The Twitter Book [Paperback]

When I read, appropriately enough on Twitter, that Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein had written The Twitter Book, I couldn't wait to scoop up a copy. Literally. So I sent a message to the book's Twitter account and asked if I could get an early copy to review. The book is so clear and concise, so necessary to the social media world, that I wondered why on Earth it has taken so long for this kind of book to be written. Tim and Sarah are the perfect people to publish this type of work, both experts in the tool itself and in the art of communication. We're lucky to have them.

The Twitter Book is appropriate for people who've never heard of Twitter, who don't understand it, who like the concept though aren't sure how to use it, and for Twitter addicts like me. Whether you're an individual looking to build your own personal brand on-line, someone who is considering starting a business, or part of a large company, the book is chock full of ideas, resources, and helpful advice.

I recommend getting a copy of this book and using it as a constant reference the same way you'd use any top-rate how-to guide. I also found that it was incredibly helpful to have my computer in front of me so I could actually experiment with the different tips and resources that Tim and Sarah suggest. Within the pages of the book I also found a few other great people to follow on Twitter.

From a personal brand building stand-point, I found dozens of great ideas in The Twitter Book. (For those interested in how The Twitter Book helps business brand building, please see my Business Strategies column on Examiner.com.) Here are three of my favorite ideas to give you a flavor of what awaits you in this book:

1.) Twitter gives you the opportunity have superhuman powers you've always wanted: you can read people's minds and overhear conversations as if you're a fly on the wall.

2.) The art of brevity and timing is priceless. Highest traffic days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, business hours in EST. That's when the most links, ideas, and thoughts get replies (direct messages - dms - or @ messages) and passed around ("re-tweeted"). People need to see your message ("tweet") within 5 minutes of you posting it or they likely won't see it at all. And make it concise and interesting because you've only got 140 characters to get your point across.

3.) Jargon explained. I hate to be in acronym city. I think a lot of people use acronyms and catch-phrases to make themselves seem better informed than anyone else around. It annoys me. Twitter is no exception. A lot of people scratch their heads when they hear words like "tweet", "tweeple", and "tweetup". I don't blame them. I did the same thing and for a long while the jargon scared me off. I belonged to Twitter for a year and was mostly inactive before I figured out why it mattered and how it could be useful to me. The most valuable reason to pick up The Twitter Book is to have experts Tim and Sarah explain the jargon in very straight-forward terms, and then show you how the tool can be a very powerful part of your overall brand-building toolkit.

Before Tim and Sarah even get the discussion going in the book, they ask for suggestions to improve and enhance the content. The book has given me a lot of great ideas and I want to return the favor to them with a few ideas to consider for the next edition.

1.) For people brand new to Twitter, a glossary of terms would be very helpful.

2.) A set of easy to reference lists in the appendix would be handy. Common mistakes to avoid on Twitter, top companies using Twitter effectively, etc.

3.) An expanded section on how non-profits can use Twitter. It is briefly touched on in the book and I'd love to learn more from Tim and Sarah on new ideas that are particular to nonprofits that would help organizations increase awareness through Twitter.

4.) A resource directory, divided up into sections, in the appendix would be handy. For example, a list of third party programs, resources to help trim messages that are over 140 characters, etc.

An easy and endlessly helpful resource, The Twitter Book will accelerate the growth and power of Twitter. Generous and honest, Tim and Sarah skillfully help their readers take part in the conversation.

I have an O'Reilly Safari account and read this book online.

I had tried Twitter and was frankly disappointed. I just didn't see what all the shouting was about.

Then I read the Twitter Book and my life changed. I know what the shouting is about. Many ways of using Twitter are shown -- indispensable tools!

This book, which is co-written by THE O'Reilly of the famous O'Reilly Books, is not just ABOUT Twitter, it is a revolutionary publication all by itself, because of how it is written.

It is written for people in a Twitter-type hurry and need for quick, simple information. I read it on my Nokia N800 little computer, but am sending off for a hard copy now to show my friends.

This is the no-BS book you are dreaming about. Don't miss it.

The recent Twitter hype has gotten a lot of people interested in the relatively new micro-blogging site, but upon visiting twitter.com, many just scratch their heads. Some common sentiments are "What value could there be in Twitter?" and "Twitter seems downright silly." In response to this pervasive confusion, Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein have written The Twitter Book, which proclaims one primary message: Twitter is an enormously useful communication tool with potential for both personal and business use.

I liked what I found in the book's 6 succinct (full color!) chapters. The introduction and "Get Started" chapter describe exactly what Twitter is useful for, explain how to get your profile set up, and demystify key Twitter jargon and conventions. The following "Listen In" chapter discusses Twitter trends and how to track them; searching on Twitter; "life-changing" programs for keeping track of your tweets; and finding and following people.

The "Hold Great Conversations" chapter gives some excellent tips on how to effectively and properly communicate with other Twitterers. The "Share Information and Ideas" chapter offers some thoughts on what to tweet and how to be interesting. The "Reveal Yourself" chapter encourages personal tweets and customizing your Twitter account.

One of my favorite chapters is "Twitter for Business," which provides guidance for businesses interested in using Twitter. There are some good examples here of things businesses should and shouldn't do on Twitter.

As a newcomer to Twitter, I found this little book extremely easy to read, understand, and apply. If I'm going to delve into the more advanced uses of Twitter, however, I'm going to need additional resources. The Twitter Book is not a tome on the intricacies of applying Twitter to business; rather, think of this book as a quick introduction for anyone and everyone curious about Twitter.

In a nutshell, The Twitter Book tells you what you need to know in order to successfully tweet, gain followers, and--most importantly--find value in Twitter. I highly recommend this book. Read it, enjoy it, and start tweeting!

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