If you knew that Dell generated $1 million in revenue in 2008 through something called Twitter, would you want to know more about Twitter?  If you heard that a lawyer engaged 20 new clients in 2008 directly from relationships he made on Twitter, would you want to try Twitter?  These are just 2 Twitter success stories that led me to take a closer look at Twitter in 2008.    

What is Twitter?

Twitter is one of the social media tools I tested in 2008 and plan to continue to use in 2009.  Twitter asks all users to answer one question:  "what are you doing?"  Typically, users respond by announcing what they are doing at the moment, asking a question or sharing a link to an interesting article, blog or video.   The users' updates or responses are limited to 140 characters and referred to as tweets. 

Where do I use Twitter?

From your home or office computer, go to the website www.twitter.com.  As you become a more advanced user, you may want to download certain Twitter applications like Tweetdeck, Twhirl and TwitterFox which many users believe improve the functionality of Twitter.  You can also elect receive tweets on you mobile device. 

How do I use Twitter?

In order to read, post and respond to a tweet, you must create an account on Twitter.  It is free to create an account.  Then, create your profile page; your profile page displays your user name (for example, aellislegal) as well as your real name, picture, location, website (or link to your blog or LinkedIn profile) and a brief profile description. 

Once your profile is created, you need to follow other users to engage in conversation or read what others are discussing.  Initially, I followed only other attorneys; I started with attorneys who were listed in a blog post, "145 Lawyers & Legal Professionals to Follow on Twitter" (the list has now grown to over 500).  To find the attorneys on the list, go to www.twitter.com/username -- for example, www.twitter.com/aellislegal.  Just click follow and you'll be able to see their tweets.  Many of the users you follow will follow you back and read your tweets.   Here are some additional lists of legal professionals on Twitter:  Texas Lawyers on Twitter; BigLaw Lawyers on Twitter; Lextweet and Lawyers Twitt Group. 

Next, you'll want to observe what other users are tweeting about and/or begin to post your own tweets.  Here are a few examples to give you an idea of how legal professionals use Twitter:

1. Provide case updates such as a new case filing or the outcome of case; for example, there were many tweets about the Chicago Tribune's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

2. Promote a seminar or event you are hosting and include a link where other users can register if interested.
3. Comment on another user's tweet if you have additional information related to what the user posted.
4. Pose a question or answer a question - for example, if you are considering switching from a PC to a Mac, ask for other users' feedback, advice, experiences, etc.
5. Retweet (RT) someone's message (in effect, you are forwarding another user's message to your followers).  You re-post another user's tweet but give credit to the user who wrote the initial tweet by writing "RT @username" (username of person who sent the original tweet).
6. Post links to interesting articles/blogs
7. Let other users know when you are visiting another city - many users will meet in person.

A word of caution:  it appears that tweets are discoverable so think before you write!   If this deters you from actively tweeting, you can still learn a lot by reading others' tweets. 

Who is on Twitter? 

Here's a sampling of the people I've encountered and follow on Twitter:

1. Lawyers - lawyers from big firms, small firms and solo practitioners.  See the following groups of lawyers:  Texas Lawyers on Twitter; BigLaw Lawyers on Twitter; Lextweet and Lawyers Twitt Group. 
2. Law Firms - the marketing departments of some firms maintain Twitter profiles on behalf of their respective law firms.
3. Knowledge Management Attorneys & Professionals
4. Legal Marketing Professionals - here is a list of Law Firm Marketers on Twitter.
5. Legal Technology Professionals
6. Law Firm Consultants
7. Virtual Legal Assistants
8. Law Students
9. CEOs
10. Human Resources Professionals
11. Small Business Owners
12. Entrepreneurs & Mompreneurs
13. Financial Professionals
14. Journalists
15. Media Outlets - AmLaw Daily, ABA Journal, Wall Street Journal, CNN, New York Times, local papers & TV stations
16. PR Professionals
17. Technology Specialists/Professionals
18. Social Media Professionals
19. Web Designers/Graphic Designers
20. Celebrities & Politicians

Why tweet on Twitter?

Robert Ambrogi, a Massachusetts lawyer and media consultant, provides Sixteen Reasons to Tweet on Twitter. 

I use Twitter primarily for information gathering - I listen to what people are writing about different law firms, different legal markets, etc.  And, I obtain news from Twitter usually before it I hear from other sources.  My secondary use is to develop relationships - I'll pose a question, someone will respond and a dialogue will follow. 

The beauty of Twitter is that it serves many functions; my suggestion is to experiment and see what benefits you and your practice.  After all, if Twitter made Dell $1 million in 2008 and helped another lawyer gain 20 clients, imagine what it could do for you?