Comments on: What is Twitter for, exactly?

By: Drew B

Drew B — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:49:14 +0000

Hello FG. Here’s a good post from Dave Winer on what Twitter is. A bit jargony, but one of the more concise descriptions I’ve seen. http://www.scripting.com/stories/2007/07/27/whatTwitterIs.html

For PR purposes, I’ve personally used Twitter to reserach stories from my buddy list very quickly, build relationships with journalists and PRs (both those I knew previously and new contacts) and I’ve developed online PR widgetry for clients using Twitter as a simple SMS remote publishing tool. I think part of what makes Twitter work and equally what makes it confusing is its open-endedness. The Twitter people themselves say that they are still in research mode.

By: The Friendly Ghost

The Friendly Ghost — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:22:19 +0000

Very, very interesting indeed. I really like the forward-looking, innovative approach here. I have a hard time explaining to people how useful Google Reader is so it’s good to know some PR people are embracing the new tech (and Web 2.0 is *also* about the tech as well as the change in behaviour – the two go together). I particularly like the emphasis on being concise.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:17:34 +0000

I’ve seen Twitter used to announce products, build WOM campaigns, help a CEO communicate with his customer-base and general brand building. All of these are direct to people who have chosen to listen (not always a liberty we in the PR world can realize).

Additionally we’ve also started using Twitter for ‘micropitching’ editors and it’s been effective, particularly with business pubs. Journalists have always asked for less from us PR types…Twitter kind of forces that point and teaches us all to be more concise.

/kff

By: Simon Collister

Simon Collister — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:00:01 +0000

For me ‘Web 2.0′ isn’t about the Technology, it’s about a change in social behaviour and attitudes that technology is influencing/being influenced by.

Argubly Twitter wouldn’t have taken off if it didn’t appeal to a very specific need for people to share their ‘presence’ with others.

When you say “a good, solid PR use” for Twitter – how do you mean PR use? If PR is about building relationships with the public – or specific publics – then there’s no better way than by sharing your personal activities/thoughts etc (providing your publics are interested that is).

By: The Friendly Ghost

The Friendly Ghost — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 08:47:01 +0000

Interesting. I guess an important aspect of tech, especially Web 2.0, is letting it loose on people and seeing what *they* make of it.

By: Kerry G

Kerry G — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 08:34:12 +0000

From a PR pov it’s handy for stalking journalists, make sure that they’re heading for heathrow the day of the press trip, getting some immediate and usually unfiltered feedback.

As for everyone else, it is more about the connection than the content.