Getting started with Twitter

What is Twitter?
Twitter allows each user to post short updates of up to 140 characters in length (tweets) via cell phone, web, outlook or Instant Messenger tools. On the Twitter website we read that the content of a so-called tweet is the answer to the question " What are you doing?". However, tweets can also be updates about event invitations or recent news in the form of URLs. When sending an update most users comment on the links or event invitations they send. The personal touch of tweets is an element that is quite similar to blogging. Therefore Twittering is often refered to as Micro-Blogging. Like a blog every twitter user has a user page which displays a time line of the user's last tweets. The page can be view by typing www.twitter.com/username into the browser.

Twitter and Teamwork
In a business context twitter can be used to support teams that are distributed over different locations. In distributed teams workers do not have sufficient information about the work status of their colleagues. However, being aware of the tasks that the team members are working on is crucial for aligning each individuals work to the overall team effort. Team coordination in turn is important for successful and efficient collaboration.
Twitter offers a convenient way to keep colleagues up-to-date on all issues concerning the team. Such issues can be a team meeting request, the completion of a task or team related news.

Besides coordination another aspect of awareness is social presence. Teams with high levels of trusts and team identity work better together. Trust and team identity only evolve if team members can express their feelings about the team and the task. This requires a mean to communicate informally. Unlike emails and other conventional collaboration means, Twitter enables members of distributed teams to spontaneously and informally express what they think.

Twitter Applications
I would recommend using OutTwitt which is a Outlook integration. The Outlook plugin supports the conversion of long URLs into the tinyURL format making it easier to write a text that fits in the twitter limit. Mentionable is also Twitterbox, which is basically like an IM Client, and various plugins for Mozilla Firefox. There is also a more detailed list of twitter applications available.

Twitter Commands
When sending a tweet you can use commands to specify Here are the most important commands taken from the Twitter Help.

• @username + message
  
directs a twitter at another person, and causes your twitter to save in their "replies" tab.
Example: @meangrape I love that song too!


• D username + message
  
sends a person a private message that goes to their device, and saves in their web archive.
Example: d krissy want to pick a Jamba Juice for me while you're there?


• NUDGE username
  
reminds a friend to update by asking what they're doing on your behalf.
Example: nudge biz

You can also manage your Twitter Account from your cell phone using:

• ON: turns ALL device notifications on. (device = your phone or IM)
• OFF: turns ALL device notifications off.
  
• STOP, QUIT: stops all messages to your device immediately

• ON username: turns on notifications for a specific person on your device. For example, ON alissa.
• OFF username: turns off notifications for a specific person on your device. For example, OFF blaine.

• FOLLOW username: this command allows you to start receiving notifications for a specific person on your device. Example: follow jeremy
• LEAVE username: this command allows you to stop receiving notifications for a specific person on your device. Example: leave benfu

For further information on Twitter commands see the Twitter Fan Wiki or Twitter Help.



If you have read this post you should be ready to start twittering! Good luck!