A lot of good things have been written about Twitter. It helps to get your blog found, aids in social networking, expands your branding power, etc.

It’s also written that Twitter is another time consuming social networking tool.

Today’s Lesson

I haven’t joined Twitter yet. In fact, I’m rather hesitant about joining.

Here’s my thoughts. I join Twitter and start following a few bloggers and they follow me. Soon, my Twitter community starts to expand. My followers are going to be tweeting me (forgive me if I get the language wrong), maybe asking questions, etc.

If I didn’t answer a person’s question in a timely fashion, would they stop following me?

Would a lack of participation on Twitter affect my reputation in blogosphere?

Although my online presence might increase, would the time spent on Twitter be better spent on my blog, or visiting other blogs?

What if I were to get addicted to Twitter?

What do you think?

Today’s Assignment

If you’re on Twitter, what are its advantages and disadvantages?

When you sign onto to Twitter, it asks “What are you doing?” Do you really care what other bloggers are doing? Or is Twitter another numbers game?

Do you find you’re becoming addicted to Twitter?

If you haven’t joined Twitter yet, what’s stopping you?

I’m looking forward to your answers on this one. They’ll determine whether I join Twitter, or not.

.


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Look Who's Talking
  1. Joanna YoungNo Gravatar says:

    Barbara, Twitter is something of an acquired taste and I think we all go through times of thinking it’s the most ridiculous thing ever invented. Also that it’s the best thing ever invented. And I know it doesn’t really help much but the only way to ‘get’ Twitter is to get into it.

    The question ‘what are you doing?’ is actually misleading. Most people disregard it and talk about what they’re reading, working on, planning for dinner, dreaming about, stuck on, learning about, need help with.

    Even though we love and respect the work you do you’ll find you’re asking as many questions as you are being asked. It doesn’t turn into a deficit at all. I’ve gained a lot – of knowledge, ideas, links – from being on Twitter.

    It is time consuming but if you’re smart you can use it to cut down on other time drains. Some people say their e-mail has gone down a lot as information is exchanged on Twitter. Others stop following RSS feeds & just pick up interesting blogs from those that are linked to on Twitter.

    I’d say if you’re interested in social media and developing you need to get on Twitter and see what it’s all about.

    If you want to follow me when you get there I’m @joannayoung 🙂

    Joanna Young´s last blog post..When Good Advice Goes Out the Window: Down The Writing Rabbit Hole

  2. RobinNo Gravatar says:

    haha – I’ve just started using it, after joining earlier in the year and doing nothing with it. I’ve actually written things like “I’m going to bed now”, but I’m just experimenting. I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would – which I think is important for blogging intuitively. Must go and look at it now! c u

    Robin´s last blog post..An Unusual Experiment

  3. Cath LawsonNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Barb – Like Joanna says – few folk talk about the mundane things they’re doing. I often use it to share great things I’ve read. And I tweet some of my own posts but not all.

    To avoid addiction – I don’t have it switched on all the time. Saturdays are my favourite day to log on.

    Re – your reputation in blogosphere, I don’t know. I think the biggest problem, you might find is that because you teach blogging and many bloggers are so involved in social media; you may wind up with a knowledge gap if you don’t get involved.

    Then again – I don’t notice folk like Steve Pavlina being involved in social media much – although I may be wrong. Personally I want to concentrate on SEO more, before joining anything else.

    Robert Scoble said he is finding friendfeed a better tool than blogging for building relationships and twitter comes after that. I’m not a member of friendfeed yet. At the rate I learn these things – I feel like I’m at least a year behind everyone else.

    Cath Lawson´s last blog post..Does Your Business Really Understand People?

