Twitter

Here is a less obvious ways to utilize Twitter which hasn't been mentioned. They may not do much for Cafe Hayek, but it definitely shows the wide potential of this new tool.

I am an intern at a very forward thinking recording studio. Today was the second week that the studio tried something called #musicmonday on Twitter. The basic idea was to create a viral environment for participants to discover new music.

This is how it worked; those who wished to participate logged onto their Twitter accounts and started following the Twitter accounts of the five staffers who volunteered to run the #musicmonday event (lets say their Twitter accounts were @Hayek, @Smith, @Mises, @Roberts, @Boudreaux). By following those five staffer accounts, participants would see any updates that those five posted. Once receiving a notice that they were being followed, the staffers would then follow the posts of the participant who had just added them.

Then throughout the day participants would create Twitter posts with the term #musicmonday and then post a link to either an MP3 or a youtube video of whatever new artist they are listening to. Once the staffer received this update, they would then turn around and repost the name of the band with the link that the participant had posted (and include #musicmonday in the post) that way all of the people participating would be able to check out the artist who was suggested. It kind of made me think of a DJ taking requests.

It may sound too confusing for people to participate, but it ended up working unbelievably well. In fact, at one point, #musicmonday was the #1 most trended term on Twitter for the day. I just checked again, and as of midnight PST, it is still the #3 most trended term. This means that more people typed the words '#musicmonday' today then they did 'Swine Flu'. Thats pretty amazing if you ask me.

A thumbs up!

Twitter is conversational...

You should post on Twitter because many of your posts refer to interesting articles/blog posts you've found elsewhere. Twitter is perfect for posting quick links.

It will also help you reach some people better who for whatever reason just HAPPEN to be on Twitter that day rather than on their blog reader. The more connections leading back to your blog, the better.

What the hell is twitter?

Tweet, twit, twitter, you do what you want to do, just don't shut the Cafe down.

I'll never spend a nano second on pulling my CP out and looking up a tweet, twit, twitter. I can't think of one bloody thing of paramount urgency some one could possibly tweet, twit, twitter to me, except DUCK, or RUN! And, that would be too late.

I can wait to read it on the Cafe.

Twitter is a wonderful to which can reinforce your blogging with minimal effort. Think of it as a free viral marketing service.

I've been using twitter for about 15 months. I didn't get it the first 8 months, then I started looking into ways to utilize twitter. In a couple of months I was able to build a following of 700+ and I frequently share ideas with a good number of those folks.

I really like Twitter. Of course, you don't use it for a blog post per se; it's more like a quick update, or a link. I have the tweets sent to my phone, so it's a nice way to stay connected on-the-go.

But then again, I'm kind of enamored with how seemingly stupid things like Twitter make people like well-known professors at GMU really accessible.

Twitter is good connection and branding tool for a place like Cafe Hayek, if there's a desire to get the message out and grow readership. It's also a good tool to spread information through links, or to practice pithiness which is always a good skill to develope. Twitter challenges the creativity of the tweeter to pack substance into a few words. Micro-blogging is an interesting concept that will become more useful as time goes by. The people who use it to tell everyone they are eating a ham sandwich haven't yet caught on.

I'd say yes, even if you just use Twitter for things like, "Hey there is a new post on EconTalk/CafeHayek/etc" or "this article is an interesting read".

You can just use it for notification like that for people who are interested. I'd follow such a twitter stream.

You could use it for interesting tidbits or thoughts that don't merit a whole blog post.

Nope. Econtalk is too good to tweet. Do like Stephen Colbert: don't tweet, just twat.

Anyway Twitter is pretty good to re-direct people to the real thing and, at the same time, if you manage to have the right people following you (let's say the editors of economy at the New York Times, The Financial Times, CNN, NBC, etc and whatever newspaper or network is important over there in the US) it can be a lot more influential than any blog or podcast. In your case it's a lot easier than it seems to have those kind of people following your tweets.

Obviously the comments here illustrate the somewhat polarizing nature of Twitter as compared to a conventional blog.

That said, I think it'd be great. As Greg Ransom said, it'd be handy as an automatic notifier when you post at Cafe Hayek. And if you decide to share personal updates &c. it certainly won't be as vapid as, for example, Meghan McCain.

I wonder why people who use Twitter describe themselves as tweeting rather than twitting. Perhaps it's because they would be called twits, one definition of which is "a foolishly annoying person." Leave "tweeting" to those with little to say and for which Twitter gives them plenty of room to say it.

Cafe Hayek is a fine and respectable platform for the expression of your views.

Hi Russ

I don't twitter, I have an account but just can't be bothered. However many people are a little crazy about it and it would probably help your cause, so if it's not too much effort go for it.

