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Tweet, Tweet?
Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 2:33 PM on 02.01.10 |
->> I was at an alternative journalism conference in Berkley this weekend and we had a digital journalism session with Steve Buttry (http://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/) who talked a lot about Twitter and using it in the field.
In his opinion, Twitter is the most important tool for journalists since the mobile phone.
So being also one of our web people in the newsroom, I'll put it out to you all:
1.) If you personally for business or your newsroom is using Twitter, how does it work for you? What works and what doesn't?
2.) Do you find it's worth the time for your work flows?
3.) What is your Twitter feed? I'll add you to my Tweeps...
https://twitter.com/photographNic
Thanks everyone,
~ nic |
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Robert Caplin, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 3:06 PM on 02.01.10 |
->> I'm http://twitter.com/robertcaplin, please follow if you'd like to hear what I have to say.
Twitter is an amazing promotional tool....and it's certainly worth the time! Anyone who says it isn't is simply a luddite and behind on times. I've tested it's reach via tracking links and it's truly amazing how one tweet can spread virally via re-tweets.
Take this for example. I sent out one tweet about my world series timelapse via a bit.ly tracking link and it received over 5K clicks just from twitter because it was re-tweeted so much.
Lastly, everyone should read this: http://bit.ly/ahK07N
An amazing kit put together by the boys and girls at PhotoShelter laying out how photographers can use social media like Facebook and Twitter to get get work and grow a following. It's a must read.
Now click on this: to see how the tracking link I used above works: http://bit.ly/info/ahK07N
Cheers,
Robert |
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Jack Megaw, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Pittsburgh | PA | America | Posted: 3:12 PM on 02.01.10 |
->> I like my Twitter very much. Before I thought it wasn't a good idea - actually a stupid idea -but now I use it to keep in touch with contacts as well as to put up links to my blog and/or website when they're updated. I also use it personally to track the sports teams I follow and to get news as it breaks.
http://twitter.com/jackmegawphoto
-Jack |
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Jay Westcott, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 3:33 PM on 02.01.10 |
->> I'm just getting the hang of Twitter, you can follow me here:
http:/twitter.com/jwestcottphoto
Jay |
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Colin Lenton, Photographer
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Philadelphia | PA | United States | Posted: 3:46 PM on 02.01.10 |
| ->> In the past year, leads from twitter accounted for almost 20% of my business. |
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Max Lashin, Photographer, Assistant
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Fort Lauderdale | FL | United States | Posted: 4:22 PM on 02.01.10 |
->> I personally use my twitter for two reasons..
1. I keep in contact with fellow shooters in my area
2. I get to ramble on about politics
Do I find it bringing in clients? nope but then again I dont use it entirely for that purpose. I think there is oppurtunity there for finding work etc.. but mostly its a good way to showcase new work and bring some attention to yourself.
http://twitter.com/maxlashin |
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Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 4:42 PM on 02.01.10 |
->> Twitter and Facebook are both great tools. I have picked up work using both. I have an out and about with a point and shoot camera gallery on Facebook and a few photographers were questioning why I bother. I told them "everytime someone posts a comment or hits the like button, it is opening up that gallery for all their friends and friends of friends to see it." A woman saw 2 photos I took of the Empire State Building and wanted a HUGE enlargement of each. The profit was over 600%. The next week, these photographers who were making these comments started posting photos as well. As photographers, we never know who is going to see our photos and want to buy them, or hire us. I had several images used in books last year-all due to posting on Facebook. So, needless to say, I l love Facebook!
I still find the best way to pick up more clients, however, is just by being nice and talking to everyone you meet. I went to the Doctor today and a job came out of that.
One of my clients I even met on a crowded subway (we started talking and in 6 stops, I really liked her. I was about to get off, turned around and said "you know, you are really interesting and I like you." She said the same thing as the doors closed, telling me I missed my stop. I rode the subway into Brooklyn with her because I wanted to talk to her more, gave her my card and said I would love to keep in touch. She looked at my card and told me her company was in need of a photographer. Divine intervention?I made a friend, and a new client.
