Maureen - I never joined twitter. From the sounds of things I should at least give it a chance.

Hi Maureen, We joined Twitter a couple of months ago and have some fellow Twitters on there from A/R following us and us following them. I check in when I can. I don't really utilize it to it's fullest probably yet. so I am just using it as a brain dump primarily now. Not sure how it actually works yet also but it does look interesting. So far it just looks like a new glorified I/M platform to me but I haven't really looked into it enough yet. Time, time, time.... You know how that goes. Thanks for this post and we'll be looking for you on twitter. Bob and Lisa  

Twitter is so easy, you can come and go as you please... no big profile to set up. Read Matt's ideas of how to use it in the real estate business. 

It won a TechCrunchie last night for mobile blogging.... I do not use it on my phone, other than Jotts and I forget about Jotting maybe someday I will use Twitter that way (mobile blogging) but I don't have to now.  There's no sheep tossing.  There are very little emails.  I think you set that up.  I get an email if someone is following me. 

I'm following you Lisa saw your Twitter this morning!  I look suspiciously like Bob Carney on Twitter...except on Fridays when I am frozen  peas but Bob Carney is distinctively gotbob on Twitter.   

Hi Maureen, I checked Twitter out, but didn't join. I might join sometimes down the road. It's good to be aware of what's out there.

I haven't joined yet. I keep saying that I should look into it but I really don't get it...guess I'm a slow learner or just don't have the time.  The mobile blogger thing sounds interesting. Have you tried it at all?

I think you have to try it to get it.  Even then it is hard to get.  I never look at the big universal feed... I forget what it is even called?  The Timeline?  I just look at the feed of those I am following which includes a bunch of people I met through AR. Some local people..., some tech blogs, some newspapers.  thanks for the comments Monika and Hank. 

It would be great if someone who knows how to do a tutorial could  post one with screen shots...  showing how they see Twitter.  

No Monika I have not tried the mobile.  I am not one for texting if I do not have to.  I don't like emails from Facebook telling me someone threw a sheep at me.  I think I would hate having Tweets with that kind of frequency.  Maybe I should try it though so I can really judge it.  Looking at Twiter a few times a day works for me now.  Bob Carney introduced me to Twitbin which is nice.  I can have it in the sidebar of my screen while I am online if I use Firefox. 

I joined probably around the same time you did.. but will confess I'm not sure what the appeal is all about..I agree about the facebook thing..  what is it with the wall..I 'm sure I'm missing something wonderful here..

Yea, I'm there, read Matt's blog. Never could get it set up on my phone. I always feel I am late to a conversation. Just learned to do @MaureenMcCabe today. Bob was talking about setting up a feed to it this morning, one more thing to learn. 

It's an acquired taste Kaye.  I think. 

Facebook won number one (top honors) last night at the Crunchies...at TechCrunch.. I think I referred to it as TechCrunchies earlier... oh well  I hate Facebook... Sarah C. quit Facebook, opted out. Lots of people (including me)  have just turned off notifications, too much noise.  Twitter is too much noise for some people. thanks for the comment. 

Missy I was on it for months before I understood the @name thing.  Teri Lussier told me how to.  Teri took to Twitter big time.  She is not a big fan of ActiveRain...  differrent strokes for differnent folks.  You'd think I could have just seen people doing @ but I had to ask Teri who was newer to Twitter than me I think.

Setting up the feed from my blogs to it was easy.  No wait it was not.  Nothing is easy but I love the little bit of traffic it gives me. 

Can you do a tutorial on it ? I would like to set up a feed from my outside blog? 

A tutorial would be awesome! Maybe something real basic for me :)

Cheryl Johnson is a Twitterer (have not seen her lately) and a wonderful tutorial person...

Twitter is Twaesome!

I've been using Twitter since November. It's a great tool during conventions like NAR and Inman to follow the highlights of different sessions. Will be interesting to see if any of the candidates incorporate it into their campaigns.

Hi Maureen,  I joined Twitter about a month ago probably and never hopped on.  I'm one of those that can't figure out how to use it for business.  BUT, I just in the past week really started getting on there more frequently.  Mainly because I just learned how to reply to people.  :)

I'll check it out for a couple more weeks...then I'll see if I like it...and if I can find a business use for it.  In the mean time, I'm enjoying the conversations.

>>>Cheryl Johnson is a Twitterer (have not seen her lately) <<<<

That's cuz there's too much on my platter right now.  My brain is tired.   :-) 

P.S.  Adding this so MM doesn't delete my comment.  I love Twitter.  But for me it's socializing, don't know nuthin' about creating business there.

Oh wait ... the question was a tutorial on setting up a Twitter feed......

