The Tao of Twitter: Changing your life and business 140 characters at a time [Paperback]

Mark W. Schaefer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 29, 2011

It's time to take the mystery out of Twitter. Twitter may be the most powerful business and personal networking platform ever created but it remains a frustrating, strange world for most people. The Tao of Twitter is a path, a majestic random synergy with the potential to change your business and your life forever -- if you know the way! This is a book designed for busy people who can't spend hours in experimentation and research trying to find success. In one hour you will know enough strategies, tactics, and time-savers to create an effective presence on Twitter that will result in meaningful and measurable benefits. Through colorful examples and easy-to-follow, non-technical language, college educator and renowned marketing expert Mark Schaefer teaches you: > Secrets to building influence on Twitter > The formula behind every Twitter success > Applying Twitter for competititve advantage > A daily Twitter regimen > Specific business and personal benefits > 15 Ways to attract targeted followers ... plus hundreds of fresh ideas that will make Twitter fun and profitable. Jump-start your journey toward social media success by learning the Tao of Twitter!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best book on Twitter you will ever read." -- B2B Marketing Magazine

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Author

Since the first edition of The Tao of Twitter came out in 2011, I have been amazed at the outpouring of love for this little book that comes across my desk each day. People have told me it has changed their lives. Agencies have bought the book by the case to teach social media to clients. And at least 30 universities are assigning this to business and journalism students as required reading.

The book was initially created to solve a problem. The most common question am I asked is, "Can you help me understand Twitter?"  That is just not something that can be addressed over a cup of coffee! So I wrote this book, first to help my students, but it caught on has loyal fans all around the world.  The Tao of Twitter teaches you the practical MINDSET for success, not just a bunch of theoretical or technical suggestions. If you follow the strategy in the book, I know it can work for you because I have seen it impact hundreds of lives.

The Tao of Twitter is beyond a book. It's a movement. Welcome to a global community that is unleashing the power of this amazing communication platform to connect to the world and drive new business benefits in wonderful and unexpected ways! 

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Mark W. Schaefer (January 29, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 061543732X
• ISBN-13: 978-0615437323
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #731,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mark W. Schaefer, the author of The Tao of Twitter(2011), Return On Influence (2012), and Born to Blog (2013) is a globally-recognized educator, speaker, business consultant, and author. His well-known blog {grow} (www.businessesGROW.com), is one of the AdAge Top 100 marketing blogs of the world. Mark has worked in global sales, PR, and marketing positions for nearly 30 years and now provides consulting services as Executive Director of U.S.-based Schaefer Marketing Solutions. He has advanced degrees in marketing and organizational development and holds seven patents. Mark enjoys teaching social media marketing courses and is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University. He was named by Forbes magazine as one of the top 50 social media "Power Influencers." He is a popular public speaker and has appeared in the WSJ, New York Times, Wired, Forbes, Fortune, CBS News, and many other global media outlets.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Twitter Book June 7, 2011

By S. Poland

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this book, because I was a newbie to the world of Twitter. As a communication major I was interested in what the hype was all about with Twitter, BOY was I completely overwhelmed at the beginning. I purchased this book in hopes that it would answer some of my questions I had about Twitter, and it did. The Tao of Twitter is an easy read, and explains all the do's and don'ts along with all the functions that Twitter offers. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a newbie to Twitter.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect read on a Kindle May 6, 2011

By Jeff Aski

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A lot of the information here is entry level, but this book has it all compiled in one place. It's well organized and is written very clearly. The layout is absolutely perfect for a Kindle. The chapters are short and to the point. It's a quick, but good read.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, great insight April 13, 2011

By Jennifer Shreeve

Format:Paperback

This is a great, informative and easy book to read. Mark gives you really good food for thought on how Twitter can grow your business and audience. He gives simple ideas and advise on how to get started on Twitter. Totally recommend this book!!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful and Fun! February 27, 2011

By Nancy Guertin

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Tao of Twitter is a lively, interesting and easy read. Full of good stories and great tips. Helpful for people who are just starting out, have been tweeting awhile and people like me who tried it, but quit because it seemed too complicated. The book put the fun and ease back into the journey.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading to Leverage the Power of Twitter February 14, 2011

By Paul Flanigan

Format:Paperback

Length: 2:16 Mins

If you're new to Twitter, you need to read this book. If you've been on Twitter since its inception. . .you need to read this book. Twitter is as much an art as it is a science, and Mark brings that insight out in his book. In my video, I talk about what's in the book and it's value on your Twitter activity.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading For Well... Everyone Using Twitter November 16, 2012

By Joseph Ratliff VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Tao of Twitter is a concise primer on the true value of Twitter... that which cannot be quantified.