  4. NaturalNo Gravatar says:

    I use Twitter for fun, it’s just chatter to me, background noise. Surprisingly fun to know what people are doing. I thought it was kinda crazy at first. No I don’t care what other bloggers are doing, I like reading Tweets from what people are doing. I overlook anyone who just blogs about their blog or their business, Twitter is my break to listen in on a few conversations. I don’t care about the numbers, I keep my list low and my tweets are private. I only have 31 followers and I only follow 31 people. Addictive, no, fun yes. I open Twitter only when I’m sitting at my computer doing other work, I don’t sit down just to Tweet. If people unfollow you, no problem…you could unfollow them back or if you like on sided conversations, then do nothing.

    Do you want to join Twitter to advertise your blog or is it more personal, just to chat?

    Natural´s last blog post..Being Human In the Age of the Electronic Mob

  5. Ulla HennigNo Gravatar says:

    Barbara,
    I am on Twitter too and I can only support what Joanna says. It is a mixture: you can have a friendly chat with somebody, or learn the newest posts on the blogosphere, or get new ideas. I enjoy it very much.

    Ulla Hennig´s last blog post..Winter in Berlin

  6. Avani-MehtaNo Gravatar says:

    Hey Barbara,

    I don’t get twitter at all! Maybe I am supposed to spend a good amount of time to connect and start enjoying.

    Avani-Mehta´s last blog post..Top 8 Motivation Hacks – #4

  7. Hi Barbara – I purposely limit the amount of time I’m on Twitter. It’s like instant messaging on steroids, especially if you’re following a lot of prolific people. I am very concerned that it would be a time-suck for me because I know myself so well. 😀

    Twitter is an interesting information exchange and I believe it’s beneficial to a blogger if a tweet about them goes viral in any fashion. I like tweeting about things that I’ve found interesting or to help friends out with a new launch, post or project, too. I think it has its place in a social media strategy, as Chris Brogan has recommended. When you sign on, grab me as a follow and I’ll follow you back. 🙂

    Betsy and Pete´s last blog post..TENACITY

  8. UrbanVoxNo Gravatar says:

    hehehe I am a twitter addict…
    it has actually become the most active part of my blog now and I usually call a lot of attention to it in my posts.
    On the run new where and as they happen… And if you have mobile 3G (e.g. IPhone, Blackberry, etc)it makes the experience a lot easier allowing you to switch on or off it at will and making easier to respond on the go…
    I find myself quite glued to it sometimes… it is interesting to know what others are doing at the moment… every human being has that voyeuristic tendency really… some hide it best others not at all…
    It also helps me recording ideas for new posts and advertising when I have new post up calling attention to the blog.
    The negative side is that if you become addicted to it it is VERY difficult to switch off…
    Example? Well… I just came back from holidays… me and my wife are both twitter users and we both twittered the whole trip… step by step…
    the positive: Twitter users actually helped us getting back to the road and the right way one time we took the wrong junction on the way back… hehehehe

    UrbanVox´s last blog post..let it snow, let it snow let it… hey… where did it go???

  9. Al at 7PNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Barbara – I tried Twitter at first and didn’t see the value in it, but as I start to see more and more mainstream media talk about Twitter, I think I might have to give it a try again. I’m curious to see more responses from others in this thread.

    Al at 7P´s last blog post..Guest Post at Write to Done

  10. ru4real?No Gravatar says:

    I’ve heard a few people who thought Twitter has been a very useful tool … but even they admit that it is a big time investment. I keep thinking about your interview with Lorella … all those little pieces have chipped away at her real life, even creeping in and taking over her early morning quiet time. It’s definately not worth it to me.

    ru4real?´s last blog post..7 Super Helpful Bible Study Tools

  11. I’m a reluctant Twitter user. It really helps to get a Twitter client like Twhirl so you don’t have to have another window open.

    I use Twitter the way I prefer others use Twitter – to let me know about something of value on this big thing we call the web. For example, Cath Lawson just Tweeted about a post over at Men with Pens. Even though I subscribe, I might have missed that post.

    When someone is Tweeting about the mundane – I tend to “tune” them out – and sometimes will quit following them.

    I guess I follow the golden rule when tweeting – tweet unto others as you would have them tweet unto you.

    Kathy @ Virtual Impax´s last blog post..When You Hear Hemp, Do you Think “Rope” or “Dope”?

