To Twitter or not to Twitter...

That is the question...

What I like most about Twitter is its simplicity.
Can you string together 140 characters? Sure you can - it is just 17/20 words?
So having established that let me assure you that you can use www.twitter.com and it does have many benefits.

Why should you bother to look at another online site? Maybe you are already on LinkedIn or Facebook or Utube and MySpace.

Then again maybe you are just looking to join the virtual friendship /business/relationship world. If so, Twitter is ideal for a novice.

Well a good enough reason for me, is that social networking experts are promoting the virtues and power of this latest on-line phenomenon.
Secondly, it is fun and fast.
And as someone who subscribes to a "Do it Now” philosophy for jobs that take two minutes and less Twitter is a must have plug-in to my online life.

It is good to link up with faces new and familiar and find up what they are up to. Was one of your new year's resolutions to stay in touch and be better connected to old friends? Twitter could be your new best friend!

The content of the Tweets and the quality of the people I have selected to follow is good on the whole. I have learned some great tips and ideas and shared a few as well. And as I type one new Tweeter is leading me to some potential speaking opportunities.
Let me, as someone who has only been using Twitter for about a month and thoroughly enjoying the experience, offer a few tips to you now:

• Take a good look at the bios of those you are considering following
• A return follow is not mandatory although always worth considering
• There is an option to un-follow or block but with your screening or selection process in place this unlikely to be required
• Check @Replies and Direct Messages first, as this is where I have found my most valuable information
• Chose an eclectic mix of people so that you get a wide variety of "tweets" to inform and inspire, laugh or loathe (yip a few will make you groan and moan and hehe that is good too!)
• Look at whom your favourites are following and consider doing the same
• Promote Twitter to your circle of contacts, friends and family - keeps you in touch - and raise your online presence
• Organisations use Twitter to inform membership – savvy schools posted closures on Twitter this week
• Major businesses, rich and famous use Twitter to create community and generate interest>sales
• Find out how to link Twitter to other sites and save time (lots of great ideas on Tweets as to how to do this)
• Select a Twitter-time in your life stick to it - otherwise you could find the process rather time consuming and maybe even addictive
• Give it a go for a couple of months - if you like it and see benefits -stick with it - if not - just stop twittering on

Read more on Jackie Cameron's great Blog