I have used twitter for entertainment.  I have a Treo and just turn notification on and off at will when I'm bored, need a time filler or I'm just curious what the Twits are up to. 

If all you have to add is that you have not tried Twitter move along and comment where you can add a comment that adds to the conversation.  Thanks...

I will delete comments that say they have not tried it and are too busy.  Don't waste your valuable time here!!! 

I welcome comments from people who have tried Twitter, love it, hate it, don't get it, are ambivalent...  but don't bother with a comment like "I don't have time."  Thanks

I use Twitter mostly to communicate with friends, relax and learn from some of the best and brightest around.  I love following recommended links to an "Ah ha!" moment or a laugh.  It's wonderful to just drop in for a few minutes to check in and see what's going on with everyone.

And I loved hearing everyone's reactions to the AI premiere.  ;) 

I don't have any plans to use it for business, other than what I learn from the others. 

Stephanie I abandoned Twitter for months at a time... I think even after I restarted it in July I would forget all about it for days or weeks.  It was probably just about two months ago that I asked Teri how to send people messages. 

Chris is talented.  She can multitask...

John... the Inman conference was fun to read about too.  The NAR conference was the first time I may have been overwhelmed.  This time I was not as overwhelmed by it all.   

Some of Sarah's entertaining communication sounds a lot like what Matt posted in his entry about Twitter as business uses: 

Personal Relationship Building

Professional Relationship Building

Getting Tidbits About Conferences

Linking To New Research & Ideas

Cheryl... loved your tutorial on the plug in for trying on themes on WP.org 

Thanks all for the comments.   

I joined Twitter...I have not yet started liking Twitter. Don't know if that will change anytime soon...

Hi Maureen - I didn't even know I had joined until I began getting notices that so-and-so was following me. I don't understand what they're following me doing at this point.

I have read a few posts here about Twitter and different ways to use it. I need to go back and actually check it out. I would love to see a tutorial if someone does one for those of us who are a little bit clueless at this point.

Sounds like it has both social and business applications, whichever suits your fancy. I do remember reading about John Novak's twitters during the NAR convention, and how he hooked up with different people. That sounded like fun - a way to meet people that you've been conversing with online.

Ann

Maureen:  Thanks for the info!  Never used Twitter but, will certainly have to check it out!

I've never been on twitter nor have I heard of it before.  I guess I'll need to look into that and see what its all about. 

Maureen - well I joined, and I twitter...some. I follow, and am followed, but not doing enough yet to decide if I like it or not, although I lean toward the positive. It's been hard enough to keep up with blogging, business, social networking and life in general. Maybe I need to give something up. :)

Jeff 

Joined April 24, 2007 & didn't visit again until 11/30/2007 but now regulary peep at what others are twittering.

A tutorial as others have suggested would be great. Honestly thought Twitter was more for teeners or something than a business tool.

Lola I thought I would never like Twitter and I do for now.  It could change... 

Ann following is the same as being associated or subscribed on ActiveRain.  When you post something  (blog... it's a tiny 140 character entry, micro blog) they will see it on the page of people they are following (subscribed) to.

Carolin or Bob I don't see teenagers on Twitter but then again I only read the people I am subscribed to (follow.)  I follow a local teenager who has been featured on Techmeme for his blog about technology. Technical, often  over my head.  I know in searching for local blogers Twittering I don't see many kids. 

Michelle... that's a long time.  Someone blogged recently about something I joined within my first month here... that I have not been back to in over a year...Ziki??? I think...

Thanks all for the comments.  Please no more comments about NOT being on Twitter, go comment on something where you can add something to the conversation!  There's lots to read and "talk" about on ActiveRain. Thanks. 

I also deleted comments where a link or tagline promoting the commenter was used.  There's a guideline on AR against promoting yourself in the comments of another.   

Maureen, I joined Twitter while I was at the Inman Conference last week in NYC.  Several attendees showed me how to use it and I started following their Tweets.  Their twittering activity has cooled down since the conference ended.  I haven't sent out any of my own Tweets yet, but will look into ways I can use it in the near future.  It certainly lends itself to some interesting applications.

I bet in July there will be Tweets from Inman in San Francisco and from NAR in the fall... where ever NAR convention in 2008 is... Orlando?  Or maybe we will all "be over" Twitter by then.

It was great to read from Inman but I actually prefer it when it is not so frenetic.  

There are lots of Twitterers in VA and the DC area, lots of re bloggers but also a lot of media bloggers, political bloggers, social media types.   

Maureen - thanks for that explanation.  When I first began getting those notices, I was surprised at who some of the people were who were following me, and it almost felt like they were spying on me or something.  Not a good feeling, but then I didn't know what it really was either.