  12. LarryNo Gravatar says:

    dropped in from Commentluv —
    am glad to see that someone else is not all-atwitter either — haven’t really figured out what the benefit would be for me. Will check back and read more of the comments here pro and con.

    Larry´s last blog post..Today I began a new journey

  13. Writer DadNo Gravatar says:

    Betsy said it well – IM on steroids indeed. I flutter in and out of Twitter. I’m never on it more than a dozen times a day, and go several days in between bouts. If you enjoy your moments, it’s a useful tool, just don’t let it consume or dictate.

    Writer Dad´s last blog post..Happy Birthday, Pop

  14. Mike GoadNo Gravatar says:

    I tried internet “chat” when I first got online over ten years ago. It was addictive and distracting.

    I tried IM for a time when it first came out. It was very distracting, but I didn’t stay with it long enough to become addicted to it.

    I looked at Twitter shortly after it came out. There was no attraction for me. Despite all of the raving over it by others, there still isn’t.

    I don’t feel the need to be connected all of the time.

    Different drummer and all that, I guess.

    Mike Goad´s last blog post..Gas Lit Headlamp

  15. LanceNo Gravatar says:

    I recently joined the world of twitter. It was weird and strange at first. Now, I pop in occassionally – and put something up there – or reply to someone. It is fun to check in and see what people are up to. Then again, you can get sucked in and lose large amounts of time…

    You bring up some good points Barbara – where is our time best spent? What are we looking to get out a particular social media application? Does not participating have any detrimental effects? Lots to think about…

    Lance´s last blog post..Ask…And You Shall Receive

  16. NeilNo Gravatar says:

    I have a twitter account, mainly because when I was researching blogging it was suggested in multiple area’s to set up an account. All my posts are set to ‘Tweet’ and when I occassionaly change my facebook status it sends a ‘Tweet’. Otherwise, I don’t use Twitter. Between visiting other blogs, participating in some forums and other blogging sites I don’t have time to use Twitter. Perhaps I’m missing something, but I see Twitter as being a great way to waste a lot of time. I’m already good at wasting time, I don’t need another outlet.

    Neil´s last blog post..Make Saving Automatic

  17. Linda AbbitNo Gravatar says:

    Hi,

    I use Twitter a little bit. It can be a time suck, definitely, but a very fun one! You’ll have to test drive it to see if it’s for you, Barbara. Relationships (personal or business) can definitely be started and cultivated there, but again, it’s the time issue.

    Linda Abbit´s last blog post..Funny Fridays: Because It’s Better to Laugh than to Cry!

  18. I’m signed up with Twitter.

    I barely ever use it. I would assume that very popular bloggers who use it do not respond to anywhere near every tweet that receive. I Don’t think people would hold it against you if you, likewise – followed suit.

    I’d argue a downside of twitter though. Aren’t there more effective ways to market yourself? Does twitter give us much bang for the buck? Of course – if you enjoy it for its own sake, why not…

    Personally, it just hasn’t resonated with me. Of course, I could change my mind in the future.

  19. Hi Barbara: I’m an “on again, off again” Twitter user. I mostly don’t find it that interesting or helpful, though I love to see posts by people I love (like Linda!) just to see what’s up with them.

    A surprising number of people post about what they’re having for dinner, or their stuffy noses (really!!) or what’s on TV, and I don’t see much value in that.

    Other people clearly use it as a marketing/sales tool with links to their sites in every post.

