I love talking about
Twitter with others. Why? Because it's fun. It's even hard not to crack at least a little smile when you say, "Twitter" or "Tweet". Go ahead, try it. Go ahead. I'll wait . . . See. Wasn't that fun? Ok, now stop because you look silly. Anyway, so let's take a look at what this 'Follow Me", "Tweeting", and whatnot stuff is all about.
First of all, if you're confused as to what
Twitter really is and why it's beneficial . . . you're not alone. If you were to use the service solely at it's base level (send and receive Tweets from others), you could probably best describe it as 'text messaging on a lot of steroids'. The more people you 'follow' on the service the more you would see this steady stream of widely varying 140-character messages (a 'Tweet') and possibly with links to various things like articles, photos, videos, etc. It would be a jumbled mess. But when you look into it further and start organizing those tweets into targeted searches (i.e. '
Palm Coast', '
Flagler County'), it's a 'perfect mess'. Now you start seeing things in your area that might have gone unnoticed. Or you can create targeted lists for groups of 'Tweeters' in an area or about a topic. Here are some lists I created to get you started or if you'd just like to find some more Tweeters out there:
- Palm Coast List - A list of 65 different Tweeters in the area including
- Follow Ky List - If you're wondering where Ky Ekinci (owner of Office Divvy) is? This list will help you as he updates his location around town. Haven't found out yet if there is a prize or not for finding him. Also a great way for his wife @LisaFLA to insure he's not goofing off somewhere.
- Barnes and Noble List - This highlights various tweets from Barnes and Noble's Twitter Accounts
- Google - I love Google and they have a bunch of targeted Twitter accounts which update different news about their many services
If you click on the
Palm Coast List link above you'll see a sample of who uses Twitter in the area. You can also check out a service called
Twitter Grader for Palm Coast to see who is most active. But has it been beneficial for them? Well, I can tell you I probably would never have met Ky and not be even posting this article on here if it were not for Twitter. I met him through Twitter. Well, actually I stalked him on the 'Follow Ky' list above using a mobile device and he got tired of me always being there. So he gave me something to do. Just kidding . . . kinda.
@OfficeDivvy (who offer local flex office space and Social Media consulting services) says, "We've met great, progressive people, great minds. Drove new business, created brand-awareness locally & nationally thanks to Twitter."
@HeyLaurenMack (local writer, Lauren, and contributor) shares, "Twitter finds the nice line between personal and industry and creates an environment where you can find your creativity matched" (
from her blog).
@RoyallD (local photographer, David Royall) finds Twitter great for getting "much of my news thru Tweets from people and organizations I follow."
@PalmCoastHomes (local Realtor, Kathleen West) has found it great for "building brand awareness, sharing Real Estate news, and even advertising properties for sale."
@AskPalmCoast, is a great example of individuals who have found social networking such as Twitter to be a significant part of their jobs.
She utilizes
"Twitter to benefit others and to make Palm Coast visible." Here's some other Palm Coast/Flagler County Tweeters to note:
- @PalmCoastJulie - She's on a mission discovering the hidden gems and things to do in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Produces videos that gets published on her Facebook channel: http://facebook.com/PalmCoastJulie
- @FlaglerChamber1 - The official twitter feed of the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce and their affiliates in Palm Coast, Bunnell, and Flagler Beach.
- @ PalmCoastReal - The original Palm Coast Real Estate company, originating multiple communities and putting Palm Coast on the map.
- @FlaglerSchools - The official Twitter feed of the Flagler County School District
- @NightHawkSolar - A Palm Coast based company with a propriety portable solar light product with over 100 uses.
- @VividScope - A premier provider of early learning programs in the Town Center at Palm Coast, owned by a progressive, passionate woman entrepreneur and educator.
- @EuropeanVillage - Terrific destination in Palm Coast, with a unique courtyard surrounded by shops, restaurants, bars, a cigar lounge, offices and more.
- @PhilChanfrau - A unique Palm Coast Personal Injury Attorney with years of experience and name recognition in Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. He tweets, blogs, is a foodie, and an all around real person!
- @CoachYonta - A Psychotherapist, Life Coach, and Personal Trainer --all in one! With offices in Port Orange and Palm Coast, he's a good person to follow!
- @GiftsAndGraces - A Palm Coast Hidden Gem! A super hip Gift Shop not only in Flagler County, but probably in the entire Central and Northern Florida.
- @NancyNally - Publisher of highly successful industry publication, ScrapbookUpdate.com --company based in Palm Coast but with national audience nationwide.
- @RinekHomes - One of the most progressive custom-builders in Palm Coast, led by Charles Rinek, specializing in smart and luxury living.
There are a variety of ways to use Twitter for both personal and professional use. Our own School District is using Twitter to keep parents informed and linking to information update. Mobile use through devices such as iPhone, Droid Phones, etc. have great applications as they allow users to share things likevideo, photos, and/or mapping of things going on where they are.
Click here for a list of books on the subject. So how are you using Twitter and what benefits have you found?