The strange places we can find work! |
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Clark Brooks, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 5:02 PM on 02.01.10 |
->> We've had twitter for a while. Has it brought any clients? Nope. For the most part, except for three or four, the followers are mainly porn bots...lol... Check it out here http://www.twitter.com/PhotoNewsWire
For a portfolio site where you don't have regular updates and a link to them, I can see twitting being an asset in the right market or with the right target group. I suspect that our low response is because we either update frequently during a normal work week that it doesn't matter to our visitors or our target audience aren't big twitter followers. |
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Bradly J. Boner, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Jackson | WY | USA | Posted: 5:36 PM on 02.01.10 |
| ->> We use twitter a little at our newspaper, though we do have a strict policy that everything, whether it be newsprint, online or social media content, that is put out in the newspaper's name has to be run through an editor. I personally don't like the idea of reporters and photographers "tweeting" from the hip without the information being seen by an editor's eyes. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 3:09 PM on 02.02.10 |
->> Nic,
I recently created and directly oversaw the deployment of the Twitter strategy set in place by a multi-national corporation, that generated €18.8-billion revenue in 2009, as well as having been the primary Twitter-voice for this company while implementing the new strategy.
Aside from this client, I am presently discussing Twitter strategies with another client that generated US$1.452-billion in revenue in 2009...as well as having worked with a few other large corporations to create Twitter strategies...so my take on Twitter may be a bit different than others on SS.com. I don't see Twitter a straight forward tool. I see Twitter as a piece of the puzzle that needs to be integrated into an overall strategy (that does not include Facebook unless you're hyper local)...
...that said, Twitter is a very effective tool if used correctly.
Twitter is not about having the most followers, it is about having the right followers and engaging the correct stream of followers. Twitter is not passive, it is effective in some markets if used as a consistent search & contact tool. Shoot weddings? Set up a search protocol to find certain keywords and variants of keywords both with and without the hash-tag to find potential clients.
Twitter is not always about straight forward ROI and CRM, it needs to integrate business concepts not fully in use yet, such as CAM and CIM )Customer Attraction Management and Customer Interaction Management). You want a customer base, then you have to let people know you're there through active and passive channels for your attraction and interaction, if you fail to interact you lose your follower base.
Does it work for revenue? If done properly, it can generate revenue. I have used Twitter to find many of my current clients, and land some very large contracts throughout my understanding of deploying Twitter for CAM/CIM/CRM and creating a significant ROI for my clients.
My Twitter stream is @FlyingWithFish , I primarily discuss airline and social media topics, but also often discussing travel concepts for photogs
- Fish |
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Robert Caplin, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 3:23 PM on 02.02.10 |
| ->> I think everyone should read Steven's post. It underscores that Twitter is what you make of it and it's potentials are endless. It's a way to follow trends and stay relevant in a world that's becoming driven by the social networking medium. Best part is, it's free! You just have to understand the platform and be savvy in the way you use it to present yourself or your company. |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 3:40 PM on 02.02.10 |
->> @Steven,
Thanks for the post. That is exactly what I was looking for.
Mr. Buttry said similar things that you actually have to be active for it to work and not just let it "do its thing." |
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Andrew Wheeler, Photographer
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Capitola | CA | USA | Posted: 4:50 PM on 02.02.10 |
->> Nic,
I second what everyone has said above. I have garnered work and business mainly through my "fan" page located here.
http://bit.ly/9VaTJS
Most of it is archive image material, but it is also a great self promotional tool as well.
Both the "AutoMotoPhoto Facebook "fan page" and the LinkedIn page auto update the Twitter page as well.
http://twitter.com/automotophoto
Andrew
http://www.automotophoto.com |
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Shawn Lynch, Photographer
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New York | New York | USA | Posted: 5:48 PM on 02.02.10 |
->> I'm still grappling with twitter and trying to make it a more effective tool for me and my own personal photography. I started using bit.ly for the links so I am getting some feedback on what I am doing. I think I need to develop more of a strategy and maybe even post more frequently.
