Social Networking: My Adventures on Twitter

I am a writer, graphic designer, and ranked by Google,MSN and Yahoo America's Favorite Love columnist I am engaged to Rick London a writer, cartoonist and brand designer, together, we own the seo and branding firm Pen And Ink Inc.

Would I have joined Twitter had I been warned it might occasionally be akin to a “cyber office water cooler” or worse high school with adults? The short answer would have been, “no, No, NO”! Followed up by, “Are you crazy? I work at home to avoid those situations”. I am however extremely thankful I did not receive this warning until long after I had become part of the social networking phenomenon called Twitter. The heartfelt truth is that I would have missed out on events and people that would change my life forever.

Why did I sign up for a Twitter account? Our local TV station’s current events show used it to promote audience interaction. After months of watching and dying to respond I finally gave in and opened a Twitter account (@thehillers) so I could participate. Day one I sat staring mesmerized as all the data rapidly passed with every update. Each of the 140 character tweets containing personal messages, links to blogs, photos, products, and news left me wanting more. It was a buffet of delicious information delivered in rapid tasty bite size morsels.

There was a daily excitement watching as the effect of each tweet I sent out with a closing of “Hugs & Love” resulted in an increase of my follower numbers. It became a ritual to click on tweets of people I thought were interesting and follow them in the hopes of being followed back. Soon I had 100, 200, 300 followers. At 500 I realized to keep from missing favorite tweets I would need Tweetdeck. Suddenly I had multiple columns of tweets streaming in front of me and like a director choosing characters for a film I sorted those I was following into manageable groups.

Was Twitter becoming a necessary part of my daily routine? “Oh Yes, I needed to meet more people so I could discuss humor, poetry, animal rights, humanitarian causes and patriotism”. Soon I was chatting daily with a variety of interesting people who were witty, loving and engaging. This amazing group of individuals began to feel more like a family and I looked forward to learning more about them.

An important moment can be missed in the blink of an eye online, especially in the accelerated micro-blogging world of Twitter. If I had blinked I would have missed a wildly funny infidelity cartoon posted by Rick London (@ricklondon). The illustration depicted a cockroach discovering a matchbook from the Roach Motel in her husband’s jacket. I knew he would have to be my next follow. Rick as it turned out was a master of the humorous Tweet and I looked forward to our daily exchange of puns & double entendres. From sushi to pens and Ink every night we tried to raise the level of repartee.

A single DM (direct message) sent by Rick asking me to retweet something would set in motion an incredible series of events. I clicked on the DM (direct message) to respond when I noticed his Twitter background was a “horrible gray”. Rick’s cartoons were fantastic and colorful so I included an offer to create a new background for him in my DM reply. He told me he had no idea which cartoons to use so I created a collage of my favorites from his website. When I contacted him 2 hours later Rick seemed surprised that I had actually followed through with my offer. The email to send the background led to phone calls as he was unable to upload it to Twitter. We spoke twice that day for an hour in an effort to ensure the layout was perfect.

I was perplexed next morning when an email arrived asking if he could call me immediately. That phone call lasted 3 hours and each day after that we spoke longer and later like old friends trying to catch up on each other’s lives. Our friendship grew daily while we were exchanging favorite poetry, telling jokes, writing and working on a plan for our new SEO article marketing business idea (Pen and Ink Inc.). One night while Rick was showing me how to publish an article we realized our friendship had blossomed into love. Not more than three weeks later PenAndInkInc.com was born. In cyberspace, “this thing called twitter”, we had built a foundation for love and a new business in which we have already gained clients; most of whom have come to us on Twitter.

Rick was already working on a grass roots campaign with his sister Kathy Ireland “Citizens For Dame Elizabeth Taylor For The Presidential Medal Of Freedom”. At the early stages, I was asked to join the Twitter campaign which filled the White House mailbox with Emails sent from (most likely) tens of thousands of fellow Twitterers within our networks and other networks connected to ours. Stories of it appeared worldwide from MSNBC to my article in the Herald de Paris (@Heralddeparis), both of whom use Twitter regularly.

Several weeks later we decide it was not good to hide our love for each other. Rick & I agreed it was time to bring our love out into the open on twitter so it would no longer be a secret we kept from our friends. Our love notes in open tweets felt so wonderful and filled my heart with joy each day. (These are verbatim actual tweets from Twitter) @ricklondon Waking up to your voice & hearing your love for me in your wit warmth & wisdom makes my soul sing I Love You, Your Lee xx00xx. @thehillers I can look at a sky full of shining stars and then your face, and in your face I see the whole universe. Love Your Rick @thehillers <---- There is beautiful & there is lovely. And then there is Lee = exquisite. @ricklondon Love is trembling happiness. ~ Kahlil Gibran - I Love You, Your Lee xx00xx. @thehillers Kahlil is singing 2 us baby. I love you. Ikea'nt wait 2 cu.