    I say, give it a try. I would always enjoy seeing what you’re up to!
    Ann

    Vintage Mommy´s last blog post..Mommy Moment or Senior Moment II

  20. Barbara,

    I have to admit, I have never checked out Twitter. I see it reference ALL the time, but I just can’t bring my addiction to the computer to the next level. I have noticed since I began discovering the internet, playing online games, doing email, MySpace, blogging, I have stopped doing other things that I need to do in my life. Sure, I leave the computer, watch a little bit of a show, clean a little, try to go for a walk, do some work, but I always end up back at the computer within a half an hour. The only way to escape is to leave the house. I really have to learn to prioritize my time and I feel like Twitter would make that even more difficult. I notice that blogging has taken away from my MySpace time. I don’t find it as interesting as I do blogging now. MySpace was more for expressing myself with pictures, music, etc., not for building social networking relationships. Lastly, I don’t know how I feel about putting even more personal information about myself out in cyberspace. There comes a point where you have to leave a little mystery. So, I think I will take a back seat right now and just try to juggle what is on my plate already.

    Jennifer (Danifer)´s last blog post..Baby Bump? Are You Kidding Me?

  21. I’m on Twitter. I’m not very involved because of time limitation so maybe I’m missing out on something, but I don’t really get the people that rave about it.

  22. I use twitter for fun, announcing my new posts, sharing links and that stuff, and about finding information and new websites. Twiter for me has became an alternative to stumble upon spam 😉

  23. JannieNo Gravatar says:

    Oh Barbara, I like you even more than ever now because I am not a Twitterer either. (Thought I was the only one.) I did sign up for an account and have had a couple of requests from “friends” but I keep shying away from the whole idea because I just don’t know if it’s a Truly Meaningful Activity for me. I’m sorry y’all. To me so far the idea seems like more of a distraction.

    Yes, I may change my mind down the road – Lord knows it took me long enough to get used to the idea of e-mail. And the internet in general.

    I will be really really interested to come back here in 2 days and read through all the comments, maybe somebody will make me change my mind. Or at least enlighten me.

    Great question! Thanks.

    Jannie´s last blog post..Why do you blog?

  24. LindaNo Gravatar says:

    Twitter is exactly IM on steriods. It will also give you traffic to your site. You do not have to participate. I have my posts auto updated to it and check out the folks who want me to follow them before I do. I find it to be part of the social media circle that is out there along with blogcatalogue, spiceypage, posipeople, startupbiz, mybloglogs, etc. If you are tapped in, then folks will find you. So why not try it and just watch for a while.

    Linda´s last blog post..America’s Power

  25. MarelisaNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Barbara: I’m having fun with twitter right now, but I want to create a strategy for myself instead of just doing ad lib twittering 🙂 Whenever I ask a question on twitter I always get a response, and I’ve found some great links by following the links others twitter about. It also helps me keep up to date on things I might have missed.

    Marelisa´s last blog post..55 Things To be Grateful For

  26. melanieNo Gravatar says:

    I didnt get twitter. I thought I was pretty “net” savvy until I joined twitter and I just couldnt see how it all worked. I felt like I was spying on other peoples conversations and a lot of the time they didnt make sense. Maybe I should give it another go.

    melanie´s last blog post..Fantastic Friday – reflections of a working stay at home mum

  27. DavinaNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Barbara. I haven’t joined Twitter, but I plan to… eventually. I want to find out what it’s all about. Right now I have other priorities and I suspect I could quite easily get swallowed up in Twitter for the first while. Maybe I’ll wait for a holiday break and go twittering 🙂

    Davina´s last blog post..Small Steps To Empower Your Attitude

  28. Barbara SwaffordNo Gravatar says:

    HI Joanna – I like how you said Twitter can reduce time spent on emails and possibly following RSS feeds. Currently I haven’t had a lot of time for my feeds, so that makes it sound hopeful.

    Hi Robin – I’ll be curious to know what you think of Twitter now that you’re back on it.

    Hi Catherine – I hear you about the knowledge gap with social networking becoming a big part of blogging. Like you, I know Steve Pavlina didn’t get involved in Twitter until very recently, and he has done phenomenal for himself.

    Hi Natural – I’m still thinking “why” I would want to join Twitter. Getting more exposure for my blog would be great, and socializing is fun, too. My biggest concern is the time element.

    Hi Ulla – I like the idea of learning of new ideas or posts that I might not otherwise find out about.

    Hi Avani – Ah ha. Another non-Twitterer.