I have been doing tons of reading on social media, business and other aspects of growing my photography. Now it's time to implement what I've learned!
Follow me @ http://twitter.com/shawnpixdotcom if you'd like. |
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Jeannette Merten, Photographer
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Jamey Price, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Charlotte | NC | USA | Posted: 7:14 PM on 02.02.10 |
->> Everyone should be on it. I am amazed at how many photographers are not twittering, facebooking and blogging. Its free, its easy and there is not a single reason why you shouldnt do all of thee above.
www.twitter.com/jameypricephoto |
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Steve Allen, Photographer
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Concord | CA | USA | Posted: 7:35 PM on 02.02.10 |
| ->> Hi nic yes www.Twitter.com/bevelheaven although somewhat new at the game I announce wowed short. And or very specific sales via tweets and my facebook page www.facebook.com/bevelheaven started out more about my baby fotos I have loaded all sorts of motoGP stuff etc and seperated out the family foto albums out, creating family only lists of people that can access those meaning my facebook stuff is now more my professsional stuff. I see both FB and Twitter as a very good tool that I will be using more of each in the future. |
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Daniel Berman, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Seattle | WA | US | Posted: 8:01 PM on 02.02.10 |
->> I use twitter as a kind of cross-promotional tool with my blog, and with new work that I produce. It has helped drive traffic to my site as a result, which is helpful too.
Follow me at http://www.twitter.com/bermanphotos |
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Mike Zarrilli, Photographer
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Atlanta | GA | USA | Posted: 11:28 PM on 02.02.10 |
->> I'm fairly new to Twitter but have been using it to showcase work and to promote pictures that I've taken of subjects that are currently "in the news". Tapping into topics that are hot searches at the time seems to increase traffic tremendously. Will be tweaking the strategy a bit to drive more qualified sales/lead traffic in the future.
Also, as mentioned in other posts, take a look at the new Photoshelter Social Media Guide for Photographers. Really well done.
http://www.twitter.com/mbaphotographer |
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Adam Cairns, Photographer
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 6:58 PM on 02.03.10 |
->> I don't use twitter for business, but it's a good tool to share information with fellow photographers and camera enthusiasts. It's not hard to link Google Reader to share directly to Twitter or to add a bit.ly shortcut button to the browser to shorten/share any web page. Twitter is so easy to integrate into any blog/news site, why not use it?
Find me at http://twitter.com/atomicphoto |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 11:14 PM on 02.03.10 |
->> I've noticed some of my photographer FB and Twitter friends posting as if their commercial customers were following them. It's difficult for me to imagine a portrait or wedding customer being so engaged in photography that they would read a photographer's tweets or status postings.
Feedback?
--Mark |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 2:23 AM on 02.04.10 |
->> @Mark,
Funny you mention that, because I was talking to one of our ad reps about that very same thing today during lunch.
All the "tech-y" people using Twitter and social media are using it and putting info and stuff up their about our specific businesses is like preaching to the choir.
But if used right, social media works wonders. I am followed on both Twitter and Facebook by clients and businesses I have worked with and I'll tag them in photos or @replies and it shows on their feeds and I've had people get in touch with me who were/are fans of that business and want to work with me for some other shoot.
But yeah, it is hard to not have all my followers be fellow photogs or journalists.
~ nic |
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PJ Heller, Photographer
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Santa Barbara | CA | USA | Posted: 3:02 AM on 02.04.10 |
| ->> Here's a link to a site that lists newspaper photo departments and some agencies on Twitter: http://photocolumn.org/ |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 11:10 AM on 02.04.10 |
->> Nic,
I know many wedding and portrait photogs who are followed by their clients. Their Tweets are a mix of info interesting to brides, portrait clients and photogs.
Crafting your Twitterstream takes some practice, figure out who you want as a target audience then look at your real audience. Assess how to either address the real audience or make yourself known to your target audience. This is done through using @ & # tags, as well as putting out content you want the target audience to find.
