Twitter - Who's Using It and How?

[Mediaguy]

I just started exploring twitter after blogging for so many years and find it... potentially explosive? Just to be a little dramatic :P

It's mostly on a consumer orienteed basis... but seems promising. Who else here uses it?

[Toby]

Real men don't tweet.

[RawAlex]

Twitter is pretty much a black hole. Retention levels are super low, and with the recent Oprah / Kutcher horseshit, it pretty much jumped the shark right there.

If you write tweets and they are spammy, you are toast, you lose are your readers. If you don't make it spammy enough, then you are just wasting your time.

The clock reads 14:59 on twitter. The 15 minutes is almost up.

[miz_wright]

I have friends who Tweet, and we use it for some of our consumer-facing properties to pretty decent response.

One a personal level, I refuse to become a twit.

[griffin8r]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

Twitter is pretty much a black hole. Retention levels are super low, and with the recent Oprah / Kutcher horseshit, it pretty much jumped the shark right there.

If you write tweets and they are spammy, you are toast, you lose are your readers. If you don't make it spammy enough, then you are just wasting your time.

The clock reads 14:59 on twitter. The 15 minutes is almost up.

Twitter is the logical conclusion of the narcissistic orgy all these "social networking sites" represent - millions of people screaming "LOOK AT ME!!!!!" and not looking at anyone else.

[Mediaguy]

We had an unpublicized live chat with a fairly well known model recently, she didn't even post it up in her members area, just a kinda dry run with the site's immediate traffic.

She decided to post about it on her twitter and boom, room filled up even more.

Can be a good thing if you have a fan base...

[DannyCox]

I don't use it personally, but we have a Twitter thing set up for Carol. We use some of the various tools, so when something like her Blog is updated, it automatically sends out a "Tweet" on Twitter. She has a big following on it, and you can defiantly see the traffic bumps when she writes something to do with her site. It's a mixture of the same old mindless Twitter stuff and spam. But as long as it works, we'll keep using it.

It's just another tool that when used properly does work. We always jump on the newest bandwagons as soon as they start. You have to be foolish not to with what we do! All these flavours of the month do bring in traffic, and without having to pay an affiliate!

The trick is to use them while they work, and when you see the slow down, dump them and move on to the "next big thing".

[miz_wright]

I know a few musicians who use it and have AMAZING results - fan give aways, meet 'n greets, site bumps, contests that have boosted sales...

I feel like it can be very powerful if leveraged correctly.

[RawAlex]

Liz, read what you posted carefully: Everything you list is "free" stuff.

I am sure that Twitter (used well) can create a crowd. It isn't clear that it can create income.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

I am sure that Twitter (used well) can create a crowd. It isn't clear that it can create income.

That pretty much holds true for all social networking sites. High on traffic, low on monetization.

[DannyCox]

Actually, social networking sites can work really well to target and monetize traffic. For personality based sites, at least. You guys are in a different market than we are, and you are right in that the SN stuff probably wouldn't do a thing for you. But with "Amateur" sites, they are a Gold Mine when used properly. Carol spends about 30 minutes a day across all the various SN sites she plays on, and that 30 minutes brings in very targeted eyes that do sign up.

You can also think of a site like Twitter as a website newsletter, but with quick little posts that pique their attention and get them over to the site. When Carol does an update and Twitters it, we get both a traffic spike and a sign-up spike. Not bad for 15 seconds of work But you do have to get the eyes on the account for it to work, which with Carol;'s name, is quite easy for us.

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

Liz, read what you posted carefully: Everything you list is "free" stuff.

I am sure that Twitter (used well) can create a crowd. It isn't clear that it can create income.

Not all things in marketing about about monetisation, and in fact, I think that mindset can actually be injurious. But if you can create a solid call to action based around a limited freebie, you increase your opportunity to sell quite well.

As I said, musicians I follow have done really well with it - "Meet me at [show location] location at [y] time; 5 participants get free tickets to the show - everyone else, come on in!" sort of things to great effect.

[TheEnforcer]

I don't use it,... quite frankly really don't make much use of any of the social network type of sites... but I can see that as witht he tohers used properly I am sure it could help some businesses.

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

Liz, read what you posted carefully: Everything you list is "free" stuff.

I am sure that Twitter (used well) can create a crowd. It isn't clear that it can create income.

Not all things in marketing about about monetisation, and in fact, I think that mindset can actually be injurious. But if you can create a solid call to action based around a limited freebie, you increase your opportunity to sell quite well.

As I said, musicians I follow have done really well with it - "Meet me at [show location] location at [y] time; 5 participants get free tickets to the show - everyone else, come on in!" sort of things to great effect.

[AdorableAudrey]

I use it quite a bit and think it's both fun and productive - not only can I throw in a link to my site for updates and boost traffic, but it's a great way to keep fans & members informed of my cam show times, updates, shoots, etc. Even more importantly is as a quick and easy to use networking tool - I've set up shoots through it, traded traffic with other webmasters, and had a great time talking with other webmasters and models, even found the perfect kiss-proof lipstick through there!

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by AdorableAudrey

I use it quite a bit and think it's both fun and productive - not only can I throw in a link to my site for updates and boost traffic, but it's a great way to keep fans & members informed of my cam show times, updates, shoots, etc. Even more importantly is as a quick and easy to use networking tool - I've set up shoots through it, traded traffic with other webmasters, and had a great time talking with other webmasters and models, even found the perfect kiss-proof lipstick through there!

Ever find any good guyliner there?
Liz could become the local hero with that kind of information in Charlotte.

[MRock]

Is there any blocking of adult links and such like myspace? I had a nice size friends network for Jill built on myspace and the f***rs deleted the profile. Ticked me off.

[MRock]

P.S. I get sales for my music from myspace all the time. I'm mailing discs all over the world. NS sites can monetize. Just my 2 cents ...

[DannyCox]

Originally Posted by MRock

Is there any blocking of adult links and such like myspace? I had a nice size friends network for Jill built on myspace and the f***rs deleted the profile. Ticked me off.

Carol's first MySpace profile had over 80,000 "friends" on it, and they deleted it! No nudity, not even any suggestive pictures, but her URL was there. She's on her eleventh profile now. She gets deleted every time they do their Porn Star sweeps.

[MRock]

11th one! That's crazy man ... do they "clean" profiles at Twitter too?

[miz_wright]

Originally Posted by MRock

11th one! That's crazy man ... do they "clean" profiles at Twitter too?

I think they do, but not to the same extent. I have heard of a few stars having their profiles hit with the BAAAAAleeted stick.

[boobbucks]

We have not found it to be particularly productive for our big tits niche.

[Evil Chris]

I have a few accounts. People keep saying how they can monetize Twitter. I just don't see it.
I agree with the 15 minute thing. It's winding down.

[SexArise]

I had no idea Twitter would support porn content, interesting.

[Hell Puppy]

I'm amused on many different levels.