How to Use Twitter for Business Buzz

There's a big story about Twitter in the Boston Sunday Globe (and an interesting video too) that talks about what it is and speculation about how it will make money. What's even more interesting to me is how the service may become the real-time search tool that changes the way we look for information (read the Ad Age story about the possible future direction of Twitter). The potential could significantly change how we market and talk about our businesses online. But speculation means nothing in the here and now ... when we're trying to get our businesses noticed and at the top of search. So let's look at how Twitter can help us right now.

This morning on NECN (New England Cable News) Matt Noyes, the weather guy, talked about using Twitter to get the latest snow accumulations in the area (a bit more than 2 inches where I live, btw). And the technical news guy, Ted McEnroe, talks about how Twitter is used for searching and spotting trends. In fact, lots of people are using Twitter for search, either in addition to or in place of google. (Watch the video here.)

Twitter is still a fairly main stream tool for the masses - kind of like instant messaging, instant chat and Skype - and it's an example of viral marketing at its most effective among those who use it. Yet we haven't quite figured out how useful it could be for small businesses like ours. Business people don't necessarily want to communicate real-time with world. So what does this mean for us? Here's my take for business application for the business world:

Twitter as a PR source - since trends can be "spotted" by Twitter and Twitter searches return real-time results, or what's happening right now, editors and reporters can look to Twitter for story inspiration and sources. If you are involved in a popular trend and tweet about it you might be contacted for comments; this is a new opportunity for your PR. More immediate, it allows us to be our own reporters for our chosen topics. That information can then be used on our "regular" blogs - a handy way to create content and helping us to create more viral sharing of information.

If you are looking for blog material, search Twitter to see what you might find. Granted, it's stated in 140 characters or less, but it could ignite an idea for a blog entry, possibly even Web site content, and definitely networking ice-breakers.