Some people follow a large number of people to get a large number of followers. Personally, I have a low number of people I follow with a fairly large number of followers (I also have three hidden Twitter names where I follow people, one user name follows 400+ airline feeds, another follows approximately 750 photographers ... but I never put out any content through those user names, they are purely for following).
I'll use Continental Airlines as my Twitter example, since I spent a month researching every aspect of their Twitter use, followed every message regarding them, every Tweet they put out and broke down every one of their followers.
In one month Continental Airlines was following a total of less than 'target audience members', while the rest of the people they followed were other airlines, Houston sports teams, Arenas with the Continental Name and more than 40 airline industry 'insiders.'
In one week there were 500+ comments directly referring to the airline, 250+ were complaints the rest were general questions and comments about the airline. In this week Continental sent less than 10 replies, these replies were to airline industry experts and insiders and a comment to another airline. This means they missed more than 500 opportunities to connect with their target audience, build their brand and work on satisfaction and loyalty.
As a photog your numbers will be lower, but you can still seek out your target audience. Search "Monterey" ; "#Monterey" ; NorCal ; #NorCal ; Wedding Photography ; #WeddingPhotography ; etc etc etc to find those you can connect with. You can connect on a totally irrelevant level to build a viable follower base if that is your intended end use of Twitter for business purposes. |
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Greg Kendall-Ball, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Abilene | TX | USA | Posted: 11:29 AM on 02.07.10 |
->> I'm on Twtter at http://www.twitter.com/gregkb
I use it for a variety of things- staying in touch with friends, getting news, promoting photo projects or stories I've done recently.
It definitely helps to have a Twitter client like Tweetie (for Mac and iPhone) or Tweetdeck...the web interface isn't the greatest. |
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John Korduner, Photographer
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Baton Rouge | LA | United States | Posted: 12:33 PM on 02.07.10 |
->> It's seldom that I tweet because I've yet to understand what additional benefits updating an additional application like Twitter offers, compared to a facebook status update.
...But one aspect of Twitter has made me nervous. To say there's a handful of people who find me interesting enough to "follow" would be kind...but, the fact that several of them appear to be odds makers is a little unsettling. |
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Frank Niemeir, Photographer
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Woodstock | GA | usa | Posted: 2:12 PM on 02.07.10 |
->> I would think the last line from that report would greatly cause it to have major flaws:
"Note: The question is asked differently among teens and adults – teens were asked “Do you ever use Twitter?” while adults were asked “have you ever used Twitter or another service where you can update your status online?” which may explain some of the difference in the data between the two groups." |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 6:13 PM on 02.07.10 |
->> Sam,
In my research on Twitter I have found a very active demographic in the 25-45 range. Of 100 people I surveyed who use Twitter, 76 have college degrees, 26 had post-grad degrees. 88 used Twitter in some capacity for business networking.
So for targeting seniors, Twitter may not be the best, but for business-to-business, it is a great tool.
In that demographic, which I gathered during research for a 60+ page report I created on airlines and social media (which has become the base of research for more than 40 airlines in social media, or looking into social media, and the primary resource for many industry media outlets)...I fit the demographic in two areas. I am 34 and use it for business. |
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Danny Munson, Photographer
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San Dimas | Ca | United States | Posted: 6:35 PM on 02.07.10 |
| ->> I do better from my FaceBook fan page then I do my Twitter page. |
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Nic Coury, Photographer
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Monterey | CA | | Posted: 1:36 PM on 02.10.10 |
->> Any SportsShooter or prof photo feeds?
Also, I'll be Tweeting from the media center an fairways at Pebble Beach for golf this week:
https://twitter.com/photographNic
#attproam |
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Max Gersh, Photographer
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New Castle | IN | USA | Posted: 1:47 PM on 02.10.10 |
->> I started my account while interning at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. All the photogs had to tweet in election coverage from different parts of town. The feed was aggregated onto our home page.
