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@allenmireles’ #FollowFriday Twitter List for November 6

Allen Mireles — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:19:10 +0000

How is it Friday again already? Sigh…the week went by very quickly.

So today is Friday, which means it is also #FollowFriday on Twitter. For those of you who haven’t discovered the allure of Twitter yet, let me explain. #FollowFriday is one of the ways we recommend other Twitter users. On Twitter I tweet about social media and its use in business. This theme is reflected in the people I recommend for #FollowFriday. You can follow my Nov 6 #FollowFriday Twitter List here.

@Pistachio

I have followed Laura Fitton since January of 2008 after reading a post about her work and her passion for micro-blogging. Over time I have learned so much from reading the information she shares. I’ve also been touched by the unfolding of her personal stories and admire the balance she maintains between sharing personal information and maintaining a public profile. Co-author of Twitter for Dummies and founder of OneForty, Inc, Laura Fitton is someone I hope to meet face to face one day. Are you hoping to learn the ins and outs of microblogging and its benefits for business? Following @Pistachio is an excellent place to start.

@OneForty

OneForty is one of @Pistachio’s projects; a site that provides reviews and links to the latest Twitter applications. Twitter can be very confusing at first and the number of applications overwhelming. @OneForty provides a handy starting place for anyone new to Twitter or looking for Twitter apps to make your Twitter experience more wonderful or less time consuming—or both.

@CoachDeb

I also started following Deborah Micek, co-author of Twitter Revolution, early in 2008. I was lucky enough to be provided with a pre-publication copy of Twitter Revolution. I sat down and read it almost in one sitting and found the information tremendously valuable. It was so exciting to read about the way mobile marketing was (and is) changing the way we do business and Twitter Revolution gave me insight into the potential power Twitter offered my clients and prospects. I have followed @CoachDeb’s updates ever since and continue to learn from the information she shares.

@GeekMommy

One of the things I value about following Lucretia Pruitt (in addition to her technical knowledge and social media expertise) is that she is a generous and kind person who responds thoughtfully when asked a question. Many of the people I follow are, in turn, followed by thousands and find it difficult to respond to individual questions or comments. @GeekMommy replies and provides value. By following @GeekMommy I am able to tap into a world of social media information that I find fascinating.

@ScottMonty

Scott Monty is one of the superstars of social media and the social media face of Ford Motors. Scott Monty is an engaging speaker, communicating his extensive knowledge of social media and his passion for his work, with charm and humor. His blog posts provide information and insight with just the right light touch that he offers in face to face communication. He is genuine and generous with his time and attention. Following @ScottMonty offers you an ongoing flow of the latest information in social media.

@BrianSolis

Where do you start when talking about Brian Solis? I read everything he writes and admire the depth of information he provides. Makes my head spin. Following @BrianSolis will keep you informed about the latest breaking information in social media (with observations about sociological impact), public relations and marketing. A prolific blogger, and co-author of Putting the Public back in Public Relations, and Now Is Gone, Brian also takes amazing photos and shares them via social sites. Another person I hope to meet face to face someday.

@DawudMiracle

Dawud impresses me with his knowledge of online marketing, his consistency, and his obvious passion for his small business clients. He shares valuable information and answer questions when asked. This is an endearing trait in a Twitter user. Conversations with @DawudMiracle are entertaining and often educational.

@JFouts

Janet Fouts is doing some impressive things in social media and yet is very approachable. She feels like a friend. I enjoy reading her updates and watching her latest projects, which she tackles with enthusiasm. For anyone hoping to understand social media and how it impacts business, following @jfouts is imperative. Janet is another Twitter user who answers questions and also someone I look forward to meeting in person.

@Jakrose

I discovered Jason Keith recently while searching for blog posts to share on Twitter. I enjoy his sense of humor and the knowledge he expresses in his blog and vlog posts. His Twitter updates and observations are often pithy and right on target. I have the sense of someone who is building to something really fabulous and I am enjoying watching it unfold. I recommend him. He is fun and informative.

@SuzeMuse

Susan Murphy is a must-follow. She just is. @SuzeMuse is entertaining, intelligent and really knows her craft. I learn so much and I smile often as I read her updates. Her passion for helping others is evident in her blog posts and updates. She is consistent in her message and often absolutely hilarious in her delivery. Yet another I hope to meet—soon.

Listing the reasons I recommend following these folks is time consuming and I have probably overlooked as much information as I have included about each of these tweeps. Perhaps next week a shorter list is in order…I hope you enjoy these people as much as I do.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, follow my Nov 6 #FollowFriday List and retweet it. Please share my recommendations with your networks.

@allenmireles’ Halloween #FollowFriday List for Twitter

Allen Mireles — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:07:52 +0000

Today is, once again, #FollowFriday on Twitter and I have just spent a little bit of time putting together my Halloween #FollowFriday recommendations. I used the Twitter List function this time. You can follow my Halloween #FollowFriday list here.

“Why do Twitter users spend time on #FollowFriday?” you wonder.

Good question.

Many of us enjoy recommending tweeple we find add value: to our lives or to the Twitter community, to new Twitter users…or just because. Some tweeple have invented very creative ways of sharing their recommendations. @MarionChapsal, for example, creates beautiful mind maps with categories of people she recommends for #FollowFriday. Others send endless tweets filled with the Twitter IDs to follow. Some use third party applications like @MrTweet. It’s all good.