    Hi Betsy – It sounds like setting a time limit for Twitter would be a good idea as we all know how an hour can pass and we don’t even realize it.

    Hi UrbanVox – I know I wouldn’t use Twitter on a cell phone or mobile device as I rarely use my cell phone now. It certainly helped you and your wife when you took the wrong turn, though.

    Hi Al – Like you, I’m enjoying reading the comments.

    Hi Ru4real – Exactly. Each new thing we add to our blogging activities does chip away at our time and real life.

    Hi Kathy – I’ve heard of Twhirl and supposedly that makes things easier?

    Hi Larry – Welcome to the BWAB community. Like you, I’m weighing the pros and cons.

    Hi Writer Dad – Wise words; “don’t let it consume or dictate”.

    Hi Mike – Like you, I’m wondering if I need to be “connected” any more than I am now. Hmmmmm.

    Hi Lance – Yes, there is lots to think about. And that’s what I keep doing.

    Hi Neil – Wasting time is very easy to do. Like you, I, too, have days where I wonder where the day went.

    Hi Linda – Yes, that time issue, again. Something we’re all striving to find more of.

    Hi Bamboo – Good question. Is Twitter a good way to market ourselves or is there a better way of doing it?

    Hi Ann – I agree, reading what someone is having for dinner wouldn’t have much value – unless they’re sharing a great recipe, which I doubt could be done in 140 characters.

    Hi Jennifer – Good point. Do we want to add to the amount of information we already have about ourselves online?

    Hi Vered – From reading the other comments, Twitter does take up time. Like you, I don’t have a lot of extra time in my day.

    Hi Miguel – It’s funny you should mention StumbleUpon as of all of the social sites, that’s my favorite.

    Hi Jannie – The comments thus far have been enlightening, but like you, I don’t know if I’m “sold” yet.

    Hi Linda – Oh my gosh, you’ve listed other social sites I’ve never heard of. I must be living under a rock 😆

    Hi Marelia – That’s good to know you always get an answer to the questions you ask on Twitter. That makes it a good resource.

    Hi Melanie – I’ve seen some of the conversations and with only seeing half of the conversation, like you said, they often don’t make sense.

    Hi Davina – I hear you. The holidays are swallowing up a lot of my time too. Might joining Twitter be a good New Years resolution?

  29. TracyNo Gravatar says:

    I’m on Twitter, I’m finding it useful and fun. I try to look at it more like a coffee shop where I’m a regular. I can drift in and out all day. I can get a quick cup to go or stay and chat. It depends on my mood and time constraints on that day.

    You do have to be good at filtering out the background noise and realizing you can’t be involved in every conversation – it’s not even the goal.

    Tracy´s last blog post..Twitter Weekly Updates for 2008-11-22

  30. TracyNo Gravatar says:

    I will admit that I use Twitter a lot from my iPhone. At first, it was easy to get too absorbed and tune out the world around me, but now that the novelty value is gone, I can do it for five minutes here and there without getting sucked in. Unlike IM which really is a time suck for me!

  31. I just signed up for the first time a couple of days ago and I am very slowly entering the water. Too soon to tell. But I’m not afraid of others expectations. I already don’t post frequently enough on my blog. 🙂 At least according to others. 🙂

    To each his own!

    Tom Volkar/ Delightful Work´s last blog post..An Authentic Approach to Making More Money

  32. I’m with you on this one Barbara. I already have a full plate on my to-do list. One thing that worries me which you asked but haven’t received too many answers to is what if you sign up and kind of come and go. Could that hurt your reputation?

    I guess the only real way to find out is to give it a try. I’d say if it’s not something you really enjoy, find something else.

    John Hoff – eVentureBiz´s last blog post..Do You Have A SEO Question?

  33. Dr. CasonNo Gravatar says:

    I used to use twitter but found that infiltrated my life, my work and I couldn’t control it.

    I’m so relieved now that I am not on.

    Really.

