The Twitter Book
by Sarah Milstein, Tim O'Reilly
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Book Summary Information
Author: Sarah Milstein, Tim O'ReillyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-05-20
ISBN: 0596802811
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: O'Reilly Media
Book Reviews of The Twitter Book
Book Review: The Best Way to Get Up to Speed with Twitter and Have Some Fun
Summary: 5 Stars
I signed up for a Twitter account last December in order to take advantage of a SitePoint PDF book give-away. I really didn't know much about it at the time, just that it was a tool for broadcasting brief messages, but not a spam generator. Since that time I've been hearing terms like `tweet' and `retweet' on the local news and in real-time conversations. However, I still didn't really get it. The Twitter Book, by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein, to the rescue! They very neatly break down Twitter into easy to digest concepts and features in this O'Reilly publication. The service is explained succinctly in large type on the right page and illustrated by a variety of screen shots on the left page, no information overload.
What is Twitter? Briefly and simply put, it is a communication service. It debuted in March of 2006 as Twttr and a `Big Bang' of users and messages has since followed. Messages sent and received are limited to 140 characters, including spaces. At last, a way to force folks to get to the point, any point! Your messages are public, meaning that everyone on Twitter can see them. So, think before you tweet. You choose whether or not to receive other's messages (called `following'). Messages can be sent and received using a variety of technologies.
From the authors;
`Twitter poses the question, "what are you doing?"
What's Twitter good for?
Breaking news and shared experiences.
Finally, Twitter is emerging as a key business channel ...'
So, what more is there to know? Admittedly, I felt I wasn't quite getting into the `meat' of it by just signing up at twitter.com (accessibletwitter.com for assistive technologies). That's what pages 19 through 231 are all about. For those of us of the not-quite-now-gen, not to worry, you won't think that you're Alice entering Wonderland. However, joining in at Twitterland does involve learning some Twitter jargon and syntax and learning to use shortened vocabulary.
This succinct insight into Twitter is divided into six chapters. Getting Started introduces you to some Twitter basics and key terms. Listen In provides some search skills for finding the `good stuff' to listen in on. Hold Great Conversations is about contributing to conversations using a secure, clear, respectful and helpful approach. Share Information and Ideas presents suggestions for making the most out of those 140 characters messages. Sub-title this section `How to get noticed for being interesting'. There are tips for broadening your audience such as using links to your advantage, posting your picture, the best days to post, get the book for more! Reveal Yourself describes ways to create a sense of `meaningful intimacy'. My favorite suggestions here are `Spiff up your background: Part 1 & Part 2', which are about the visual tweaks you can add to your account page. Lastly is Twitter for Business: Special Considerations and Ideas. The intro page lists links to companies on Twitter and suggests two providers for facilitating internal micro-messages for organization networks. This section builds on everything already discussed and enhances points of particular pertinence to a business setting. It seems to me that being encouraged to communicate in a clear, concise, and uncharged manner (covered in the previous sections of this book) can only enhance an organizations efficiency and effectiveness.
There are gobs of links for extending Twitter functionality and curiosity. You can `tweet up', or to put it another way, organize an in-person gathering using twtvite.com. Follow the most currently popular words or phrases being twittered about. Using a site such as whatthetrend.com gives a quick blurb on why a word is trending. At twopular.com you can view the hottest trends over a variety of time periods. Icons indicate a rise, fall or static standing and for more info, there are links to Twitter Search, Google News and Yahoo! News.
Here are two personal `best pics' that caught this newbie's eye:
(pg 91) Life-changing program #1: Twirl
This is a free desktop appliance that streams tweets with built-in URL shortening and automatic searching for your username in any posts, a very nice interface and great documentation accessed through the twhirl.org website!
(pg 370) Shorten and customize your links with Bit.ly
In addition to shortening URLs this service also tracks click-throughs. And, there's an extension for adding a bit.ly button to the Firefox toolbar!
In Summary:
Do you sense your life twittering into cyberspace? That 140 character limitation does a great job of curtailing excessive and time-consuming posts. However, limiting how many people to follow is up to you. You'll find this brief volume is the best way to get up to speed with Twitter and have some fun with it.
Summary of The Twitter Book
"Media organizations should take note of Twitter's power to quickly reach their target consumers." --Tim O'Reilly (@timoreilly), in a Los Angeles Times interview, March 2009
This practical guide will teach you everything you need to know to quickly become a Twitter power user. It includes information on the latest third party applications, strategies and tactics for using Twitter's 140-character messages as a serious--and effective--way to boost your business, as well as how to turn Twitter into your personal newspaper, tracking breaking news and learning what matters to you and your friends.
Co-written by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein, widely followed and highly respected twitterers, the practical information in The Twitter Book is presented in an innovative, visually rich format that's packed with clear explanations and examples of best practices that show Twitter in action, as demonstrated by the work of over 60 twitterers.
This book will help you:
- Use Twitter to connect with colleagues, customers, family, and friends
- Stand out on Twitter
- Avoid common Twitter gaffes and pitfalls
- Build a critical professional communications channel with Twitter--and use the best third-party tools that help you manage it.
If you want to know how to use Twitter like a pro, The Twitter Book will quickly get you up to speed.
About the authors:
Tim O Reilly (@timoreilly), founder and CEO of O Reilly Media, has hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter. Sarah Milstein (@SarahM) frequently writes, speaks and teaches about Twitter; she was the 21st user of Twitter.
This practical guide will teach you everything you need to know to quickly become a Twitter power user, including strategies and tactics for using Twitter's 140-character messages as a serious--and effective--way to boost your business. Co-written by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein, widely followed and highly respected Twitterers, the practical information in The Twitter Book is presented in a fun, full-color format that's packed with helpful examples and clear explanations.
Twitter Tips
1. Even if you use Twitter primarily to post information that?s not directly about your company, you can?and should?use it to sometimes link back to your own site or blog. Many companies find that Twitter can become a top referrer to their sites, so avail yourself of that benefit?just do it in a smart way.
The key is to frame the link in a way that?s interesting to your Twitter followers. So instead of saying, ?New Blog Post: Mundane Headline, http://yourblog.com,? try something like the examples here, each of which links back to the Bigelow Tea blog.
