“Blogs are like articles that people can comment on.  YouTube is like TV, but with voting.”  But what about Twitter? Many are not yet convinced that Twitter makes sense to them. (Or that Twitter makes sense at all.) What are the arguments for adopting Twitter – at least at some level?

Here are five – and two reasons for taking a pass on the tool:

1) An additional communications channel for key audiences:  Most organizations invest in newsletters, ad campaigns, blogs, and other outreach activities.  It is possible that some people may also wish to “consume” your content via Twitter – especially the media.  And since much of the tweeting can be automated, the time investment need not be high.

2) Business development and relationship building:  Before each critical meeting, search Twitter for the business name, brand names, and the names of those that you are about to meet. Are people tweeting about them?  What are they themselves tweeting about?  This intelligence helps you understand their environment – and their pressures.

3) Training and professional development:  Using a tool such as Hootsuite, set up an ongoing Twitter search for topics that are important to you.  For example, if you are concerned about the newest legislation in your field, a quick scan of all Tweets on this topic can lead you to some of the newest thinking in the area.

4) To participate in conversations:  Twitter is more about having a conversation than a broadcast.  Search with #Hashtags to find ongoing conversations, or send one-to-one Direct Messages.

5) Influence building:  As you use Twitter and attract followers, the number of your followers is a direct reflection of your influence. Since great content and great conversation are what build followership, skip the self-flattery, and concentrate on giving your followers what they want.

Two reasons to skip Twitter completely:

1) No confidentiality:  With the exception of Direct Messages, Twitter is not confidential. Since each of your tweets can be easily read by everyone, move confidential conversations to a more appropriate communication channel.

2) No strategy:  Don’t spend your time pointlessly dabbling in Twitter.  Instead, use it strategically to actually accomplish something more effectively than if it weren’t used.

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