Erm – I hate to burst your bubble… but I’m about to burst your bubble. So, if you’re a Twitter-holic and this particular medium can do no wrong, stop now. No, really, don’t read on.

I’m waiting.

Okay – those of you who stuck around, get ready for some nuggets of knowledge, starting with: Twitter ain’t all that.

When you read about social media, Twitter is one of the first things that pop up. There are even “gossip channels” about the higher-ups on Twitter. You hear about the A-list, where people like Guy Kawasaki smile down from on high. However – did you know that less than 10% of American Internet users are actually on Twitter?

Did you know that a lot of businesses, famous people, etc. use ghost writers? That’s right. That personal message from Mr. Famous Muckety-Muck you’re so proud of may actually have been written by Ms. Not-so-Famous Ghost Writer. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg ladies and gentlemen.

Now, let’s see: there’s Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, DiggIt, Technorati… probably a few more social media or book marking places at the top of the list. But, did you know there are more than 1,000 other social media sites? That’s right, over 1,000, and the number is growing daily. The number also doesn’t add in the sites created for specific groups.

Recently, I had a client who really wanted to get into the social media arena. Now, I know a lot of the big players, but he needed more than just seven or eight. Conscientious, hard-working woman that I am, I took myself to the Internet and began to search. What I found was absolutely astonishing.

People from every walk of life use Twitter, and for every purpose conceivable. However, the information I gathered pretty much makes Twitter moot. For instance, if you’re looking for business connections and couldn’t care less about who’s in line for coffee at Starbucks, you might want to take a look at Ziggs or Gather.

Ziggs is a social media site committed to “organizing and connecting people in a professional way”. The site is specifically for increasing your company’s online presence and meeting professional career goals. Gather, on the other hand, is perfect for meeting your target audience and finding out what they want – what they’re looking for.

Sphinn is another often-used site, though seldom mentioned. An online forum and networking site for the Internet marketing crowd, Sphinn can help create interest in your company or connect with other like-minded professionals. For small business owners wanting to share entrepreneur-related articles and gain exposure, Small business brief is the site to be.

Now, I’m not knocking Twitter. Who wouldn’t love a platform that allows you to communicate quickly and precisely in 140 characters or less? I mean, really? The point is, however, not to get stuck on the idea that Twitter is the end all and be all of social media. Ask yourself why you’re using Twitter. Why are you really there? Business, friends, contacts, just because?

If you’re using Twitter by itself and not getting the results you’re looking for, it might not be your fault, though many may say it is (you aren’t engaging, you’re not following the right people, etc, etc, etc ad nauseam). It could just be that you’re using the wrong platform. One last thing it’s a blancing act that has to be waged. What works for you may not work for the next person, therefore look into all options and make sure you have a strategy.

 

About Gabriella Sannin

Gabriella Sannino Also known as M-7levels, and M-7. I have been in the Marketing and Internet business for well over 20 years. As an SEO copy writing specialist I write Press releases, Articles, Web content, Blogs, Landing pages, Reviews. Everything I write is Search Engine Optimized with comprehensive keywords. I read and write 5 languages fluently. If you need to contact me feel free to contact me through Professional SEO Specialist or you can see more of my articles at SEO Articles