Finally embracing Twitter (part 1) there is a Following to be built. With a lot of ways to find people and businesses, first you have to decide on WHY you want to Twitter. For me it started as being about business. Always looking for ways to promote my business, it was about promoting listings, local communities and to encourage people to choose me to assist them with their Real Estate needs. I have found it is that and so much more.
Following people from ActiveRain was the first step. I listened to RainRadio(already knew about @bradandersohn) and heard about @kimwood, @pchaney and @myrtlebeachblog. Once they followed me back, I could see the Twitter names of those they follow. I started clicking on their addresses, looked at the mini profile and some of their posts and started following many of them. And it grows from there. Their followers would do the same when they happened to catch my updates and follow me and I, in turn, follow them. This in itself gets you started.
Bill Gassett just posted about Twellowhoodwhich is a good place to find local people. After all, we want to engage in a local conversation. I have heard reference to "Tweetups" where someone tweet about getting together and invite Tweeters to show up - what a great way to meet new friends and network. While Twellowhood is for top locals, Twellow is for top Twitters in categories of interest to you.
Their are so many twitter tools out there for almost anything. So here are a couple to find the Top/Elite/Popular people on Twitter - locally or nationally. Mr. Tweet is your assistant and will search your extended network and recommend who you should be following and who of your follows should you follow back. Another is Twittergrader. I ran across this early when my score was like 4 and now I am considered a TwitterElite for Metro Detroit--great surprise. The cool thing is that I clicked on the Elite button after my name and found I was #5 and a list of all others in my Metro Detroit area and followed some. As you scroll down there is a lot more information on the page - didn't notice before as there was none as a beginner. There are Tabs at the top of the TwitterGrader for other searches: TwitterElite and Search (for terms) and TwitSnip where it will not only shorten a URL but shorten a post in what is called "twitabulary"-twitter short vocabulary. You can also check the status of others you know on Twitter. Also check out another post about Twitter alerts.
This should create a lot of Twitter people to follow and don't forget to Follow Me on Twitter--I'll follow back.
Royal Oak Realtor selling Real Estate in Southeastern Michigan. TishHouse sells Houses - selling Oakland County Real Estate with RE/MAX Showcase Homes in Birmingham, Michigan. Helping People in a challenging market by specializing in Short Sales. See what my clients have to say about my extraordinary customer service
Thank you for sharing. i have signed up , but have not really done much on the site-Dinah Lee
Hi Cathy, Great Post, I will follow you. I feel weird following people I don't know, so much to do and learn.
Cathy: Thanks for the tip about Twellow. I just went to my first Tweetup last Friday and I'm looking forward to connecting with more and more people.
Dinah: I was like that in the beginning on ActiveRain but once engaged - there is a whole world to get into. I can't believe how much I love it when I avoided it for so long.
Cathy, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I've been so busy with real estate lately I have not been able to be on there much.
Thanks for the info. I have not tried twitter yet but I guess I'll have to check it out.
Cathy, I just followed you. Looking forward to sharing and reading.
Your national title agent
Bo
I'm @LaneBailey on Twitter. I'm easy to find. you might already be following me (I have 500 or so... I'm losing track). If you are, I've already started to follow you.
Who knew Twitter was so dang big that there's all this other twitter offspring sites! Wow thanks for the information. I'm going to have to bookmark this post so I can remember all the sites. Oh, and I did follow you. I'm @NetDrifter on Twitter.
Great post - I've been busy with other things, now it time to network my tail off.
This is great info. I didn't know about the following back so I will make sure to follow my followers. I don't know why Twitter is feeling so overwhelming to me...little by little though!
Thanks for the tips! Off to Twitter!!!
Oh yeah....I'm bookmarking. I'm on Twitter and desperately need to understand the whys and hows. Great source of information!
Cathy.... thanks for sharing the different Twitter tools... I am just starting to get into this...
Christine: There are situations where I feel shy about not knowing people but following people and then connecting with like-minded strangers is a lot of fun - seeing who you catch in the "stream" with so many as you add followers.
Kelly: I look forward to my first "Tweetup". Hope you met a lot of new friends.
Missy: It's good you have been busy. Sometimes I have to shut Twitter down and get to work!!
Jennifer: Jump in! I avoided it for a long time - if you have read my part 1 where I talk about getting off the fence!
Cathy, thanks for encouraging me to get with the new technology, I signed up a few days ago but haven't done anything with it yet. I still don't see how it can help me increase my income... but I'll try it out for a while.
Regina P. Brown
Nice to see you really jumping in to Twitter, Cathy! That's really the best way to understand what it can do. Following on Twitter is just like Subscribing on ActiveRain, and profiles of those who follow you are a great source to build your network.
Thanks for helping me sort it out. I have been sidetracked all night.
Hi Cathy - thanks for the tips on Twitter tools. I've been on Twitter for some time now, and really enjoy it. I've not been to so quick to check out all the various tools that keep springing up, but I guess I really should check them out and see what they're all about.
Ann @acummings
Oh gosh, this twitter concept just makes me think of MORE online work. I will check into it for 2009.
It sounds incredibly confusing...but I'm going to go for it!
"Finally embracing Twitter" Nope...Not quite...I joined I am still not there. However I plan (with the help of great posts like yours) to learn more over the holidays. Thanks for adding to the discussion and helping to educate those of us who are still catching up!