Some Twitter users disdain #FollowFriday altogether. Too much work, too time consuming, too silly. Some, like me, often end up on Friday morning, quietly appalled that Friday has rolled around again with the weight of making recommendations bearing down inexorably.

Social media experts, like @Scobleizer, predict the end of #FollowFriday as TwitterLists become more common and more accepted. And they may be right. Twitter Lists will let anyone recommend tweeple any time. 24/7. Twitter users will be able to find entire lists of people to follow easily–any day of the week.

In the meantime, today is Friday. Tomorrow is Halloween and here is my #FollowFriday list for October 2009. Sort of random and I’m sure I’ve overlooked people–but the folks I have included add value to my life, inspire me, teach me, make me laugh and keep me humble.

Enjoy. And, Happy Halloween!

Start Thinking: How Will You Use the Twitter List Function for Your Business?

Allen Mireles — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:45:06 +0000

A few weeks ago Twitter rolled out a new list function to a limited group of users for beta testing. To my delight (and chagrin) I was one of them. I have had the time to play with this feature and to read many of the posts and evaluations written by other beta testers. According to Twitter List project lead, Nick Kallen, 25% of all Twitter users now have the list function. Word is that Twitter plans to introduce Lists to the general public very soon. You need to start thinking about how you will use the Twitter Lists function when it is made available to you.

What are Twitter Lists?
Twitter Lists let you to organize people into easy-to-manage groups, not unlike the organizational features already available in Twitter management applications like Tweetdeck, Hootsuite and Seesmic. You can create lists based on topics that interest you, solutions you provide your ideal customer, geographic region, tools you have found useful, people who inspire you, etc. It’s up to you. Each list generates a feed with the latest updates from only the people on that list. Your Twitter Lists are public by default but can be made private for your own personal use. You can add or delete people to the lists you create and you can add or delete lists at any time. Unfortunately, for the moment you can only create 20 lists to a Twitter account and you can have no more than 500 people listed on any one list. This may change as Twitter continues to get feedback.

Setting Up Your Twitter Lists
Setting up your Twitter lists is easy but time consuming—for now. If you have the feature enabled you will see a “Create a New List” button on your profile. Type the name of your list into the box and start adding people to your new list. List building is slow going right now, though. You can only add people to your new list by finding them among the Followers or Following lists on your Twitter profile or by going directly to their Twitter profile. Need more information? TechCrunch has posted easy-to-follow directions on how to build your Twitter lists.

Why Is the Twitter Lists Function Valuable?
So why are we so excited about adding a time-consuming list management chore to our days? There are many reasons. For new users, the Twitter experience will be less confusing and less overwhelming as they find lists an easy way to find people to follow. Twitter veterans will enjoy the ease of adding entire lists of people vetted by those they already trust. As Craig Kanalley, of Poynter.org, says in today’s post,” …the public stream of tweets is chaotic and often filled with garbage… With lists you can create several streams flowing with information you want to know, without irrelevant information.” Suddenly we will be able to discover new names, new links, and new information–almost effortlessly as we find, and follow, entire lists created around industries, specialties, geography, and expertise, etc. The number of followers a Twitter user has will become less important than the calibre of lists he, or she, is included in and creates.

How Does This Help Grow Your Business?
The ramifications for using Twitter Lists as a business growth tool are enormous. Inclusion in certain Twitter Lists can quickly build your online trust factor and reputation. Twitter Lists can help increase traffic to your website, or blog, as Twitter users find you in a list, read your tweets and follow to your site to learn more. Lists will go viral as people find them useful and recommend them to others—increasing your visibility.

You are limited only by your creativity (and, perhaps, time constraints) in how you use Twitter Lists to grow your business. Depending on the nature of your business, you will be able to build Twitter Lists that can serve a wide range of business objectives. Your Twitter Lists can be easily customized to fit your specific requirements. Neicole Crepeau addresses this beautifully in her recent post, suggesting that we think strategically and think of Twitter Lists as a marketing tool. Ask yourself the following questions before you start your list building:

Who are my target customers?
Do they fall into distinct segments with different needs or interests? If so, define each customer segment.
What are their goals, as they relate to my area of business?
What kind of information helps them reach those goals?
What kind of information is this type of customer generally interested in?
Who on Twitter regularly tweets that kind of information? What Twitter resources can be valuable to this customer segment, given their goals?

Crepeau posts additional ideas for using Twitter Lists, such as : offering special discounts on products and services; building mini-communities around shared topics of interest; creating contests with short-term lists; and attracting offline participation with people in the real world.

Taking the time today to think through your Twitter List strategy will make the list building process more powerful–and the lists themselves more effective as marketing tools. For more information on building Twitter Lists visit these blog posts:

Twitter Launches Lists: Categorize the People You Follow
What are Twitter Lists?
How Twitter Lists Work
Twitter Lists: group friends and see tweets only from those people
Using Twitter Lists to Grow Your Business
Twitter Lists; Limitations, bugs, impact, and brilliance
How to use Twitter Lists in Your Business

Are you building your Twitter Lists yet? How do you plan to use them?

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