twitter

The World According to Twitter
$12.95
Brilliantly funny book. For a couple of months, David Pogue sent a Twitter question each day to the huge number of people who follow his Tweets and edited down the replies to make this book. The questions are his but the replies which make up the bulk of this book are from his audience. They are funny, thoughtful, smart and amply demonstrate that Twitter people are not just your Average Joes. Turns out, research shows, Twitterers are well educated, are very well read and are brilliantly witty! You can't go wrong - share the book with friends, they'll laugh too! Very highly recommended.

Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets
$19.99
I've been a Twitter addict for about 18 months now, and I'd like to think I know the majority of what there is to know about how it works and what you can do with it. But after reading Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets by Paul McFedries, I realize that you *can* teach an old dog new tricks. I picked up a number of nuggets here that have worked their way into my Twitter consciousness, making the experience even more enjoyable.

Contents:
How Do I Get Started with Twitter?; What Can I Do to Customize My Twitter Profile?; How Do I Send Twitter Updates?; How Do I Follow Other Twitter Users?; Can I Use Twitter on My Mobile Phone?; How Do I Find Stuff in Twitter?; Where Can I Display My Twitter Feed?; How Can I Take Twitter to the Next Level?; What Tools Can I Use to Extend Twitter?; Glossary; Index

As you might expect with a book like this, it's primarily geared to the person who either has never used Twitter or who has signed up for a Twitter account but never tried it. And for that, the book is perfect. McFedries writes in a simple, conversational mode that appeals to someone who is unfamiliar with the technology. Combine that with an abundance of pictures and illustrations, and I could give this to my dad as a starter guide, and he'd get it. Even given that Twitter is an online tool that can change at any time, the information layout is such that it should age relatively well. He focuses on concepts as well as details, and information about Twitter etiquette and how to effectively retweet don't ever go out of style.

For those of us who *have* been using Twitter for awhile, there is still some value here. The last two chapters reference a number of third-party sites that allow Twitter to be used in non-conventional ways (compared to just straight tweeting). Using Twittercal to update your Google Calendar has some useful implications. Even better is the LinkedIn Company Buzz widget that tracks tweets that mention the company (or companies) that you work(ed) for. I'm a firm believer in keeping a finger on the pulse of what's being said about your company, and Twitter is a great way to do that in real-time. Had it not been for this book, I might not have discovered that cool feature.

Granted, the more time that passes between the publication date and the time you read the book, the more chance there is that some of the information might become dated or just flat-out incorrect. And yes, the geeks among us might argue that you can find all this information via web sites or researching it on your own. But not all (potential) Twitter users are geeks, and Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets is a great way to open up the door to allow those people the chance to get up to speed quickly. And even the geeks might learn a thing or two they didn't know before...

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Amazon Vine Review Program
Payment: Free

The Twitter Book
$19.99
I am a person who is new to Twitter and still a Twitter skeptic. While this book didn't convert me (that wasn't the book's intention) it did a wonderful job of demystifying this new world.

Pros
1. The Twitter Book's strengths are in its brevity and structure. Most topics are covered in one page and it is just enough info to give you a good primer on each topic. From there you can take the tools & links it provides and dig deeper.

2. Clearly explained the lingo and jargon which was extremely help to a casual user like myself.

3. Very timely, all the examples and references are still fresh.

Cons
1. Unfortunately, this book won't age well. Things are changing so fast in the social media world that in another 6-12 months many of the examples and references may seem stale. Let's hope the sales of this version are enough to justify frequent revisions.

In conclusion, give the book a shot, you'll get enough tips and pointers from it to make it worth your while.

Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business & Market Online
$18.97
Social Media Marketing Expert, of over 20 years, Warren Whitlock and his co-author, Deborah Micek, give an a thorough insight into what Twitter is about, how to use it well to communicate with fellow Twitters and how essential a tool it is in helping you network with professionals as well as with friends.

An invaluable handbook to use when logging into your Twitter account and finding, DMs (direct messages), @____ messages and comments by those who you follow on Twitter.

The book is divided into 4 parts starting with a really good introduction on what Twitter is about, how you can use Twitter as an individual or a Company and the way Twitter can provide you with an essential tool in promoting yourself or your business.

`The New Media tsunami' is thundering. (p.13)

This statement made me perk up and read the next chapter eagerly, wondering how Twitter can really work for me.
I'd seen Warren Whitlock use Twitter to a large extent a long while back and decided to join Twitter as I thought it must be a good way to tweet about your works, if Warren used it regularly.

Then the following chapters explain how you can have a `real time' conversation with other professionals, friends, followers, the advantages of such networking, Twitter as an effective `micro-blogging' tool and how to really understand Twitter through giving advice and tips on keeping track of those you want to `talk @' to and the Twitter stream.

The book goes on to show the difference between marketing a brand as opposed to marketing your own name and how you can find which works best for you through ways of gaining followers and how you can become `follow worthy'. (Ch.5)
This Twitter handbook is an extremely useful tool in how to Tweet effectively and why you need to Tweet as well as ways of marketing yourself and be seen as a person, not a logo but someone real who others can communicate with on a business and personal level.

Warren Whitlock is an expert in his field of social media; After reading the book he co-writes, you'll see how Twitter is not just for saying 'hello....' but for connecting with the media and others who have a lot to 'twit' about. Knowing how to 'twitter' is the key to making Twitter work really well for you. Warren Whitlock and his co-author do just that.