I recommend it. It isn't for everyone, but I think it is definitely worth giving it a try.

You've talked on numerous occasions about the challenges of running a comments section once enough people start coming to it and dominating it regularly.

Well, on Twitter you have the people that you "follow"--whose tweets appear in the continually updating stream on your home page--and people who follow you. You can respond to anything anyone has said, or retweet (sort of the twitter equivalent of the hat tip in blogging) anything you find really interesting. You can direct tweets at specific users to try to get a conversation going, and they can do the same.

The benefits of doing this on Twitter rather than just a comments section or forum are as follows:

1. The character limit may pose a challenge, but it offers the advantage that no conversation will be destroyed by one-sided lengthy rants. Moreover, it is not an insurmountable limit--if you really need more space you can write more than one tweet.

2. Anyone who you don't find particularly interesting, informative, or likable, you can unfollow and simply not respond to.

3. It's a wonderful opportunity to connect with a lot of people at relatively low cost.

4. It can become a fantastic source of information, as people tweet links (almost always in the form of shortened URLs, something you should be aware of if you ever want to put a link up yourself) that you might not have found otherwise.

Bottom line, I think you'll find it worth looking into.

Yes Russ, I believe you should have your different projects have a presence on Twitter. Think of it as a fancy centralized rss feed.

Social networks can do wonders for academic initiatives. Promote an event on Facebook, for example, and you'll see TONS of people showing up from out of nowhere. It's really a medium we need to learn to use!

no

Pattern: "No" if poster does not use or understand Twitter; emphatic "yes" if poster uses and understands Twitter.

I personally do not understand Twitter, have always assumed it's for solipsists or ADHD-sufferers, but am intrigued by the many uses proposed in these comments.

If anyone cares to respond to this comment, I'd love to see some examples of Twitter feeds of value...

Please no; with sugar on top...

Tweeting is a different medium than blogging. Since tweets have to be 140 characters or less, you have to make your thoughts much more concise. That's the big difference - as long as you don't use Twitter to tell people what you had for lunch.

It is also much more personal than a blog, if you can believe that.

Yes, please use Twitter.

Twitter's great when you don't have time for a full blog post. It also helps us readers give you an immediate reaction.

Blog posts stick around for a long time, but think of Twitter as a temporary holding bin for short ideas that you'll discuss when you get more time, or feedback.

I say use Twitter. I would do it the same way NPR's Planet Money podcast. Post updates to your blog and links, with a short comment, to interesting information.

I agree with those who say to automate it. But I'd also like to see some of the posts that are just links to other sites be posted to twitter and not to the blog.

For blogs, I expect there to be some commentary or other substance along with the link. For twitter, I expect to just get the referral to the site, with minimal commentary.

absolutely not, I use an RSS feed. Twitter is for those who suffer from ADHD IMHO

I think you should tweet. Twitter is more than just posting short snippets about what you had for lunch. Sheldon Richman from FEE as well as the Cato Institute each have a twitter presence and use it to good effect. Twitter is a great viral way to get a message out. The 'tweet' doesn't have to be the full message, it might only be the equivalent of a headline which reels in a reader. If your content is compelling, users will 're-tweet' to their followers, which increases your potential readership.

I say give it a try.

My ID: riemannzeta

Yes. Twitter is an independent channel for distributin your info and network effects have taken off.

More importantly, Twitter is the most Hayekian institution to emerge since public market prices. There will one day be a spectrum of info aggregation mechanisms from numerical (market price) to linguistic (based on twitter search and analysis).

Yes. Would be a great way to share what you're reading on the web even when you don't have time to blog it in more detail.

In a word, no. I have yet to understand how Twitter is of any use—although I'll admit that it probably is or you wouldn't have that many people using it in the first place. However, I doubt it's for posts like yours—there isn't enough space there.

On the other hand, though, maybe you could just use to paste interesting links that you come across—when you don't want to offer any analysis. Something like the guys at Marginal Revolution do with their "Assorted Links". (Okay, I realize only Tyler actually does that. Sorry.) However, if post those links only on Twitter then the people who only read the blog lose out. If you post on both, then I'm not sure there's much of a point.

I suggest giving it a try and seeing how it goes. Best way to find out, eh?

Give it a try. If you like the results, you'll keep tweeting. If not, you can drop it.

Please, no!

Blog posts are a better medium for the sorts of things you usually talk about.

YES.

ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

YES.

And don't just automate it with sterile links to posts.

Use it to advertise the level of high-quality discourse here.

Use the account to be "Overheard at the Cafe," and share pointed and interesting sentences from the comments -- with links back to the discussion.

Use the account to frame questions that would entice the MANY, MANY people who ought to be reading this but don't know it exists.