    Dr. Cason´s last blog post..Macro Monday at Lisa’s Chaos and The Daily Focal Point Challenge

  34. I have never tried Twitter, and I don’t want to start. I already have a compulsion to check my email every so often, I’m afraid Twitter will just compound my feeling of techno-addiction. 🙂

    I feel the same way about Facebook.

    Jewel/Pink Ink´s last blog post..Calling All Freuds

  35. I recently joined Twitter but I am struggling to see the value in it, especially since I already have updates on my mood/status on two other social networking sites, and I get updated on the bloggers I follow via other methods.

    The other thing that makes me wonder about its value for me is that most of the people following me seem to be flogging their online services and I’m sure they really couldn’t care less about what I’m doing and the feeling is mutual. I need to convert some of my real friends to it, methinks….

  36. I use Twitter, but not as much as I might. Being in Spain with most of my followers/followings in North America, my tweets land in a dead time and so the conversations don’t happen.

    I’ve taken to lurking and responding to others more than adding my own tweets.

    Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome´s last blog post..Breaking Free of Fear-Inspired Paralysis: Amy Derby Interview

  37. Barbara SwaffordNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Tracy – It sounds like Twitter is working well for you. I like the comparison of it being like a coffee shop where you can grab a quick cup and go, or stay and chat.

    Hi Tom – It will be interesting to hear what you think, and if Twitter will help your business.

    Hi John – You’re right. The reputation issue has not been addressed. That’s something I do worry about if others became dependent on me for answers and I just quit.

    Hi Dr. Cason – Wow! I appreciate your honest answer. If that happened to me, I’d have to do the same.

    Hi Jewel – Isn’t it interesting how we can get so easily addicted to technology? I know I’m addicted to blogging, and don’t know if I need to add more to my plate.

    Hi Frisky Librarian – I thought maybe you had switched your blog too, but I see you’re still writing for Gleeful. 🙂 Your point about (some) others only pushing their latest work/services is valid. That would almost make it spammy. Can you tell them you don’t want to be in their “following” – like, can you opt out?

    Hi Alex – The time change could affect the effectiveness of Twitter a great deal. I hadn’t really thought of that with Twitter, but I know it makes a difference with blogging.

  38. DavinaNo Gravatar says:

    Hi again Barbara. Nope, no New Year’s Resolutions for me. The last resolution I made was to never make them again. And I’ve kept it 🙂

    Davina´s last blog post..Small Steps To Empower Your Attitude

  39. Barbara SwaffordNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Davina – That’s what I call a great New Year’s resolution. 🙂

  40. I signed up with Twitter may be a few months ago but started using it only last month. In fact, even if Twitter shuts down their operations tomorrow, nothing will happen to me as I am not addicted to that or for that matter any other social networking site/channel.

    A few advantages I see that are:
    – I get post alerts from those who I follow. The TwitterUpdater plugin autmatically does this trick and it’s very handy. The alert comes much before even the feed is distributed by Feedburner
    – I can sometime get a very quick – sometimes even in seconds – answer
    – I don’t worry about getting addicted to it as it’s not that great

    Disadvantages
    – People misuse it as a chat instrument
    – Sometimes I have to really get updates about things that I don’t care (I am now taking bath, going to sleep, downloading this…that…). I guess, people should not air too much on what they are doing daily…
    – Supposed to help in microblogging with additional plugins and tools, but I guess I don’t want to blog in robot language or SMS slangs

    Cheers all and Twitter addicts please excuse 😀

    Ajith Edassery´s last blog post..Writing Great Paid Reviews That Will Not Disappoint Your Readers and Advertisers!

  41. Evelyn LimNo Gravatar says:

    I already have a twitter account. However, I find that I do not have enough time to commit to it. Also, I consider it quite a chore to provide minute details of what I am doing. I’ve got so many tasks that I run each day that I cannot imagine putting them all down for twitter followers. However, I can see how it can work for those with the time to. Maybe there’ll come a day when I change my mind!!

