Riding a road bike and wearing lycra at 6am in the morning, dodging trucks and buses doesn’t make sense to a lot of people.
Swimming 40 laps in cold water just to feel alive is often avoided by most because it seems slightly masochistic.
Jumping out of planes at 5,000 metres to enjoy a 60 second thrill is only done by a few because for most it is categorized as insanity.
As outsiders looking in many activities may seem strange, obscure and to be avoided.
Some say it makes sense to pursue these activities because it feels great when you stop and others say it is about the long term benefits.
Why Twitter is Misunderstood
Twitter is a social media channel that does not make sense for a lot of people.
Why be limited to 140 characters when on Facebook or your blog you can write 500 words. Why only use text on Twitter when on Facebook you can embed a video or post an image to share with your friends.
So why tweet when you can Facebook? Why would you want to tweet about useless twaddle to a world that isn’t listening and doesn’t care about your favourite breakfast cereal.
At most dinner parties when discussions turn to social media , Facebook is understood and appreciated but Twitter ends up in the “Why?” category as the misunderstood poor second cousin.
A Global Reason To Use Twitter
We now reside and engage on a planet where 2 billion people have connections to the web and over 5 billion have mobile phones. On this web we share and socialize with friends and family. We also socialize online with complete strangers in foreign lands.
Why do we socialize and share with complete strangers online?
Have you ever joined a group because you you loved cars, photography or painting? When you turned up for the first time did you feel that you belonged and said “This is my tribe!”
Twitter can connect you to a global tribe of people with similar interests and passions. It can provide a world wide community where the creativity and ideas flow in real time and inspire you to be the best and to learn at a level that your local school could never do.
When you communicate you can do it privately in a direct message (DM) or you can share it publicly your thoughts, findings and links via an open tweet.
Twitter connects you to a global world of hyper specialization that many do not even know exists. This is a world where niches become micro niches that you will not find in your local town.
How do you Find your Hyper Specialized Twitter Tribe?
There are many ways to discover your global tribe.
Here are 4 steps to find your tribe that I have found useful.
- Perform a Google search for bloggers in your area of speciality and find the top ranked bloggers
- Search for the bloggers Twitter name
- Enter that name into the online tool Tweepi.com and find the bloggers Twitter followers
- Follow their Twitter followers using Tweepi
The law of reciprocation will do the rest as some of those you followed will follow you back. It is similar to “Friending” people on Facebook.
You can then sit on the sidelines and watch the public stream of people in your new tribe as conversations and links pass by in real time and as it happens.
Over time as you make connections and share your own thoughts and findings this virtual world will produce real face to face meetings that will open doors and provide global opportunities.
This wasn’t possible 5 years ago!
How do you find and build your global Twitter tribe? Look forward to hearing your story.
More Reading:
- 30 Terrific Twitter Facts and Figures
- 50 Awesome YouTube Facts and Figures
- 50 Amazing Facts and Figures About Google
Image by Eveline314