Yep, NAR is in Orlando this year.

Ann

Ann I  have a whole blog post about it here somewhere about Twitter making me paranoid.  One of my first "followers" I did not know and it is someone local.  Someone who is very interested in Social Media and has introduced me via the internet and in real life to local people who share an interest in Social Media. One of the latest comments there (on the post on ActiveRain) made my blood boil: 

"Even if you care not to have a presence on social media sites, such as twitter, other agents will, and will get money out of it over the course of establishing a relationship. Sales professionals are making money being present on social media sites. Can we afford to turn our face the other direction just because new technology ovdrwhelms us and we feel like we are being followed. Heck, as real estate agents we should want to be followed. After all, we are in the prospect and sales business."

I thought the comment was arrogant.  I felt like he was calling me a Luddite for saying that having followers on Twitter made me paranoid.

I am never going to say to someone who does not like Twitter that they should. We all feel how we feel about Facebook, LinkedIn, ActiveRain, our own blogs, and the gazillion other sites.    

I have blocked one follower only I think. They were following a bunch of Twitters and had no one following them... they looked like a spammer and not anyone I wanted following me.  I have not made my Tweets private, and I am glad I have not... so far. a few AR members have theirs private.  Not that a spammer has access to your contact info on AR.  oops I meant Twitter... but it is like AR where you use a contact form for direct (private) emails to someone.  I just felt I would not enjoy following them and I didn't think they needed to follow me.. It was a singles group or dating service or something...  the fact that no one was following them was the clincher for me!

Well...I just signed up. I might have signed up before because my usual user name was taken but I made up another one. so now to figure out how to use it. Hopefully I'll have it figured out before convention. In Vegas everyone was doing it. Never thought of being stalked ...yikes Maureen!!!

don't let my paranoia scare you...

I completely forgot about Twitter. I was going to check them out but then got busy. I will check them out this weekend though.

thanks Webs Technologies person!  I would personally love for a number of the web 2.0ish social media apps to fail ... too many choices.

Christy I get some of them mixed up.  Twitter stands out for me because it is so simple.  No profile, no sheep,

Looks like I joined back in May '07 but didn't start twitting (?) until November '07.  I'm following a number of people, most of them I met on AR.  Though, they're very prolific twitters so it's hard to keep up with them...twitter mouths.

I must be following you.  I just saw a Twttier that you were visiting AR.  

Maureen,  LOL.  I'm attending a conference tomorrow that will talk about how to use Twitter in business.  :)  Guess that will answer my question.  Thought about your post when I signed up.

how funny I just posted something I saw you Twitter about on ColumbusBestBlog.com  

about jobs... we are not on the list but maybe people moving from Central Ohio (we are a bright spot in the state but hey there are always people moving out... )  

Ahhh Maureen,  Absolutely LOVE the twist about 'how much is your Columbus home worth?' at the end.  Awesome! 

OH, and Thanks for the link.  :)

Influence from the Brian Brady, Dustin Luther panel at Inman... even if I was not there and have not listened to the video... yet I got the message from reading about it here and elsewhere...  Not typically my style but maybe I need to ask more via the blog... if I am going to write the article might as well ask for the business. 

pssst...  Darren Rowse of Problogger wrote:  9 Benefits of Twitter for Bloggers  today...

he was not a fan of Twitter originally.  He'll have more about Twitter tomorrow.  He wrote: 

"The Benefits of Twitter (to me)

One of the main things that I've discovered about Twitter is that no two Twitter users are using it in the same way. Almost every Twitter user that I come across tells me that they have a different objective when it comes to using it and are benefiting from it differently.

As a result I won't attempt to write a definitive list of the benefits of Twitter - but will share how I've found it to benefit me (feel free to add your own comments)."  

I found it on..... Twitter... or actually Gaping Void cartoonist guy... Hugh McLeod (?) shared a link on Twitter that linked to it ... I follow Problogger via Twitter too.

In contrast to this BlogTalk, RealTown's platform to learn about blogging had a link to this article /post from an internet expert ...  "Here's a little secret that pro writers and bloggers won't always share with you."  Use Google Alerts.... wow that's so 2006...I still use Google alerts....  of course.  

Maybe pro writers and blogger won't share that because they make assumptions that to be a blogger you should have some curiosity about what's going on...and would figure out Google Alerts on your own...

Maybe by late 2008 or 2009 BlogTalk will be sharing Twitter, Pownce, etc. as ways to know what is going on...

For anyone who does not get Twitter, watch the video on Chris Griffith's AR blog.  Twitter in Plain English