When I find breaking news, I will still tweet it but it has mostly become a marketing tool.
https://twitter.com/pd_cameraman |
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Carlos Gonzalez, Photographer
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Minneapolis | MN | USA | Posted: 1:53 PM on 02.10.10 |
->> Still playing with Twitter and how exactly I want to use it.
I have linked it to my Facebook Fan page.
http://twitter.com/carlosgphoto |
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N. Scott Trimble, Photographer
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Lake Oswego | OR | USA | Posted: 2:18 PM on 02.10.10 |
->> Funny this came up today on SS, just got off the phone with another photographer who has had many portfolio viewings because of his following on Twitter and was preaching it to me. I just now finished updating my account that I haven't touched since I opened it a year ago, made some contacts he suggested for me to reach my Peru humanitarian documentary I just got back from last week out to.
I was happy to complete a string of entries on my blog and now I am trying to figure out Tweeting! At some point, I will fit in playing with my 5 month old!
I think I became a photographer because I didn't want to write so much...now look what happens!
http://twitter.com/nstrimble |
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Michael Ivanin, Photographer
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Oakville | On | Canada | Posted: 2:32 PM on 02.10.10 |
->> I am still trying to find out if twitter is useful tool in photographer's arsenal, definitely it helps to find interesting photography articles around the web.
Anyway my twitterer page is here
http://twitter.com/Mike_Ivanin |
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Steve Russell, Photographer
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Toronto | ON | Canada | Posted: 5:00 PM on 02.10.10 |
->> I'll add to the madness,
The Toronto Star Team at the Vancouver Games blogging.
We fired up twitter to update people when we add to it!
https://twitter.com/TOstarphoto |
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Pete Gawlik, Photographer
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Brighton | East Sussex | United Kingdom | Posted: 5:25 PM on 02.10.10 |
->> I'm also very new to Twitter and just finding my way around.
In fact just got my web site up and running a month or so ago and changing and tweaking with that as well !
Anyway here's my page http://twitter.com/PiPiXesp |
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Jabin Botsford, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Knoxville | TN | United States | Posted: 5:27 PM on 02.22.10 |
| ->> i only use it to follow other photographers and keep up with news but here is mine http://twitter.com/jabinbotsford |
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David Scriven, Photographer
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Francis Specker, Photographer
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Riverside | CA | USA | Posted: 3:03 PM on 02.23.10 |
->> I love Twitter! If you have any tracking software for your website you will find that it is very effective in driving traffic.
I use Twitter to reach a much wider audience than people I personally know on Facebook. Twitter is open and not behind a walled garden like Facebook.
There are some great clients for Twitter, you don't have to use their web page. I use Tweetie on my desktop Mac and Echofon on my iPhone. Tweetdeck is great too.
You can follow me on Twitter at:
http://twitter.com/specker |
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Matthew Ginn, Photographer
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Peter Huoppi, Photographer
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 5:19 PM on 02.23.10 |
->> "In his opinion, Twitter is the most important tool for journalists since the mobile phone"
Sending pictures at 140 characters per tweet?
Good luck with that.
Besides, it'll soon die a natural death. My kid and her friends are already soooo over it. |
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Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 6:06 PM on 02.23.10 |
->> Oh yeah, I'm @MarkLoundy on Twitter. I use it for my more professional postings, as opposed to Facebook, which is also for friends and family.
--Mark |
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Grover Sanschagrin, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Scott Holstein, Photographer
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Neil Turner, Photographer
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Bournemouth | UK | United Kingdom | Posted: 2:41 AM on 02.24.10 |
| ->> Tweeting away here in the UK http://twitter.com/dg28com and I have had a couple of interesting leads from it already. Trying to keep it professional but most of the traffic is from fellow photographers. |
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Derek Ruttan, Photographer
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London | ON | Canada | Posted: 4:54 PM on 07.20.10 |
->> Just began twitting. Please follow me DerekatLFPress
Thanks!
Derek |
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Ric Tapia, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Patrick Fallon, Student/Intern, Photographer
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