I'm just glad my active rain blog posts are finally appearing on my twitter account :)
@KimWood has the best posts on AR and Twitter -- She has saved me countless hours of time trying to figure stuff out --- great post -- JE ---- @EllisJason
Cathy, thanks for the great info...I don't know where you and others find these great tools...I've looked around Twitter and didn't see anything. But I will use all your links! I will also follow you as I am already on Twitter...I work in Northern Michigan so we may have the opportunity to work together some day!
Diane - I am with you, Twitter is just more and more work that , although can be fun and entertaining, time is better used writing unique original content, just one mans opinoin
Hi Diane,
Thanks for the information on Twitter. All this is so useful and I look forward to implementing the information for all my clients.
Cathy - Yes, I guess I have been fully involved in Twitter for a while now!
I am @MikeMueller (or you could just click on the widget below).
I try to follow most everyone here on AR and if we are not connected – let’s do so now! (cathy and I are already connected)
Well I tried mr. tweet and it works very well, I found some interesting people to follow. Thanks for the tips.
Mr. Tweet sounds very interesting. I love learning some new like that. Thanks,
Great post, Cathy! I'm just getting into Twitter now myself. I did read that Twellowhood post the other day, that is a neat tool. Good luck and see you in Tweetville!
OK, I just don't get this. I signed up on Twiiter, why would anyone care what I am doing? I searched my town- a few mentions, mostly from days ago, one person I don't know from my town. I searched AZ and AZ real estate and just real estate. Is it just people basically having conversations about whatever? I spend too much time now having conversations on the phone and with walk-ins and by email. I don't have time to chat for fun.
How do you use Twitter for business? Does it get you business? Or is it just socializing, and maybe the relationships MIGHT turn into business?
Cathy thanks for the mention of my post about Twellowhood!
Cathy, my simple question is where do you find the time to Twitter? I am so glad though that it is working for you.
Cathy, awesome info for Twitter ! Cutting edge - love it ! p.s Just followed you on Twitter : )
Cathy,
This is a great post. You learn something new everyday. I use HubSpot all the time and has not seen or been told about this tool. Thanks. I looked at my grade and it is an 82. Not bad. Now I need to really learn what I am doing. Please follow me at jbakst.
Do you know where you get the follow me on twitter widgets?
Bo: Thanks for the follow &, of course, I'm following back.
Lane Baily - I am now following you - I would put a link on your Blog saying "Follow Me on Twitter"--would make you easier to find.
Bridget: I'm still finding more Twitter applications - & following you
Larry: good time of year to network - at least in my neck of the woods - slow time of year.
Cristal: I'm addicted - so surprised as it seemed way overwhelming when I didn't understand what it was and avoided it.
Catina: You are Welcome
Trunda: Once you understand, I think you will love it.
Jeff Belonger: You are Welcome - I am sure you will be successful as you are a great contribution of AR.
Regina: I posted about Twitter Alerts and talked about how Twitter applies to and can create business.
John: I totally agree - I have embraced it by really "jumping in"
Best Spot Realty - glad you could sort it out.
Ann: I'm still finding cool tools and it has paid off in my enthusiasm and having things to blog about.
HI EVERYONE. TAKE A LOOK AT THE OFFICIAL ACTIVE RAIN MEMBERS ON TWITTER CHECKLIST
We've added everyone's @acounts we saw posted above.
Just signed up on twitter. I can't say that I fully get i yet. But we'll see.
Keisha what's your @name?
Thank you Cathy for all the good info on Twitter. I am going to try twillowhood to find more local people. Good tips and links.
I need to go over there and spend some time. I have connected my ar posts to twitter but that's about me. I think all the little names are so cute...
Ok, I spent about 15 minutes clicking on your links above and so far I have:
NOW, I feel like I am getting somewhere! thanks for the great post!
This is on my list to do in 2009! Thanks for the good post and i have it bookmarked.
Great info, thanks.
Diane & Cindy: Mor3e online work and confusing is what I thought as well that had me keep putting it off - now I love it and really wish I had embraced it earlier - but we do it when we do it.
Russell - OK it's the holidays - I hopeyou have learned more about it - so many great posts on the Twitter group.
Jon: It is great that our blogs automatically show up on Twitter. ActiveRain is great.
Jason: @kimwood helped me get started as well.
Sonya: So glad to be connected - I love finding local Twitterers and the possible networking. They say that people who Twitter will choose a local Realtor just because they Twitter - that's how "in" being on Twitter is. I look forward to reading your posts. I put everyone "local" on a separate group in Tweetdeck.
James: It is work - but the "real time" conversation is about what is cuttting edge in the world. I follow a lot of SEO, Twitter tips and social media "gurus" - most of which are not on AR and I would never find them otherwise. Well worth the work.
Kim: Glad it was useful
Mike: You are in my ActiveRain group in Tweetdeck.
Lauren: I find new people every day by checking out who the top people tweet to etc.
JJ Hanah: You are Welcome.
Kris: Glad we are in Tweetville together.
Leslie: I follow a lot of people in the fields of SEO and social media and find a lot of tips on many things including how to use Twitter for business. I have found a lot of local people and create a group in Tweetdeck. I listen watch the conversations and jump in from time to time. I don't talk that much about Real Estate but they can look at my profile. Plus all my AR posts are Tweeted including market reports etc.
Thanks for the comments on Twitter; I hope to get PEI Real Estate known a little bit more on it...