Monday, November 2, 2009

Twitter Power


My whole purpose for selecting Twitter Power was for the sole purpose that I was no wear near familiar with Twitter at all, besides for all the hype that it has been creating. So I wanted a tool that would allow me to become more aquatinted with the new craze of micro-blogging and possibly learn a few tricks along the way. Twitter Power is a great guide to help beginner micro-bloggers learn to use Twitter. Let's face it, Twitter can be confusing. Sure it's simple enough to type in a 140-character or less message, but there is so much more to Twitter than that.
Twitter Power begins by introducing readers to social media, explaining what Twitter is and why is works, providing tips for building a Twitter following how to use it to build better teams and a stronger brands; also how to make twitter your ultimate help desk by not being afraid to ask questions and delving into more advanced topics such as tweeting for business. The main subject matter in the book is all about conveying the message on how to leverage the power of Twitter for instant business benefits-like reaching new markets and increasing sales. Joel Comm definitely makes it known, that Twitter is not just a social media tool to help you keep in touch with your friends but a tool that helps you or your company gains a real advantage over other competition.

One of the main reasons I like this book is because it's written in a very approachable and conversational style. Devoid of rhetoric but filled with layman's terms, the author does a great job of communicating the why's and how's of Twitter for a non-technical, social media novice audience. The book is non-fictional and gives you the facts straight up, and has a very informational format. A couple of books that are pretty similar to Twitter Power are: Twitter Tips, Trick, and Tweets by: Paul McFedries and Twitter Revolution by: Warren Whitlock & Deborah Micek. Just to name a couple. The brands that seem to be targeting the same audience as Joel Comm has would have to be books targeting consumers whom are looking to improve their micro-blogging experience and/or companies looking to gain a competitive advantage. Such companies would have to be Facebook.com, and LinkedIn.com. Both of these websites have been shooting to connect individuals young and old, and each has its own version of social media that they are trying to convey and each has done so in their own way and have been successful but Twitter power helps you use the simple tools of Twitter to put your best face forward and help you keep your conversations going.

Twitter Power was written by two authors the first, Joel Comm, who is an American author and Internet marketer. He is one of the world’s leading experts on strategies for making money online. He is an in-demand speaker at conferences on internet marketing and business, and also he is the author of The AdSense Code and Click Here to Order. Here is an example Second is Ken Burge which is an eight-year veteran of Microsoft and is currently Joel Comm’s business partner and President of InfoMedia, Inc. As an expert in online marketing and Strategy, Ken is responsible for the direction and management of more than fifty profitable online properties. Here are a couple of Rave reviews that this book received; “Joel Comm’s understanding of Social Media and it’s applications for entrepreneurs and the growth of their businesses is remarkable. Beyond his knowledge, it is his ability to communicate it effectively that makes him stand apart while his humor in delivery keeps you coming back for more. ” -Jen Groover which is the Founder of Butler Bag, LLC. Another rave review came from Mark Joyner, #1 Bestselling Author of “Integration Marketing”. “This book is Jam-packed with clever ways to leverage the Jovian social-networking power of Twitter. The ‘Twitter as Help Desk’ idea alone is a fiendishly simple revolutionary idea.” And these are just a couple out of the many rave reviews this book has received.

The intended audience of this book is going to be individuals like myself who are at a very novice level in the big surge of social media right now and also individuals who are looking to gain a competitive advantage over their competition by using Twitter. The Primary value of this book is to teach you the value of dominating your network one tweet at a time. By doing this you can build a loyal customer following, expand your brand, and generate instant buzz when you integrate twitter into your marketing strategies.

Some of the parts of Twitter Power that I found particularly interesting were the tips for building a following, the explanation of the types of tweets, and the reference list of Twitter applications such as TweetDeck and TweetLater that can be overwhelming and confusing for new Twitter users. One of the strongest aspects of the book is that it is a comprehensive guide that demonstrates how any business or individual can leverage the power of Twitter and benefit from the results. Also the book is so simple to understand, everything is really broken down and there is not a lot of high tech words that would get in between you and affectively using Twitter. Most of the reviews on this book really emphasize that attribute as well. And I can’t forget, by buying this book you automatically earn a free ticket to Joel’s online 4-week social media workshop which is valued at a $197, a pretty great deal for buying a $14.

It’s hard to find weaknesses throughout this book but if I had to find something I would have to say that I felt it was a bit of a slower read, because it was on more of a novice level, I felt bits of it were a little cut-n-dry and made it hard to push through at times or I would just skip to the next section. But the content of this book was very intriguing with a lot of great content. One inconsistency that I did find was that in the book when Joel was explaining about designing a commercial background Image for Twitter, he referenced an example of a designer (Natalie Jost) who designs Twitter background patterns. He mentions that she has a wide variety of free backgrounds to offer on her site, but when I went to check out the great deal so I could style up my Twitter page, they were nowhere to be found, and they were all valued at $5.

This book is a complete introduction to and how to use manual for twitter. Only after the chapters on mastering Twitter use does the author then discuss the best ways to use Twitter for marketing (although suggestions are sprinkled throughout). I would highly recommend it to anybody, whether you have never used Twitter or have been using it for months and whether you are a business or just somebody with a blog. I feel I have a much better understanding of the Social media world and I know anyone who reads this book will have the same feelings too.

2 comments:

  1. I've wanted to learn more on Twitter so I think that may be a great buy!

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  2. I didn't have a very positive experience with Twitter with the Social Media Project, but after reading your blog, I think it may be wise that I give it another chance. Especially because I am still such a novice and Twitter is still really developing in their commercial use. Thanks!

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