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Get Smarter and More Productive on Twitter
Posted by Kevin Purdy at 12:00 AM on November 6, 2007
Blogger and Lifehacker reader Caroline Middlebrook has put together a comprehensive guide to using, being productive with and—just as important—not abusing the micro-blogging service Twitter. Many of her tips and advice should be familiar to regular Twitter users (and Lifehacker readers), but her compilations of software tools, webapps, mashups and productivity tools are great all-in-one lists to check out. While you're trying out new Twitter tools, don't forget to check out Lifehacker's own Twitter feed of top posts. Thanks, Caroline!
Tags: guide | mashups | productivity | twitter | web applications
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
krisbkreme
Posted 3:49 PM 5/11/07
I don't understand how Twitter makes you more productive. Is it because you are conscious of everything you are doing?
krisbkreme
dbr
Posted 9:16 PM 5/11/07
@krisbkreme: It... doesn't, even remotely? There is nearly no practical use - Quite often I'll see a website linking to their Twitter feed, they are either "Eating food"/"Sleeping", or links to the site I just clicked the twitter-link on - Much like the Lifehacker twitter feed - It's just the LH.com RSS feed, but with only the title/link...
Really, Twitter is like blogging, but without the content.
The only vaugly interesting use of Twitter I can think of is using it's API to post alerts, and using the SMS services to get free alerts. But, living in Australia, its fairly pointless given they are international text-messages, so cost money..
dbr
Matthew Cornell
Posted 10:11 AM 6/11/07
I think the biggest issue with Twitter is using it productively. Tools and hacks are great, but keeping it from sucking up your time - putting it in its place - should be a user's first consideration.
Caroline mentions one of the productive uses of it - networking and connecting with business-related people. Others include providing value to others (e.g., not "I fed the cat" or "I'm leaving for work") and a rapid GTD capture tool. (I should blog about the others, if there's interest.)
Matthew Cornell
engtech
Posted 12:30 PM 6/11/07
Twitter makes me more productive because it gives me a vehicle to rant and complain about things. :)
Using it as a lazyweb to ask questions can be effective if you have enough followers.
my personal account
my link drop account
engtech