How could love provoke hostile behavior in others? At fifty-one the thought of going back to high school was not a thrilling construct. On Twitter it was worse as its adults that are playing the games of gossip and innuendo. Although 99.9% of close friends and acquaintances on Twitter were extremely happy for us the other 1% left me feeling betrayed with their vile words and deeds.

The detractors had a wide range of concerns about our relationship it was bad for us, bad for them, I would break his heart, he would break my heart and we can’t possibly be in love we needed to date others. Comments of displeasure of course were not expressed in open tweets to us. Their obsessive habits have included following our network of friends to gain access to sending DMs. Instead they tweet gossiped, sent DM’s to us, DM’s to others, left voice mail and sent emails professing their doing these things out of love for us. After weeks of a small group interfering and meddling in our relationship Rick’s Sister Kathy decided to act on her own plan.

To say our engagement was nothing as I imagined it might or would ever be is an understatement. As was our nightly pattern Rick and I were speaking on the phone while typing out our final tweets of the day. A single tweet caught my attention and I told Rick he might want to read what his sister had just tweeted me. After a brief silence Rick said to me, “Well, baby, as you know I was going to ask you anyway, but it's a nervous time in a man's life (to ask a woman to marry him), and it was a relief to have a third party (Kathy) do it for me. That's what sisters are for. Will you marry me”? My reply, “Yes”! I was engaged to my Rick the man who loves me and as deeply as I love him.

(These are verbatim actual tweets from Twitter) @thehillers Darling Lee...Will you be my sister in law? Sending love and prayers 2U. Angel...walking in light..8:19 PM Jun 19th from web in reply to thehillers. @kathyIreland Sis Lee says "YES!" & TY Sis 4 asking as it is a nervous thing ya know when a man asks. xx00Blessing Ur Bro & Sis In Law xx08:25 PM Jun 19th from web @kathyireland I would Love to be your Sister In Law Rick @ricklondon just asked on phone & I said Yes Love to You, Lee & Rick xx00xx8:27 PM Jun 19th from TweetDeck in reply to ADD @ to kathyireland. As Rick reminded me that night he communicates with his “Sis”, author/entrepreneur Kathy Ireland often. She already had knowledge that he had planned to ask me to marry him in July. We were both thrilled by her Tweet.

Are social networks like Twitter for you? This you will have to decide for yourself. I can only say you never know what you might be missing if you don’t try. My adventures in Twitterville have been blessed with true love, new family, new friends, great conversation and opportunities to help others. What could be better than that?

Twitter Tools: The Incredible Shrinking URL

I am a writer, graphic designer, and ranked by Google,MSN and Yahoo America's Favorite Love columnist I am engaged to Rick London a writer, cartoonist and brand designer, together, we own the seo and branding firm Pen And Ink Inc.

In the Twitter world of 140 characters or less shrinking the URL is not only the new normal but it has become an imperative. Data across the Internet is now fetched from sub sections of websites with extensive distinguishing codes making many of the longer URLs unable fit in the allotted 140 characters space even if no additional text was added. To facilitate the size reduction there are currently over 100 URL shrinking sites on the Internet offering a variety of features from custom names to tracking and keywords.

A good example of the new larger URLs can be found on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/Baseball-Chase-Field-Dedication-09-23-05-3D-Crystal-LED_W0QQitemZ370150311957QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_SM_Fan_Shop?hash=item562ead8815&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A30. This URL which has 213 characters will be the model for the conversions in each of the examples of the Small URL sites visited and tested.

When you have only 140 characters as on Twitter size does matter and three small URL sites all claim to create the smallest. First Tinyurl http://tinyurl.com/ is one of the best known for this magical feat of compacting size and the larger URL was reduced to http://tinyurl.com/nwpnkn. The next site twtr.us http://twtr.us/twtr.html it claims to create smallest tiny URL's on the planet with the resulting URL http://tw6.us/RF. Last is 3.ly http://3.ly/ claims it is the tiniest 3 letter URL result http://3.ly/Ubz and was the smallest URL and had helpful browser add-on function.

URL shrinkers that had a reliable browser add-on include RubyURL http://rubyurl.com/home it’s advantage drag drop toolbar add-on URL which reduced the URL to http://rubyurl.com/mYNC. It was quick to set up and use disadvantage takes you back to the ruby site to copy and paste. Is good http://is.gd/ has a Firefox add-on with a URL shrink result of http://is.gd/10oRG. An advantage to is.good add-on is it places new link in clipboard for rapid pasting.

To customize your small URL with a keyword for easy recognition http://doiop.com/ allows you to choose the name for the compression to give it some context creating the resulting URL http://doiop.com/chasefield. Another small URL keyword site FON Get Simple Naming http://www.fon.gs/ created this URL http://fon.gs/chasefield/.

