It seems like only months ago that I first experienced the buzz about Twitter, a microblogging application which I had heard a lot about, but never really dedicated the time to dive into. It was at an SMX West show in 2008 where I witnessed my search engine friends, associates and one-day followers clicking about on their laptops and cell phones, commenting on the presentations and making plans for dinner that night.
To tell you the truth, I felt left out.
So, upon returning home from SMX, I decided to actively join the Twitter world, and started Twittering my daily activities, meals, thoughts and the occasional repost of a Search Engine Journal entry or some other interesting article I’ve found online.
12 months and 3,392 tweets later, I now find myself not only addicted to Twitter, but realizing the possibilities of the power behind this application.
- Twitter has become the #2 referring site (not search engine, but site) to Search Engine Journal over the past 3 months.
- It’s also the major marketing medium which has been used to build buzz for IM Spring Break, a mini-conference which we are holding outside of Miami in 2 weeks.
- I’ve connected with about 20 different people in Tampa, a city I moved to 2 years ago, who are active in SEO and have become good friends.
- Twitter has helped me connect with Dave Snyder, who kinda woke up a sleeping giant in myself.
- Twitter has resulted in 3 new advertisers on Search Engine Journal AND has resulted in one search consulting client.
- I think I’ve dislocated my thumb from Twittering on my Blackberry Curve
- I’ve been involved with a couple of trending moments, which is kinda cool
- I feel closer to some of the folks I’ve known of or worked with for years
Now every time I hear the word “Twitter” in a restaurant, on CNN, in a crowded room … my ears pop up in excitement. If anything, Twitter has broken past the online barriers and into our daily lives. And I’m looking forward to the day, maybe 10 or 15 years from now with my children, when I have the chance to read over my Tweets, and my life, because Twitter, like Facebook, has become my outlet of journaling day to day happenings, thoughts and feelings.
Thanks you Twitter, or maybe even better, Twank you! Happy 3rd Birthday 🙂
