twitter revolution

This is the second review on a book on twitter and so far the best book to buy especially when starting with twitter. If your like me and value a good book about a subject above websites this book is good. Nevertheless blog and websites about twitter are very good and more up to date. The way twitter is developing and gaining more and more participants it is hard to keep up to date on all the new widgets and gadgets for twitter.

One of the best blogs about twitter is TwiTip.com. For Dutch readers their is an excellent post by lifehacking.nl about twitter that will get you started.

The first part of the book is about social media and how to get started with twitter. After a guide how to get a twitter account chapter four is an important chapter about Ten Steps To Attract a Flood of Followers. This chapter is very good, wished I had read it before starting twitter, it saves you from some beginners pittfalls.

• If you’re not on twitter, join right away with a unique user name. Don’t use underscores for your twitter name, it make sit hard to type for followers and replies. If necessary blend your brand with your name, my brand name as blogger is DrShock
• Put a picture up immediately before following anyone. People want to network with people not with companies or barnds.
• Tweet a few things before you start following or looking for followers. Let them have something to read and an idea about what you’re going to tweet.
• Use an application to help you track and monitor the tweets coming at you. I use tweetdeck, it enables you to filter the tweets, search tweets and make groups. At first this seems a lot but est ashure you’re gone need it when having a lot of followers
• Get a tweeter app on your phone to start tweeting from the road.
• Bookmark twitter search on your desktop and mobile phone, search for your own user name this way you’ll know when they are tweeting about you.
• Make sure you use the replies tab. I hadn’t found it immediately. When you click on the replies tab you can see all the people talking to you and don’t ignore them, it gets you into conversations easily
• Use DM or direct messaging to connect to people
• Sign up for twitpic.com. You can use it to link to pictures in your tweets.
• Get a twitter badge code an use it on your website, blog e-mail etc.
• Make a landing page as about page and tell them why and how you’re using twitter, have a look at this twitter landing page as an example from DrShock

In the book they’re an additional 5 bonus tips.

Part two of the book starts with the topic of why companies need to be on twitter. These chapters are comparable to the other twitter book reviewed on this blog: Twitter Means Business. Important chapters in this part are the chapters about twitter apps, a collection of apps to enhance your twitter experience such as twitter desktop applications, mobile twitter applications, twitter file sharing applications and so on.The chapter on Glossary of Terms for Twitter is very useful in order to prevent becoming a twignoramus or tweeter who ignores common twetiquette. There is also a chapter on abbreviations used in twitter, how to say more with less, very convenient since you’re only allowed 140 characters in a tweet.

Part three in the book is mainly about marketing in order to position and brand yourself on twitter and other social networks. The book is accompanied by a blog: Twitterhandbook. The authors can be followed on twitter: @WarrenWhitlock and @CoachDeb.

If you’re searching for help because you’re drowning in tweets read a recent blog post on this blog: How to Survive Twitter. The author can be followed on tweeter: @DrShock