter collaboration to raise money for Red Nose Day, I’ve just blogged about this and have also noted the fantastic work made possible through Twitter by Our Man in Cameroon: http://ourmanincameroon.com/2009/02/16/vso-blogs-twitter-flickr/
Linda’s last blog post..So in a list of 10 reasons to join Twitter, we’re at number six!
I’m one of the sceptics who still needs to be convinced. I’m giving it a go and won’t bail out too soon – though I almost did the other day.
One of the arguments I see mentioned most by the pro-Twitterers is that it’s great for making professional contacts. But this only works if the people you want to link up with have a mutual interest and reciprocate. Other social networking sites seem to be far better at facilitating this, imho.
The one really amazing thing I’ve seen happen is the speed at which TwitterTitters mobilised.
You make some valid points and I’m listening, but, really, *why* would I want to know what Jonathan Ross is having for lunch?
Hi Dave
I am fairly new to this twitter lark and found your article and the links very useful. Thanks for that.
Helen
Good blog – I regularly meet folk who seem set against using Twitter (almost on principle!?).
Appreciating the risk of becoming the one-eyed king in the land of the blind, I am presenting on the subject of “social media and your business” to a Business Breakfast at 7am tomorrow…
Your top 10 list is very helpful (ok, I might stop at number 9!).
Ed Hart’s last blog post..What do you know?
Fantastic post. I’ve used Twitter for 1-9 myself,but I don’t follow MC Hammer – or know what Jonathan Ross has for lunch – but I could if I wanted to.
Dougalfish’s last blog post..Erm, where did January go?
Hi Dave,
Great information here! I’m really impressed with the attitude toward Twitter that this blog displays. Twitter is a great tool if it’s use correctly and what you are teaching is spot on in my book! Cheers!
Rex Harris’s last blog post..How to use the social networks to build your home based business
Hi Dave lee,
Nice and great information. It’s useful information to me and links also. Twitter is a fantastic tool. Thanks for sharing………
Hi Dave,
I’ve been considering starting up on Twitter for a while, and you’ve managed to convince me to take the plunge. I must admit when I first heard about it I thought it sounded like a glorified Facebook status but I think I must concede it is very much catching on.
John Rooney’s last blog post..When is a Journalist not a Journalist? When he’s a Barman
Interesting points and could be a very useful tool (fot non-twitter users) but unfortunetaly 99% of twitter users don’t do that kind of things.
Twitter seems to be like Big Brother… or make me feel I’m part of a big Borg community.
No thanks… I won’t grow attached to it.
playing football is far more fun. or fishing. or even talking to a mate down the pub. it maybe good for a few people who love IT stuff in general, but I don’t think it will catch on as a major social force…it’s just too boring.
See, BreakingNewsOn doesn’t do it for me as it’s news from too many places – though it would save me looking at the BBC site as often if I used it
Craig McGill’s last blog post..A look at the newspaper/media of 2028 (from 1998) by Pat Kane
Mmmmm. I agree that football is more fun, but my main concern is that Twittering is a self-selecting group. You run the risk of getting too involved to the exclusion of other realities like, dare I say it, talking to people and visiting them.
Like blogging, the most active and the most dedicated direct the conversations, but are they the ones with the most relevent things to say?
William Knight’s last blog post..Editors don’t reply to submissions
Who is jonathan ross?
Sent my first tweet today. Now I just have to see if Bell (I’m in Canada, and it’s the only carrier that will receive twitter) has a plan that I like.
Does anyone know how to circumvent that? Like for example a way to forward SMS?
I opened twitter account a couple of months ago. Just to understand the system. I have not made a single tweet yet, just commented a couple. The interesting thing is that dozens of people that I do not know anything about have requested to follow me.
What an earth for? There is nothing to follow and I am sure that they will never check any of my tweets even if I write them, because surely if they had, they would have seen that I am not active. Do they think that I start to follow them reciprocally? They need more followers? This makes me think that there is a lot of ego pushing here too.
I mean it seems that I soon get 100 followers by having done absolutely nothing in my Twitter account.
For some twitter is perhaps useful tool to achieve something, but I am sure of one thing: Twitter is about as much fun as watching paint dry.
Twitter is the biggest waste of time imaginable. My god, why the hell would I want to log in and tell the world I just scratched my arse.
“wow”