    Evelyn Lim´s last blog post..Law Of Attraction Quiz

  42. Like Joanna says above, Twitter is something of an acquired taste but I am on it. My user name is sjhopson

    I use it for a couple different reasons:

    1. keep my name, face out there – this reminds people that you exist

    2. when you tell people what you’re doing business-wise (like sharing snippets of your travels), they see you’re busy and in demand – this could serve as a useful marketing tool in branding your name/face

    3. to help others if they have a question for their followerers about something

    4. to help others by promoting an article they may have written at their blogs – so it isn’t just about you – it’s about helping others too

    Have I gotten any big business deals from Twitter? No. Have I made an imprint by showing up every so often? Yes I believe so. It’s hard to tell whether you’re gaining value by spending time on it but the benefits are often intangible – you are planting seeds every time you Twitter.

    What you do with it is entirely up to you. Give it a try and see what happens! Can’t hurt.

    Stephen Hopson´s last blog post..End of the Week Gratitude Theme #53

  43. Well, as I’ve said before, I love Twitter. I find freelance work through it, discover links and sites that I might now have known about, and have fun. For example, a couple of weeks ago I was watching a soccer game and was describing some of what was happening. Cath thought my descriptions were really funny and that led to additional conversation. I feel like I *know* Cath better than I did through her blog and our comments to each other.

    But it’s not for everyone and I don’t think people have to use it. Use the tools that work for you. Chris Brogan wrote an interesting article yesterday called “Do You Have To Touch Every Conversation?” Pick what works and don’t worry about the rest.
    http://www.chrisbrogan.com/do-you-have-to-touch-every-conversation/

    What’s happening with Twitter right now is that there is so much hype that people are going on about how great it is while others are insisting it’s a waste of time.

    Am I addicted? Maybe a little. I’m annoyed when it’s having problems and it’s down. But there are times when I just want to turn it off too.

    Kim Woodbridge´s last blog post..Google Page Rank – A Sudden 3 Point Drop!!!

  44. Barbara SwaffordNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Ajith – When you mentioned post alerts being similar to Feedburner, does that mean your “tweets” build up just like Feedburner does? The reason I’m asking is I am currently showing 1000+ unread posts in my Feedburner account. Would Twitter be the same?

    Hi Evelyn – Like you, my day if full. I’m guessing there wouldn’t be many who care if I’m doing filing, payroll and/or heading out the door to run an errand.

    Hi Stephen – Hmmm. I like how you said “you’re planting seeds every time you Twitter”. I also like the fact it makes you more accessible to help others.

    Hi Kim – I’m glad you showed up as I know you’re an avid Twitterer. I do see how the additional conversations can develop into greater friendships and business relationships. I think it gives us more transparency.

    Thank you for the link to Chris Brogan’s post. I’m headed over there to read it.

  45. PaunchinessNo Gravatar says:

    I agree with the title. I use facebook but I really don’t think many people care what I’m doing. Anyone who does will just call me or send a text message.

    Paunchiness´s last blog post..Where Do Thanksgiving Turkeys Come From?

  46. Dennis EdellNo Gravatar says:

    I made 2 generic tweets to test it when I first signed up LAST December….I now have 50+ followers waiting. LOL

    Come the new year I’m busting out! 🙂

    Dennis Edell´s last blog post..Link Love For Favicon Contest Participation! (no winner yet)

  47. Twitter is a great tool. I’m actually seeing a nice stream of people from my twitter account. It’s my fifth largest referral. After a few months, it builds up. The traffic is nothing to sneeze at.

    I also enjoy some good banter. It’s fun communicating with Guy K. or another famous blogger.

    Karl Staib – Work Happy Now´s last blog post..The Greatest Compliment of My Life and Compliments to Give Your Co-workers

  48. […] Twitter – Do You REALLY Care What I’m Doing at Blogging Without a Blog […]

  49. Lisa BaldwinNo Gravatar says:

    I’m a bit late to the party, but…

    A month ago, I thought Twitter looked like a waste of time – I didn’t get it at all. What turned my ideas around was this insightful post on Havi Brooks’ blog:
    http://www.fluentself.com/blog/stuff/twitter-demystified-the-great-debunking-begins/

    I’m still learning, but I’m already having a lot of fun there and meeting lots of smart, funny people I wouldn’t have known otherwise. I like it a lot.

