What's There For Me In Twitter ?

Twitter can be used for umpteen reasons some of which are as follows.

Live Connection With Contacts
Twitter is a live connection between you and your friends or family members. Prizes won, missing a safety pin, current song on your iPod, crossed stages in your video game or need of cash, any thing can be instant communicated through Twitter.

Social Reforms And Activities
You can raise your voice against any social injustice or create social awareness like #SavePlanet, #GreenEarth, #EnergyConservation etc. Political campaigns (#Obama), for a Presidential candidate, reasons to support or not can also be carried out. You noted the #hash before some of the above words. Want to know more then read this - Tracking Twitter Keywords: The Key To Success on Twitter.

Business Or Product Promotion
The most common use of Twitter today is the promotion of business , site, blog, product or service. Without this ability the growth of Twitter wouldn't have been till this extent. Majority of the Tweets now carry a URL which points to the blog or site introducing a product or a service. If you also intend to have any of these benefits, you have enough reasons to join Twitter.

Ramifications Of Basic Usage
The popularity of Twitter and the availability of API has led to the development of zillion apps and sites to increase the usability. For instance, sharing files , sharing Google Docs, managing personal finance, fitness management, travel management and much more can be done using these third party applications or sites.

What Is Twitter ?

Introduction
Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay in touch, through small SMS type updates. The updates are an answer to a simple question, "What are you doing".Each message is 140 characters in length. It is also known as microblogging.
In order to use Twitter you should either have a computer or a mobile phone, along with an internet connection.



History
Twitter was crated in 2006 by Jack Dorsey,and is a privately funded startup with offices in the SoMA neighborhood of San Francisco, CA.  
Twitter has gained notability and popularity worldwide. Companies backing
Twitter are Union Square Ventures, Digital Garage, Spark Capital, and Bezos Expeditions (led by Jeff Bezos of Amazon).

How To Use Twitter
Crate an account on Twitter. Login and see the box " What are you doing". Write in the box and click on the Update button. Start sending messages, which are lovingly called tweets on Twitter.

References:
Photo Jack Dorsey from Creative Commons.Original Link to Photo By Joi.
Twitter About Page and  Wikipedia

How To Share Google Docs on Twitter

In my previous post I discussed about sharing files on Twitter through third party sites. Here we will see how to share Google Docs on Twitter.

You Need
  1. Google Docs
  2. Bit.ly
  3. Twitter
Create the required document on Google Docs. Publish it as web page. Google will give you a URL of the published document. Copy the URL and Shorten it with Bit.ly ( Sample link to try http://bit.ly/4df8Hf ).  A smarter thing to do is get the Bit.ly Button, as it makes the task Much easier.
Copy the shortened URL. Open Twitter and paste. There you go ! If you have an account on Bit.ly linked to Twitter the you can post it from Bit.ly without leaving the page.

TIP:
How to share MS Office (.doc, .docx, .ppt, .pps, .xls, .xlsx ),or OpenOffice.org (.odt) StarOffice (.sxw) and RTF format document ?
Just upload the MS Word, OpenOffice.org, StarOffice or RTF document on Google Docs. Publish it, get the link, and follow the same procedure as described above.

Read More Twitter Related Articles Here .
Meet me on @Twitter Jaiku and Plurk too.

How To Insert Emoticons Or Smileys in Twitter

Make the most of 140 characters, Express yourself.
Tweemoticons offer numerous creative, useful and conversation enhancing emoticons.
Install Greasemonkey add-on in Firefox web browser.
After this install a simple script from Tweemoticons.
Now login into Twitter.
Start sending tweets on twitter and have fun with Tweemoticons ;)
You can follow @Tweemoticons on Twitter.
Read More Twitter Related Articles Here .

How To Make Stumble Upon Toolbar Appear In Your Tweeted Links

Ever wanted to know how to make StumbleUpon Toolbar appear in the links you have posted as tweets on Twitter. Here I show you how to do it.

