As a business owner in the web development and SEO world I find Twitter to be incredibly useful. But, I would say this could apply to anyone in any business category.
For me, I “follow” a lot of thought leaders in my industry on Twitter. Because of this I have access to their expert opinion first hand, every time they post something. I have found incredibly useful articles and connected with some very interesting and helpful people by using Twitter daily.
The other benefit of Twitter from a business standpoint is the exposure you can get for your company, brand, website, etc.
If you post useful information to those that follow you, you gain trust and respect, more followers and maybe even some leads. You can also promote your website or your blog, without pitching or selling.
One of the many complaints about Twitter and other social media outlets is that they are “too time consuming” or “just for teenagers”…
Yes, people can obsess over these things and waste away hours and get nothing from it. And yes, there are a bunch of teenagers on there. But, as with anything else, it is what you make of it.
The great thing about Twitter is that you control your experience. You control who you follow based on what they do and what they post. And the people that follow you, think of them as friends that are interested in what you have to say.
I think the biggest mistake people can make with Social Media is that they jump into it with no plan of action, no strategy. Don’t think of it as a game, this should be an extension of your marketing. And as such it should tie into your overall marketing plan.
If you are using your website as a cornerstone of your marketing efforts, as many companies are these days, then try and think of ways to use tools like Twitter to drive more targeted traffic to your site.
Oh, and please follow me on Twitter and post this blog there!