If you are seeking link tracking for your shortened URLs http://www.tiny.cc/ provides traffic statistics with a URL result http://tiny.cc/chasefield the downside is currently if you lose the link to tracking they cannot retrieve it for you. Another site Shrinkster http://www.shrinkster.com/ created the URL http://shrinkster.com/176z and it allows you to access stats by entering the URL end code. Finally Dwarf http://www.dwarfurl.com/ created the URL http://dwarfurl.com/1f666 and you receive a link for tracking http://dwarfurl.com/1f666/654 . The resulting URL is password protected via 3 digit extension so statistics are only available to you.

As new sites and programs change so has the amount of data we enter into the information spaces. Whether you need the tiniest URL, browser add-on, Keyword and or tracking there are many reliable sites that can accommodate your preferences. These new smaller URLs are perfect for IMs, Tweets, facebook postings and emails.

Social vs. Selling - Promoting your Brand on Twitter

I am a writer, graphic designer, and ranked by Google,MSN and Yahoo America's Favorite Love columnist I am engaged to Rick London a writer, cartoonist and brand designer, together, we own the seo and branding firm Pen And Ink Inc.

Twitter and other Social media sites are changing the way businesses market themselves on the internet. They are seeking for innovated ways to gain new followers to convert into potential clientele. Often striking the right balance of friendly conversation and product pitch is the dilemma.

In February of 2009 @AlexKaris posted the following question ion Twitter: What is the NUMBER 1 reason you unfollow people? The winning response with 42% of the votes was "tired of watching them self promote with links and no interaction."

My dilemma as a businesswoman on Twitter is the more I communicated and became part of the Twitter community I became cautious about making a full sales pitch to my followers. Early in my foray into Twitter I noticed the followers who only sent out a barrage of sales Tweets with zero interaction became annoying. My goal was to avoid becoming "that guy/gal" who only tweeted 140 character Twitfomercials.

There are several questions I asked myself. If I interact too much, too little, give an occasional sales pitch or lay low will I be unfollowed? How do I communicate about my website its content and customer service without alienating potential customers? How do I avoid sabotaging the positive reputation I was building on Twitter?

You cannot find a better example of the social vs. selling balance on Twitter than that of @ricklondon. Rick London Group, LLC CEO Rick London's personal approach involves putting himself forward as the face of his company on Twitter. He Tweets freely with the online community promotes his celebrity clients and provides links to his humorous cartoons.

With these steps you can market yourself and your brand to the Twitter community. Increase your following first by communication with those in your current network. Tweet famous quote, favorite music and Jokes if you are not comfortable with online conversation. Lastly your tweets can be used to invite and entice your followers into visiting your website.

Custom Twitter Backgrounds the Ultimate online Business Card

I am a writer, graphic designer, and ranked by Google,MSN and Yahoo America's Favorite Love columnist I am engaged to Rick London a writer, cartoonist and brand designer, together, we own the seo and branding firm Pen And Ink Inc.

With over 23 million users twittering each day first impressions do matter. A custom twitter background template will determine how many will follow you and be receptive to your business. Your background design is the ultimate business card for a customer base 50% which have a college degree and earn $60,000 plus each year. These are not leads to chase they are customers actively seeking out you. What will your current or new twitter background templates do to ensure they continue follow?

Unique custom background design styles can provide the important data potential customers are seeking. The insertion of a photo business card on your background allows you broadcast your Company Name, URL, address, email and phone number to the millions of people visiting Twitter daily. Images of available products and service will entice them to visit your website or make immediate contact with you via tweeting.

The background can mirror elements from your website or target a specific range of products. Your custom background is not a static item and changes can be easily accommodated. Edits can be as simple as a new URL or as complex as a full product update.

Online retailer @gypsytrading has a design that highlights the variety within her vintage product range. The use of photo business card banner enhances the personal one to one customer service she was seeking to achieve. The addition of seasonal updates and coupons will be perfect incentives to encourage frequent repeat customer visits.

Cartoonist @ricklondon and @ReikoEoh customized backgrounds have been used to promote and showcase their cartoons. The individual style of each artist dictated the layout and presentation used in each unique background design. Although both clients are cartoonists they had different goals they wished to achieve with their custom twitter background designs.

Rick London’s full color panels fill the entire background giving the impression of the Sunday newspaper cartoon section. The layout design highlights the wide range of cartoon styles that are available on his website. A Personal photo and Twitter inspired cartoon are added to color & graphics that mirror design elements from Reiko Eoh’s website. Her single panel black & white sketches rise above the brick tone background for a 3D effect.

Rick London, says “My following has increased 40% per day since the addition of a Lee Hiller custom background.” Google ranks Rick London’s Londons Times Offbeat Cartoons #1

Will you make a lasting dynamic first impression with a unique custom background design template? Twitter traffic shows visitors to have a broad range of interests and shopping habits. This diverse customer base is actively searching for new people and businesses to follow. To gain and retain their following your unique customized background is a vital resource in your online marketing arsenal.