Twitter

I’ve admitted on more than one occasion that I tend to use Twitter in spurts, however I do recognize the power of the Tweet and always end up going back for more.  In recent weeks, I’ve had several friends follow me, and today when I went to check up on them, I discovered that the majority of them had posted one tweet right after setting up their account, and they haven’t been seen since.  The term that I’ve coined for this phenomena is the “Twit-and-Run“.

Apparently it’s not just me that has taken notice of these Twit and Runners:

It seems that while people are joining the micro-blogging site in droves, a whole lot of them don’t sticking around for long. A Nielsen Co. report released yesterday shows that 60% of Twitter users do not return to the microblogging site the next month. And for the 12 months prior to Oprah Winfrey joining Twitter this month with great media fanfare, the site had a retention rate of less than 30%.

Source:  Computerworld

So where exactly does the problem lie?  Are these the people that are simply following the fad of the day?

We’ve seen Ashton Kutcher go up against CNN to be the first to gain 1,000,000 Twitter Followers, and then the big announcement came down the wire that Oprah herself was joining Twitter ..  I have no doubts that Ashton will continue to utilize Twitter, as his wife (Demi Moore) is also a daily user and Ashton himself is a huge proponent for Social Media.  Oprah however, I’m not so sure.. yes, the tweets may continue, but will it be Oprah herself?  Or will it be a Harpo employee that quietly takes over @Oprah?  I guess time will tell — and, the celebrity side of things is big enough for it’s own post, so enough said ;)

For some of these Twit and Runners, I’m quite sure that they hear about the latest and greatest thing, sign up and say… “What The Heck?” and don’t give it another thought.  After all, how much can you really say in 140 characters or less, and .. what exactly is the point of these short messages?  Many people still don’t “get it”, and many never will – which is fine as that’s what social networks like Facebook and MySpace are for.

But for those who do fall into the Twitter Addict society, we know just what tweeting can do for us..

• Tweet about your latest sales or special offers
• Promote your newest product or service
• Follow your industry trends
• Discuss current events (many of which break on Twitter first!!)
• Ask for opinions or ideas
• Stay in touch with customers and clients
• Find joint venture partners
• follow your favorite sports teams, authors and celebrities
• discuss your favorite tv shows
• promote workshops or seminars
• promote your blog, vblog or podcast
• host or promote contests
• link to interesting content

The possibilities are truly endless … use your imagination!  One very cool idea I found recently was someone posting recipes in 140 characters or less .. check out http://www.twitter.com/cookbook.

I would love to hear how fellow Twitter Addicts utilize Twitter, and likewise, if you’re one of the many who Twit-And-Run.. what is it about Twitter that you don’t get, or don’t like?

Follow Me On Twitter!

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