Is
there instant money in Twitter? social media and social networking or
just to get rich quick?
If you are researching social media & social networks it is fair to say that you have looked at Twitter.
Twitter is an online community of people writing text-based micro (max
140 character) blog posts. These 'tweets' are meant to be about moments
in their lives. Barely a chat show has been broadcast that hasn't mentioned
twitter.
Oprah Winfrey the influential American talkshow host broadcast her first
"tweet" in April 2009 and has amassed hundreds of thousands
of followers.
In parallel to Michael Jackson's death (but not to be compared with), it had a huge impact in Cyber space. Users of the micro blogging community blamed Oprah's popularity for causing the site to come to almost a grinding halt.
The opposite side of the coin suggests that hundreds of thousands of new members joined Twitter after Winfrey promoted it on her TV show.
There are also allegations that Oprah's profile has been the target of a 'worm attack' - a virus that hijacks users' profiles and sends rogue tweets from their accounts giving the impression that it actually came from them.
It happens to me ....in a small way (more later). Here's my Twitter Profile
The 'worm' spreads messages mentioning Winfrey and other celebrities in what certainly appears to be a deliberate attack on other celebrities with profiles on Twitter. If you really wanted to see what Oprah tweets about, you might be disappointed unless you want to know what she ate and what her dog gets up to!
Enough about Twitter and the Joe Public aspect, where's the money?
I joined Twitter as an experiment to see where the pot of gold can be found. It didn't take too long to gain some 1500 followers ..chicken feed compared to others but it they all sent me £1 I'd be happy.
Direct messages began to flow into my email, all offering either untold riches or 'how to get 500 followers each day on auto pilot'. I'm working on what to do with all these followers and how I can turn it into cash ...back to my £1 from each, but why think small, let's go for £100 each.
It suddenly appears that I'm not the first to think about cashing in on Twitter because when I click on the many links I have received, some actually want £100 for their 'secret to Twitter riches'.
We all know the old 'how to get rich overnight scam', you pay them and they tell you to copy what they have done.
I'm testing some right now, I certainly didn't pay the £100 but
to date I haven't made a penny. I've attracted more people, each offering
me more riches but no hard cash!
Personally, I believe Twitter has its place in internet marketing and has great potential to help in improving online communication whilst developing relationships and also collaboration in other joint ventures with people you would have never met.
When you see an internet marketing expert offering social media marketing
as part of their online services, Twitter is likely to be there.
So, let's look at Twitter as PR rather than hard-faced mercenary marketing.
Yes there are people that have invented a Twitter industry and making
a living out of Twitter, as there are those doing pretty much the same
on eBay.
Twitter does offer unique and valuable opportunities for businesses to enhance and indeed expand their mainstream marketing and social media marketing campaigns.
Internet marketers can develop new ways to use Twitter to their advantage. Again, I urge you to turn your thoughts away from instant riches and look at twitter as a long term professional marketing tool. A few ideas you might want to look at with Twitter as part of your online PR and Internet marketing strategies include: Website traffic generation, sending press releases, promoting special offers, notification of daily deals, promote events, building relationships by opening dialogue with prospective customers ...there is so much more.
I'm not a negative person but I doubt if I will make money from the
Twitter Get Rich Quick Experiment, but I'll keep you posted here.
