twitter means business: how microblogging can help or hurt your company (Paperback)

~ Julio Ojeda-Zapata (Author)
Key Phrases: twitter search, trending topics, social media, Twitter Means Business, The Twitter, Whole Foods (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Millions of Internet users have fallen in love with the Twitter "microblogging" service, which lets them swap brief text "tweets." Now companies are embracing the service to engage customers, promote products and monitor what is being said about their brands.

Given the passion and high profiles of "Twitterverse" denizens, the service has evolved into a vital early-warning system for businesses seeking to stave off criticism, and as a way to build better relationships with customers. That is why companies need to know Twitter. Embracing it can help a business thrive; ignoring the service could well hurt it.

For companies unfamiliar with Twitter, this book serves as a field guide. They will get a Twitterverse tour, and learn about the dozens of firms big and small that have harnessed Twitter as a powerful, flexible business tool. The bottom line: Twitter means business.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Happy About (November 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600051189
• ISBN-13: 978-1600051180
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #119,682 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and packed with info, January 22, 2009

By	Paul A. Baker "communicator" (Madison, Wis., US) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Whether you're a seasoned Twitter user or a newcomer, this book will pump you up and lead you to new resources. Julio Ojeda-Zapata packs this little book with examples of why people and companies Tweet, and how they do it.

He documents dozens of corporate Twitter users including Zappos, Best Buy, Home Depot, Starbucks, Sprint Nextel, Comcast, JetBlue, and Whole Foods. H&R Block uses Twitter as a customer-support tool, a public-relations tool, and a product-development tool. Customers tweet about what they like and don't like about the company's online services and desktop software. A "Twitter lesson" follows each case study.

I found really helpful Ojeda-Zapata's descriptions of Twitter-related services, including Tweet Scan, Twellow, TwitScoop, The Social Brand Index, and Twitterati.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Introduction to Twitter, April 3, 2009

By	G. Krivicich "social media expert" (Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you have little experience with Twitter, then this book will help you understand the impact that social media is having on business. having real-world examples of businesses using Twitter is an excellent method for teaching the reader about Twitter. The book is conversational (a quick read) and not written like a novel. I was going to lend this book to a friend, but I decided to keep it as a reference tool next to my computer. Well done!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Give Your Business The Edge With How You Use Twitter, December 7, 2008

By	W. Terry Whalin "Publisher/ Editor / Writer" (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews

The name of the social media tool, Twitter, sounds like a complete waste of time from the first blush. It's not. Millions of people are using Twitter 24/7 for business.

With fascinating detail, Julio Ojeda-Zapata has created a page-turner with plenty of creative fodder to teach readers about the business uses of Twitter. As he explains on page 5, "Twitter means business. That is, a service initially meant for informal communication between individuals has recently become the darling of businesses, large and small. Such firms are finding the "Twitterverse" a fine place to keep an eye on their brands, and what is said about them."

If you wonder about the numbers, just look on page 9: "according to site-analytics service Compete, Twitter saw more than 2.5 million unique visitors as of August 2008, a 443 percent increase over the previous year."

Throughout the book, Ojeda-Zapata captures the various applications in "Twitter Lessons" which are scattered throughout the book. With little effort, the reader will easily be able to apply these Twitter uses to their own business.

I quickly highlighted and flagged my copy of TWITTER MEANS BUSINESS. I want to use it as a reference which I will use repeatedly until the lessons in this book become second nature to my own business use of this valuable tool.

The one missing piece in TWITTER MEANS BUSINESS is a thorough index but this lack can be filled in with a later edition of the title. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to open new opportunities for their business through Twitter. @terrywhalin