The Power of Twitter - To Tweet or Not Tweet

With so many people on Twitter, I often wonder why is this the new thing. I can't lie, I have an account, I tweet...but why do I do it? I rarely remember to do it, I follow celebrities like Ellen and Kevin Spacy while also following fellow MAMers and DC arts organizations. The catch is - do I get anything out of this.

I think those who are active do, but it really depends on what you want. Some tv shows offer behind the scenes exclusives on Twitter, Arts groups offer discount tickets etc...but if you have 100 friends - do you ever see these?

If you ever go on Facebook you'll notice the "minutae" details of your friend's lives...tweeting is the same...do we really want to know all this.

So let's break it down:

Pros:
1. Connection to those you don't see
2. Exclusive offers and discounts
3. Sense of Community and connectivity to those we don't see/know (Celebrities)
4. Quick and easy access to news
5. It's easy - if you have Tweet Deck of HootSuite you can filter out the "nonsense"

Cons:
1. Do you really want to know everything about everyone?
2. You have to "want to tweet" to remember and it requires time for organizations
3. It can become annoying.

So when do you not Tweet as an artist/arts organization:
First, if you have a purpose to Tweet - then Tweet...but if you don't put the phone away. Don't just join Twitter b/c it's the new "in thing."

Second, think about why you wnat to use Twitter? Can it help you drive your message to a wider audience or would a blog, podcast, video stream etc do this just as effective or even better? Twitter can help you increase your stats, it can drawn people to your site - but you have to utilize it. As mentioned above you might be able to offer exclusive deals that will draw people into your crowd.

In order to do this you must have a clear "Tweet" plan and follow it.

Finally does your organization/yourself have time to Tweet? Social Media is about connecting and that means spending time Tweeting (and tweeting right). I read on a blog the recommended amount is 5 minutes three times a day, five days a week. Do you have the staff to do this?

Twitter is a real time application, things are constantly happening and changing, so you also have to keep track of your account on a daily basis. You must respond, re-tweet, etc if you want to make an impact. Just look at how much tweeting those you follow do...you notice those who are always on.

If you don't tweet then people loose interest in following you.


Neilson Blog stated only 40% of people that join this month will continue to post next month the rest become "Twitter quiters."

So think about tweeting before you jump on the band wagon and contimplate if you really have what it takes to become a true "Tweeter!" Make sure you have a plan, have time, and have something real to say.
- Lesley