Recently, at the local coffee shop, my entrepreneur buddies convinced me that Twitter was indeed a useful business tool. So I checked it out. The introduction to Twitter video on their main home page was less than inspiring. If I had not been referred to Twitter, based on this video I would not have joined. Why? I simply don't have the time or interest to care whether someone is having a Latte at the local coffee shop. Quite simply, this video doesn't present an attractive value proposition for me personally. However, based on credible recommendations I joined anyway and have discovered three key benefits of Twitter: (a) it is a great way to share content that you are producing; (b) you can follow only those individuals and organizations that you choose and create a custom "feed" of topics; and (c) it has the potential to reduce the clutter in my email inbox if I can convince my colleagues to use Twitter.

Deliver Content

If you currently produce content for the web, Twitter is a great way to notify your "followers" and the Twitter network of new content and ideas that you are posting on your blog, website, etc. There are numerous examples of thought leaders (both individuals and organizations) on Twitter that announce their new ideas, events, etc. using Twitter. Tweets are limited to a 140 characters which makes it perfect to quickly post a short sentence with a link to your content on another forum. And, it is a great way to stay up on the issues that you are most interested in.

Create a Custom Stream of Content

It is a great way to create a custom feed of content to suit your unique interests and needs. The people you choose to follow create an "RSS-type" feed of sorts to key content on the subjects you track. For example, when I check into Twitter I see the tweets from Guy Kawasaki, Garr Reynolds, The Rocky Mountain Institute, Joseph Michelli and many others. To see who else I am following you can check out the "following" link on my Twitter page. This saves me time, I don't have to check each website/blog individually or check my RSS feeds from those who have them. And, it isn't always new content from the individual posting the tweet. Many of the tweets point me to additional content on another site that the person posting thinks might be of value to their followers. For example, I noticed that some of the more prolific tweeters (e.g., Guy Kawasaki) often give a one line attention getter and then provide a link to an article that is on someone else's website.

Reduce the Clutter in Your Inbox

Another use I see for Twitter is a more efficient and effective way to share online content (articles, etc.) that you find with your colleagues. My email inbox is often full of messages from my network of colleagues who constantly share online content that they think I might find interesting. I am not complaining. However, if everyone in my group was on Twitter, they could all post their most recent "finds" and I would automatically see their contribution when I check Twitter. So, if exchanging ideas is central to your work - Twitter is an effective and efficient forum.

For more on the potential of Twitter, check out the "Ten Rules for Radical Innovators."

Check out my very modest start on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/drjohnlatham and create a free account to explore the possibilities.

Enjoy!