There is a GIANT mass of people out there who can't put their finger on the logical inconsistencies of what passes for economic news and analysis. They jump into any discussion on Twitter or elsewhere they can find -- but they hunger for what the Cafe has on the menu.

Please, if you have any questions about how to run a Cafe Hayek Twitter, I will be more than happy to help.

Just don't listen to those above who really don't "get" Twitter. The feed isn't for THEM -- it would be for those who NEED Cafe Hayek!

Of course, as many others suggested you could set up your Twitter account to "tweet" whenever you have a new blog post automatically.

If you did nothing more than that with Twitter, you would spend very little time setting it up, and still be able to expand your audience.

Remember that Twitter users are hyper-active internet users. Someone could "ReTweet" your tweet, sending it to thousands of their followers; others are bloggers who are using Twitter to find content, and so forth.

Twitter, like everything else in life depends on how you use it. Many blogs merely use Twitter to post updates of their blog. I don't follow those because I already have an RSS reader, but it may be useful for those that don't. Many people just give stupid updates on their life, eating at Applebee's, etc., obviously unless they are good friends I don't follow those either.

The best have quippy lines most of the time with real insights every once and while, useful info about themselves or their projects, and good links in between. I think @bencasnocha is a good example of this. If you don't think this way, or don't see yourself finding the time, don't start it just because its a fad.

I am leaning yes to Twitter. I am thinking automated tweets of Cafe Hayek posts and, as EvanM suggests, "I think it would be useful for commentary on smaller news bits. For example, instead of a full-fledged blog entry, we could get stuff like 'Incentives work: http://tinyurl.com/etc'"</p>

It's a good way to get the word out and I think there is a good-sized community on Twitter that would be interested.

Seems to be a split. Since cafeHayek can't use the coercive powers of the state to force twitter following, I suggest you twitter for those who wish it.

Please don't. I'd rather you stay focused on your current efforts (book # 4 please!).

Of course, if you do sign up, I'll faithfully follow you. I read everything you and Don write.

People do searches on Twitter. If you believe Cafe Hayek will benefit by being absent in those searches, do not Twitter.

No.

I do not get twitter.

I would say no. I believe you would be wasting your time

You should tweet. Set it up like Greg said. You can also use it for its more popular functions if you have people with whom you'd like to share what you are having for lunch.

The right way to get this answer is to get on Twitter and see if people subscribe.

But don't expect Twitter to provide anything important that currently happens here.

No to Tweets - Tweets are for Twits.

Twitter is bumper sticker mentality for those with attention deficit disorder and/or personal ego needs.

Russ -- you can set this up automatically. A "twitter" with a link is automatically generated every time you post a blog post.

I have this sort of set up for my "Taking Hayek Seriously" blog.

The service is for people who use twitter and want to "follow" my blog.

It's just one more way to reach your audience.

Other than the automatic "twitters" I do nothing.

It's all up and no down if you choice to try it, as far as I can tell.

I think that having one twitter account for Cafe Hayek would be a good idea. Then you can tweet your recent pieces and those of a like mind can RT them to give them maximum exposure.

I write for various outlets and find quite a bit of interest by tweeting the posts. There are people who end up following me/reading my stuff thanks to comments I made on other pieces.

I think its unwise to dismiss twitter as its a free and easy way of getting the word out.

Seeing Twitter for the first time. Don't get it. Won't read it. Not into smalltalk. Here to escape it.

I think it would be useful for commentary on smaller news bits. For example, instead of a full-fledged blog entry, we could get stuff like "Incentives work: http://tinyurl.com/etc"</p>

The best summary of Twitter I've heard is: "Short bursts of relatively useful information."

If you've ever read an article, and could dismiss it's premise with a 140-character response, then you should be on Twitter.

Many bloggers use a twitter account as an automatic update of their blog posts. If you have a dedicated readership, it may not be necessary. But twitter is a lot like email in that a person is actively searching out the subjects of their interest. If they can subscribe to your twitter stream, then as soon as you have a new post, they'll be more like to read it sooner. Instead of making an every so often stop by the website. It's really a great marketing tool. It also reaches a different audience and the people you follow, or your followers are more likely to have a nice network of similar interests (like economics).

I would say not...

I'm highly interested in any economic analysis and perspectives you can come up with.

I'm less interested in what you're having for lunch.

The business person in me would ask you what information you have that would be best conveyed over that medium over any other.

As it is, I made 3 simple statements, and I'm already over twice twitter's allowable wordcount...

No, it is not appropriate for substantive economic discussion.

I say yes. I find out about a lot of books, articles and news stories from Twitter.

absolutley not, I wouldn't read em, I need more thought put into my blog reading.... tweeting seems more of a PR stunt or look how cool I am Mom thing....