How To Use Twitter And Why You Should

Do you want to know how to use Twitter and why you should? In the March 28, 2011 issue of BBC News, Maggie Sheils wrote that Twitter membership was "around 200 million users." Just five months later on August 27, 2011, tweet-watching site Twopchart reports that Twitter membership is 363,194,117 million registered users. Assuming these numbers are accurate, that would mean an increase of some 163,194,117 million users in just five short months making Twitter's 363,194,117 million users more than the current projected U.S.A. population[1] of 311,967,403.

Interestingly, with a Twitter user increase by some 163,194,117 million users in a short span of five months, and a global population of 6,937,100,000[2], Twitter's eventual number of users is anyone's guess. One thing is for certain, however, and that is that Twitter users are increasing at a phenomenal rate. So, what is it about Twitter that attracts so many users?

Probably a great many things, but most likely it's because Twitter not only offers as a social media, micro-blogging site via its 140-character posts a readily accessible communication platform to a diverse group of users ranging from family members and friends who want to stay in touch; to politicians, celebrities, and others wanting to reach out to supporters, fans, and followers; and to others who want to do such things as organize clean-ups in riot hit areas of London; but also Twitter has intrinsic value as a marketing tool which increasing numbers of online marketers are utilizing to position themselves as experts in their respective niche; to brand themselves favorably so they can build a following; and to drive targeted traffic to the products and services they promote, so they can make money online.

Anyone can use Twitter and get followers. Just how many followers you can get is governed by such things as how interesting, educational, controversial, or provocative your message is. As an example of just how rapidly you can accumulate followers, consider the Twitter group 'RiotCleanup' (Clean up OUR Communities). Although a new group -- and despite London's police advising citizens to stay at home and off the streets - this group amazingly has tackled the task of organizing cleanup in London's worst hit riot areas and amassing, as of August 13, 2011, a huge following of over 84,224.

It's little wonder that Twitter users are so diversified and its growth so phenomenal when you consider that anyone in the U.S. or abroad with an email address can get started with Twitter right away. And signup is free and only takes a few minutes. Just go to Twitter.com and start filling out your profile to join. Include information about yourself, your interests, your website link, and your picture, so others can decide whether they want to follow you. When you've finished, click the submit button, go to your email provider and verify your subscription and you're ready to start posting.

Although it's permissible to use your real name or a pen name, your real picture or an avatar furnished by Twitter, as an online marketer desirous of building a favorable branding, you would need to use your real name and your own picture instead of an avatar.

After you make your initial 140-character post keep repeating this practice twice daily as your schedule permits. There are really no stringent posting requirements in order for you to achieve success. Some marketers get good results by posting three times daily -morning - noon - and evening and others by posting once daily or only occasionally.

Regardless of your number of postings, though, in your initials tweets or posts, refrain from posting promotional links until after you have accumulated some followers. Strive to keep your postings about informative things that will interest your target market.

Meanwhile, you will need to find followers, so you'll have someone to read your posts. Focus on finding people in your niche. While there are number of ways you can go about building your list of followers, here are three that are free to get you started:

1. Click on the Twitter Find People link and perform a single keyword or keyword phrase search related to your niche. When you locate potential followers with similar interests, click the follow link on as many as the system will allow. Wait a day or so to give them opportunity to follow you back. The ones who do not follow you, you can simply click the unfollow link. Keep repeating this process to build your list of followers.

2. Solicit followers by blogging about your Twitter profile, posting in forums via a forum signature that includes your Twitter link, and by mentioning it to your newsletter or email list if applicable.

3. After you accumulate followers in your niche, start following the people who are following them. You can achieve best results by following people who are actively posting on Twitter and have large followings.

As you start Twittering or posting interesting tips, quotes, advice, links to articles, and connecting with other Twitters, you'll notice that some of them will send automated messages to your email with a link to products or services they are promoting. This is a feature that you can use as well by going to sites like Twitter DMer and others you can find by doing a Google search.

From this, whether you are an online marketer, a politician, a celebrity, a family member, or a friend wanting to keep in touch with other family members or friends, or someone who simply has a message to get out, it should be easy for you to deduce the potential benefits offered freely by Twitter. So, if you haven't already signed up for Twitter, you may want to give it a try now. And if you are still maybe a little undecided, consider that 163,194,117 million Twitter users -- a number exceeding the U.S. population by 1.13 times -- would not be using Twitter unless it was providing them with benefits.

[1]census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html
[2]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population

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