Wired Candidate

CopyBlogger provides some great research on how to be effective in spreading your message on Twitter.

Highlights from the article include:

• key phrases to use to get reTweeted
• timing your posts
• and adding value and depth to tweets

Matt Wolf Microblogging twitter, viral

On occasion, WiredCandidate.com will highlight a site that does an exceptional job using technology and new media. The criteria for selecting a site is simple.

The site must:

be related to politics or have a relevant use in the political area (could be a web based software app not necessarily intended for political use)

be on the cutting edge in the way it uses technology and new media

be well designed, look and feel, pretty and usable

You are welcome to submit suggestions for the selection by using twitter @mtwolf or by posting a comment on this post. Selection will be made at the beginning of each month.

Matt Wolf Wired Site Highlight campaign tool, New Media, politics, Wired Site Highlight

What is Twitter

Twitter is, well, it’s very simple really. You post things (up to 140 characters) and other people can follow you and see what you post. Then you can follow other people and see what they post. That’s it really. But as we all know, when the tool is simple and seemingly limited, there are conventions that arise that make the tool more powerful. Common Craft has done a great job explaining, check out their video:

Twitter is for Political Junkies

Twitter is great for politial junkies who want to keep up on the latest news as it happens. Follow the right people and the right #tags and you will be in the know before you know it.

In addition to keeping up with current events, twitter is an opportunity to network with like minded individuals and interact with politicians, authors, and news makers. See who your friends are following and add to your feed.

To see if your representatives tweet, check out TweetCongress
for those of you across the pond check TweetMinster

Twitter is for Politicans

Is their a better way to keep constituents in the loop about what you are doing at every waking moment. No way. If you are on the collective dole, you have a responsibility to be transparent in what you do.

Twitter is for Candidates

Keep your supporters up to date on what is happening with your campaign. Keep your volunteers enthusiastics. Show voters that you are responsive and care about their concerns.

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Twitter Rules!!!

Sure it does, but there are some guidelines you should consider when using Twitter. Other than the 140 character limit (just post a link to your blog), there are no formal rules. Of course, if you prefer not offending your followers, be wary of the following:

• Dont spam, if you have a lot to say, try spreading out post with tools such as twuffer
• I don’t care if you are going to the bathroom, so please don’t tell me
• Don’t post links to porn (I thought this was obvious until just recently), your followers at work won’t appreciate it so much.
• Be yourself (unless you are really annoying). People can usually tell when you are being genuine.
• Nothing is secret, so be careful of what you say (more of a tip)

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Suggested Tools/Extras

To make the best use of twitter it is important that you use some of these tools to help you out along the way.
Useful Stuff:
Integrate Facebook and Twitter
What is popular on Twitter with TwitScoop
Post pictures with TwitPic to your tweets with

Twitter for You Smart Phone
Twitterific (iPhone)
Twitterberry (Blackberry)
Twidroid (Android)
Twobile (Windows Mobile)

Twitter Desktop and Widgets
Tweetdeck is my favorite, but there are a lot of options out there including Twhirl and Spaz. You may also want to check out widgets for Vista, Mac OS, and the web.

For a comprehensive list check this wiki.

At some point I will follow-up with a “Best Practices for Twitter” post, but for now, just use it, and see for yourself what it’s about! And by all means (here comes the shameless plug) follow me

Matt Wolf New Media New Media, politics, twitter