News & Insights

Twitter Mania: It's More Than "I'm sipping coffee now"

Twitter usage is exploding. It's gone from silly, self-indulgent status updates such as "I'm sipping coffee now" to another Internet wild west. Business professionals are experimenting with this social media channel trying to discover where it can drive real value to their business. There are success stories, especially in the realm of big brands offering coupons.

Besides every tenth person you meet claiming to offer social media services (that's more madness than mania), I would like to demonstrate the mania by the crop of new tools and services around this channel. Here is a list of a variety of tools and sites relating to Twitter:

  • Tweetdeck - A Rich Internet Application that does an excellent job of managing the Twitter landscape.
  • Twitterfone - Allows you to send messages to Twitter using your voice
  • Twitter Search - A search engine for Twitter
  • Twubble - A Twitter extension that helps you find more friends.
  • Trendistic - Displays trends on Twitter
  • TwitBlocker - Helps you block those little birds that just chatter too much
  • Twittonary - A dictionary of Twitter terms.

And the list of links can go on and on but here are some other tools and sites just listed by name: Twittercal, Twitpay, Twibs, Twitter Mail, Twitzu, Twuffer, Tweet Later, GroupTweet, TweetBeep, TwitPic, Mr. Tweet, StrawPoll, Twiddict, Twenglish, twtcard, Tweet what you spend, Twitwall, Twitterise and the craziness goes on so I think you get my point.

We'll see how many of these sites and services stick around over the next two years but it's fun nonetheless. Twitter can be a useful resource and over time, business marketers will realize its full potential. Until then, you can follow me on Twitter @craigcooke. How's that for a self-indulgent fame seeking? I promise not to waste your time with silly posts. I save those for my Facebook friends.  :)