Besides my own blogging and tweeting, I have been ghosting for a couple of clients. This has been an interesting experience in seeing Twitter through the eyes of another and writing from a different point of view. I am firmly of the view that Twitter works most effectively where there is an evident personality of an individual. Yes, brands can have personality, too, but the most human of connections shows a depth of character.
With a little care Twitter for organisations can still work with ghosting or team-tweeting. It should still be about building relationships and not just broadcasting. Twitter is about receiving and sharing, not solely transmitting.
I have also been thinking further about how to communicate the potential for microblogging. I have published a guide for teachers in the context of personal learning networks: Establishing a PLN Through Social Media and in, many ways, this is suitable for people looking to use Twitter for their organisational purposes. I have a growing list of references from educational professionals and beyond which suggests there is a gathering momentum – and, possibly, the need for a second edition.
However, there is still a gulf to overcome with many people. This expresses the reservation…
“Now used by over two hundred million people worldwide. Twitter is the the best known and most used microbloggging platform. However, very few people instinctively “get” Twitter from day one. Most… learn through a process of trial and error over a period of months, or perhaps even years. Mastering Twitter takes time and the willingness to experiment… Twitter is both more complicated and more fascinating than it appears; it is a community in which success is earned and rarely guaranteed.”
Mansfield, Heather (2012) Social Media for Social Good, McGrawHill
The desire to be part of a community and also to serve that community is essential. It is the predisposition to share which encourages some people to sustain engagement through microblogging while others can’t see the point. I don’t believe it is just about making the time available as Twitter can still serve well with just a few short sessions a day. It does not require full-time scrutiny – or even a commitment each-and-every-day.
It is a crucial point that microblogging, or social media as whole, is primarily a set of tools. The real value is that it opens up communication with other worlds of opportunity. It demands active participation.
You can “get” Twitter.
Please do get in touch with Angus Willson if you are interested in ghosting services or in considering social media guidelines for using Twitter as part of your organisational purposes.
See a number of posts on my blogger site with the label personal learning network PLN