If you are a business owner, and want to use Twitter to its fullest capability, read this book. If you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and want to understand the true ROI of Twitter (and it isn't always dollars and cents), you NEED to read this book.

And finally, if you want to use Twitter the way it should be used, well, read this book. Mark outlines some key points for everyone... not just business people.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for anyone who wants a simple guide for using Twitter effectively April 2, 2012

By Michael Santos

Format:Paperback

Why I read The Tao of Twitter:
Twitter is one of the social-media technology companies with a growing influence around the world. I first read about Twitter more than four years ago. I understood that it broadcast messages called "tweets" in 140 characters or less. Unfortunately, I did not know how to use the service effectively.

Since I am now in the final months of a 45-year prison term, I'm trying to educate myself more on social media. I've never accessed the Internet directly, but I've worked hard to build a web presence over the past 15 years. I want to use my website in ways that provide value for people seeking to understand prisons he people they hold, and strategies for overcoming adversity. I suspected that learning more about how to use Twitter would be a good use of my time. My wife researched books that described the service and when she found The Tao of Twitter by Mark W. Schaefer, she sent it to me.

What I learned from reading The Tao of Twitter:
I learned a great deal about using twitter effectively from reading this book. As a federal prisoner I've never had the privilege of logging onto the Internet. From what I'd read in the business news, I knew that Twitter was growing remarkably fast and I instructed my wife, Carole, to reserve a Twitter "handle" for me several years ago. Since then, she has tied my Twitter account to my websites, facebook, and LinkedIn presence. Although I didn't have a coordinated strategy, somehow I've built a following of more than 800 Twitter followers. Still, it wasn't a coordinated strategy, and I knew that I was not using the site effectively.... I expect that the information I learned from reading The Tao of Twitter will help me make a more effective use of the 140-character tweets that my wife broadcasts on my behalf.

The author begins his book by acknowledging that, like many people, he didn't initially grasp the significant influence Twitter could have as a tool for business. He quit using the service after a brief try. Then he decided to try it again, and he researched the service more thoroughly. In so doing, he discovered that by incorporating a Twitter strategy, he could build a "tribe" of targeted followers who would work in unison toward mutually advantageous goals. The key to success with Twitter, he found, was in sending regular tweets on a relevant subject. By sending a minimum of three tweets each day, Mr. Schaefer found that he could increase traffic to his blog and build a client base that contributed to increased sales for his business.

Mr. Schaefer offers several useful strategies for attracting targeted followers. He advises users to include a photograph when setting up the user profile on Twitter. The profile should link to the user's website. The biography should include keywords that may help users searching for information a user can provide. He also suggests that Twitter users aspire to build a tribe of at least 200 followers. To do so, he recommends the use of public "lists." That data point helped me because I didn't even know about lists. Apparently, they can help Twitter users find the types of targeted followers that may have an interest in the specific content that an individual creates.

A related site, TWELLOW.COM is "like a yellow pages for Twitter," the author wrote. Users can sign into Twellow.com for free. When they do, they will find an exhaustive directory of Twitter members by category, industry, and specific interests.

In addition to setting up lists, the author advises following other Twitter users with shared business interests. Twitter users can tweet an introduction to their followers. It's an effective way of conducting market research. Another helpful third-party application that Mr. Schaefer recommends is WEFOLLOW.com.

How reading The Tao of Twitter will contribute to success upon my release from prison:
Since I rely upon my wife to manage my web profile, I try to provide her with as much help as I'm able. We're a team in every way, but since Carole has a full-time career as a nurse, it can be difficult for her to keep up with the amount of content I produce. She has agreed to help me build my Twitter following by posting a minimum of two tweets that I will send her each day. She also will implement the strategies that I learned from Mr. Schaefer's book. When I'm home, I will take over the responsibilities of building my Internet profile, and what I learned from The Tao of Twitter will give me a real advantage in using Twitter effectively. I recommend the 96-page book to anyone who wants a simple guide for using Twitter effectively. Read more ›

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Quick Read on Twitter etiquette October 26, 2011

By D. Kelly

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I think I was expecting something else from this book. This book gave me some good tips on Twitter etiquette, but I am more interested in how I could use Twitter specifically as a marketing tool.