You Need
  1. StumbleUpon
  2. Bit.ly
  3. Twitter
First submit your post on StumbleUpon. Open it from there itself. You will find that your post is being displayed with the StumbleUpon tool-bar on top. Copy this link from the address bar of your browser.
Go to Bit.ly. Shorten the URL you have just copied. A smarter thing to do is get the Bit.ly Button, as it makes the task Much easier. Copy the shortened URL.
Open Twitter and paste. There you go ! If you have an account on Bit.ly linked to Twitter the you can post it from Bit.ly without leaving the page.
Now when your followers on Twitter will click, they will be presented with the StumbleUpon tool-bar on top. Happy Stumbling.
NOTE: You can very well use the same shortened link for Jaiku and Plurk too.

Bitly URL shortner



StumbleUpon the Stumbling site



Magical Bits : the final result with the tool bar.

Stumble Upon Launches Su.pr: Shorten URL and Share In A Single Click

Su.pr is a URL shortener with the capacity to post your links and updates directly on Facebook and Twitter. It provide both syndication and discovery in one tool. Su.pr also provides some useful tools like tools to identify the best times to post, schedule future posts and see real-time results on clicks, tweets and traffic associated with your posts.


It is now in Beta and can be accessed from here.

To get the INVITATION CODE follow @Su.pr on Twitter.

6 Animals To Follow For Better Blogging

Though the human beings are gifted with immense power and ability, sometimes observing and assimilating the qualities of animals can be of great advantage for bloggers. One most important qualities of the human beings is to learn and adapt, so he can definitely learn from all other creations and apply it for his own benefit, be it blog or life.

The Bee
The Bee chooses the most beautiful flowers, collects nectar, digests it properly and makes honey out of it. The inference is that to write you need to study and know your subject well. As a blogger you should hop for the best source of knowledge, research thoroughly, collect gist (nectar), and make an original composition. It is bound to serve the readers will all the goodness just like honey. Won't the readers return in search of more ?


The Woodpecker
With a beak of the size of your fingernail, it pierces hard woods and makes a house to live in. The might of the largest sequoia, cedar or oak cannot come in the way of its determination. A saying goes "If you don't have the best, make the best of what you have". Does it matter if it doesn't have the abilities of the Weaver Bird to build a beautiful nest. It concentrates on its own abilities and the result is well known. What if you as a blogger don't have the resources enough, to spend on domains, hosting, email newsletter service, advertising services, dedicated office, paid writers, fancy accessories etc etc. You can still make a wonderful blog and get it running successfully too. Just utilize what is there and forget what is not there.


The Stork
For its target to be achieved, the stork stands for several hours on one leg. Dedication is a must for any blogger to succeed. Never Give Up.


The Ant
It has the ability to carry loads, several times its own weight. Another important quality is that she marks its way with pheromones, well in advance that she has to follow. Never deviates from that path till one work has been accomplished. Multiple tasks, multiple blogs, part time blogger, theres no excuse, you can do it and you should do it. Moreover choose your path, the niche carefully and stick to it. Success is on the way.


The Peacock
What happens when there is thunderstorm, black clouds, tremendous breeze and heavy rains ? The peacock dances and enjoys every moment. He knows well that this has to pass, its not permanent. Never be bothered if there are difficulties, less traffic, no clicks. Its your choice, whether you pass this period dancing or crying.


The Tortoise
This humble and slow creature has been a part of our moral lessons since the very child hood. Elaboration on "Slow And Steady Wins The Race" is not required.


Would you like to suggest some other qualities to be followed ? Please feel free to write in the comment box. Thank You !

Feed Burner: Geographically Yours

The Analytics Style Map Overlay now enters Feedburner breaking all boundaries. An array of services that Feedburner already offered is enhanced with another feather in its cap.
Now you know whom to to feed(burn) what and when according to local taste and preferences.


Be it declared, a map for every feed!