Had a long conversation last night with a friend at a cheese and wine party about the merits of Twitter.

What struck me was that again the words came up – ‘I don’t see the value of Twitter. It is just a waste of time”.

This is a fallacy. Twitter is a very powerful tool. However just like a screwdriver, there are ways to use it more effectively. There are rules and until you understand those, you will also not see the benefits.

Here then are the ways in which I tend to use Twitter:

1. I use it to share industry/profession links of what I have read and felt worthy to retweet and/or share.
2. I use it to share news about upcoming professional events including direct links to websites with more information.
3. I retweet interesting information which I believe could be beneficial to those who follow me.
4. I follow certain influencers whose messages and updates I respect.
5. I use the medium of Twitter to build new relationships with other thought leaders.
6. I use it to invoke response by asking specific and pertinent questions (Sometimes the website Quora is better for this)
7. I search Twitter to see what are the new trending topics, like the riots in London
8. I follow sites like this one that shares handy tips and hints on how to use Twitter more effectively.

Perhaps, Twitter’s Mission statement will spark you to also use it – “To instantly connect people everywhere to what’s most important to them.”

In fact, I am now such a fan of Twitter, that it is the best way to get hold of me. Yes, Tweet me!

Do remember then that Twitter is not a networking tool, but a most powerful learning and information sharing tool.