  50. Twitter is a good networking tool, but like everything else, the key is to manage it properly and make it work for you. I have discovered some great writers and blogs I probably would not have found on my own. It’s also been a good vehicle for promoting my own blog and writing.

    Deborah Johnson´s last blog post..Family Traditions

  51. CatanaNo Gravatar says:

    I learned to hate Twitter in one short, easy lesson. I was persuaded to join by two people — wonderful for networking, but we don’t spend too much time on it. Following those two peple (and only those two) found that I was having to skim through dozens of twits a day in the attempt to find anything useful or even interesting.

    Still trying to delete my account because Twitter has been “stressing out” for the last week and has that feature disabled.

    Catana´s last blog post..Reading Ray Bradbury

  52. I have to admit I joined a while ago. I also have to admit I just don’t get it. You add people but are then inundated with people telling you they are having coffee. They just got up etc etc.
    I can’t get my head around it!

    the three dog blogger´s last blog post..THE Dog Book

  53. UrbanVoxNo Gravatar says:

    On my case it makes it REALLY easy…
    I carry my mobile wherever I go… I feel naked without it really… heheheh 🙂

    UrbanVox´s last blog post..I hate keeping secrets!!!

  54. drivelocityNo Gravatar says:

    I just can’t get into it… For one, it’s blocked by my office’s firewall. Secondly, my wife would probably throw a fit if I went to the computer every half hour (not that I don’t do that enough already). And I don’t see how anyone could be interested in what I’m watching on TV or how often I change my son’s diaper.

    drivelocity´s last blog post..Black and Decker Thermal Leak Detector

  55. Barbara SwaffordNo Gravatar says:

    Whoa, how did I miss these comments?

    Hi Paunchiness – That’s kind of my thought, too. My life isn’t THAT exciting.

    Hi Dennis – Amazing, Two tweets equaled 50+ followers. Is that normal?

    Hi Karl – I’ve heard Twitter can be a good source for blog traffic. And what a great bonus; communicating with the “big boys”.

    Hi Lisa – Welcome to the BWAB community. Thank you so much for the link. I’ll check out the post. It sounds like you’re seeing benefits to Twitter.

    Hi Deborah – Welcome to the BWAB community. That is the key, isn’t it? Managing it properly, and I’m guessing watching how much time is spent Twittering.

    HI Catana – Welcome to the BWAB community. Thank you for sharing your experience. I find it interesting how you had to skim to find great works. Not much unlike blogging.

    Hi Three Dog Blogger – What you’ve mentioned is what I’ve see a lot of when I click on someone’s Twitter account. Am I missing something?

    Hi Urban Vox – So you must Twitter via your mobile?

    Hi Drivelocity – Welcome to the BWAB community. Haha. Checking the computer every half hour. Sounds familiar. Like you, I’m thinking of what interesting “stuff” I could share.

  56. Dennis EdellNo Gravatar says:

    “Amazing, Two tweets equaled 50+ followers. Is that normal?”

    Uh I’d have to say no, probably not, hehe. However if you combine an awesome blog readership (read:responsive) with the twitter link above the fold, and you’re golden. 😉

    Of course I have had a few followers ask, wtf? LOL and I have answered all so far saying that I plan to bust out with it in the new year, which is true.

    I plan to do a full post regarding this fact in a week or so; a “get in at the beginning!” type thing. 😉

    I’m very curious to see how many I can get for the start of my tweeting adventure! 🙂

    Dennis Edell´s last blog post..How To: Evaluating Competition For New Site Niches

  57. […] all began in an earlier post when I asked, “Do You Really Care What I’m Doing”? Many of you responded and let me know the Twitter question “What are you doing?” is […]
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