Twitter for Business: Should Your Company Twitter?

Stay up-to-date about Twitter for Business:

TouchBase Blog ………. TouchBase Link Blog …….. @TouchBase follow both

Mainstream media attention to Twitter for Business:

• Brave New World of Digital Intimacy, New York Times Magazine
• CEO Guide to Microblogging, BusinessWeek (6-part Special Report)
• Four Ways Companies Use Microblogging, CIO Magazine
• Five Marketing Tips for Tackling Twitter, Steve Mulder
• How Twitter Can Help at Work – Shifting Careers – Small Business – New York Times Blog
• Anita Campbell at Inc.com on Why Business Bloggers are Twittering
• Why Twitter Matters by Stephen Baker, Businessweek May 15, 2008
• See how USAToday wrote about (and uses) Twitter
• New York Times and ABC News both covered Comcast’s Twitter use

Twitter for Business Blog Posts

• Chris Brogan’s 50 Ideas post is the kind of thing your company’s Twitterers should post on the wall as they get the hang of it: full of practical ideas, examples and humorous guidance on the hows and whys of doing it right. Stick around for the comments too, which are always worth a look at his site.
• Valeria Maltoni writes about three business reasons to Twitter: 1) potential channel presence, 2) try new ideas for feedback and 3) establishing a business voice and personality.
• Tara Hunt Tweeting for Companies 101
• Dawn Foster guide for brands and corporate identities
• UI on this Business Matters supplement is a tricky if your browser lags, but the content is solid
• @RogerBauer kept this slide deck very simple and directly addressed myths and obstacles.

There are also lots of great, practical tips online. Here are a few to start:

• Chris Brogan explains a practical, simple business use case: Listening for opportunities
• Jeremiah Owyang outlines a trajectory for the “Evolution of brands on Twitter”
• John Jantsch put together a free beginners’ guide to using Twitter for business
• Ann Handley talks about “7 ways marketers can use Twitter”
• Joel Postman “rules” for corporate presence on Twitter post highlights the importance of 1) legitimacy 2) real names 3) ability to respond meaningfully 4) protect consumers 5) list accounts on your website 6) be human 7) let regular employees participate
• Ellen Petry Leanse’s 8 Twitter tips for business series of posts is a solid guide 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8
• Valeria Maltoni asks “Is it time for corporations to get a Twitter presence
• Shara Karasic at Work.com offers her Guide to Twitter for business
• Rich Brooks on How to Use Twitter for Business
• @JordanLevy’s Twitter for Business flowgram
• @LeeOdden has some really interesting posts and did a “how do you use Twitter” poll

Twitter (twttr) was a kind of collaboration tool for the original business team. Speculation about its business utility isn’t new, but the buzz is certainly picking up.

From Pistachio Consulting