Don't miss the HBA Home & Outdoor Living Show, April 12 - 14, 2024 Wilson Logistics Arena  |  Ozark Empire Fairgrounds  |  Springfield, MO
Don't miss the HBA Home &
Outdoor Living Show
April 12 - 14, 2024
Wilson Logistics Arena
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Springfield, MO

Why Twitter sooooo fits the HBA – and you

Are you on Twitter? If so, waste no time – skip right to the end of this blog post and start following us (I know that sounds uncomfortably like stalking if you aren’t familiar with Twitter… keep reading)! If not, allow me to run through a little background on this Twitter craze.

Like a lot of people, I’ve been hearing a lot about Twitter lately. I was especially intrigued to learn that it apparently had been a very effective tool for political campaigns in the most recent election cycle (most effectively utilized by Barack Obama in his successful presidential campaign).

But, really, I knew only two things about Twitter: 1) Twitter messages are required to be brief, and 2) they can be delivered to and from mobile phones (as well as online). Knowing only those two characteristics of Twitter made me believe it had potential value for our HBA membership (since we like to get right to the point, and we live and die by our cell phones). I wanted to learn what more was involved in Twitter. Turns out there isn’t much more involved in it (other than the fact that it is 100% FREE – which is very nice). It is a wonderfully simple and useful tool for quick and convenient mass communication.

Twitter is a social networking online program not entirely unlike Facebook or Myspace. The biggest difference is that Twitter consists of brief messages (limited to 140 characters – short enough for cell phone text messaging) posted online, or to and from your mobile phone. People sign up to follow the “tweets” of other people. Check in on the people you follow either on your computer or by having their “tweets” directed to your mobile phone or other wireless device. Here is a youtube video (less than three minutes) entitled “Twitter in Plain English” that helps with the basics.

HBA President Rusty MacLachlan is on Twitter (Follow him here)

I’m on Twitter (Follow me here)

HBA Public Affairs Director Jennifer McClure is on Twitter (Follow her here)

If you are reading this on Springfieldhba.com, you might have noticed a “Twit This” button on several pages within the site. If you are a Twitter user, and you see something you find interesting on SpringfieldHBA.com, just click the “TWit this” button and you can post a link on your Twitter page to that page in SpringfieldHBA.com. If you like it, why not share it? “Twit this” allows you to share the good stuff with all the people who are following you on Twitter.

So, why not give it a try? Just as an HBA member, the uses can have great value. Rusty, Jennifer and I recently “tweeted” hot news updates live from our recent Construction Forecast event with the Zanola Company. And, this Tuesday I’ll Twitter local election returns as they are released each step of the way in real time.

So what are you waiting for? Why not give Twitter a try right now? Want help getting started? Watch this short video about how to get started using twitter:

 

Matt Morrow

Chief Executive Officer

HBA of Greater Springfield

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HBA President Rusty MacLachlan is on Twitter (Follow him here)

I’m on Twitter (Follow me here)

HBA Public Affairs Director Jennifer McClure is on Twitter (Follow her here)