Resourceful-Mom

Why single moms should tweet

Having just about 20 years in information technology, one might assume that I would be current on ANYTHING remotely geeky but I’m not.  I consistently pick the wrong gadgets with the wrong features and, with all of my motivational speakers trapped on cassette tapes, my transition to CD players has been a slow one (we won’t even entertain MP3 players – ).  In areas where electronics are concerned, I don’t feel comfortable making a purchasing decision so… I always need help.

We (men and women) need each other.  So, whether you’re in the market to sell or buy something (a MP3 player, perhaps?), you at some point will need the insight of others to assist you in making the best decision.

As we get older, we as single moms, have the tendency to develop the attitude that we can do everything on our own.  And, while this is understandable, we sometimes struggle with situations longer than we should.  Information on how to get a degree, buy a home, paint a fence and live through the terrible two’s while  staying motivated is everywhere but sometimes the best information isn’t on television.

With a background in IT, I’ve heard a lot about our having too much information available on the internet and how this has compromised our privacy.  And, although I recognize the need for a big brother, I initially steered clear of Twitter because I felt that it was a little too intrusive.  I simply didn’t want to use it if  the requirement was I needed to tell “the world” about my  sitting in traffic (a frequent tweet in Atlanta, I’m sure) or the coffee shop (if I could ever get out of traffic).  But what I’ve found is despite the bad press the internet has gotten, it doesn’t change the fact there is a lot of valuable information available and it’s available in various forms.

I’ve used Google for random searches for years and have managed to find, what I initially believed, everything I needed.  Recently; however, I’ve found that Twitter is gaining ground when it comes to answering my questions.  I’d like to compare it to how many people use Facebook’s status option, simply to keep others informed.  This works both for Twitter and Facebook because it’s these snippets that, more often than not, pass along good information and generate conversations.  But, as with all social networking mediums, this is not the only way to utilize Twitter.

Spammers are everywhere.  They attack, not only our email but Twitter, Facebook, websites and forums.  There are even some walking around in the form of MLMers (hehe).   They are irritating and unrelenting  but instead of us blocking the spammers for forcing what they have down our throats, we punish our email, Twitter and the like by vowing never to use them again.  Well that’s not fair to us being that there is a lot of good information out there in the mist of the bad.  Spammers should be expected and if you experience them on Twitter, you can simply stop following them or, if they are really bad, block them.

Today, people are using Twitter to share information, find jobs, keep a finger on the pulse of what’s going on around them and, of course, to keep in touch with family and friends.   I’m proud to say that I currently follow, although a very small percentage in comparison to the Twitter world, some of the most informative tweeters on Twitter.  Our audiences are different but the information is of value to everyone.

I, like others, spend a lot of time scouring the internet for information to share with both my followers and those that I follow.  Yet,  it would take me a lifetime to gather the amount of information that these individuals supply multiple times a day. All day. Every day.  They share so much information, I miss more than I am able retweet (share) with others.   I mean, a girl has to work and eat and sleep.  Ya know .

Listed below are a few of the tweeters I’m following with their websites for your review.  They are helpful in the topics that I’m interested in (education, technology, parenting, building a business and positive thinking) and, what I find interesting, I share with others.  If you like what they have to offer, follow them as well.  While you’re at it, mention that I sent you .

Using those that I follow as an example or as your starting point, I would advise you to create your own list of people tweeting (having conversations) about topics important to you.  Whether it’s golfing, horseback riding, sports cars or fashion, I’m sure you can find tweeters specializing in those areas.  Just don’t allow all the “help” in the world to pass you by, take a closer look at Twitter and what it has to offer.

To choose quality tweeters, my only suggestions are 1). Use Twitter Search to look for people that are tweeting about your interests 2). Before deciding to follow read their bio, check out their website and scan through their Twitter page to see if what they tweet about is in line with what you are looking for  (Hint: Unless you’re interested in getting a play by play about traffic, I’d venture to say you might want to pass on any bios that say “I’m freakin’ hott” – LOL!).

If you decide to use Twitter for no other reason than to obtain information it would broaden your horizons.  But, if you are already using Twitter for the purpose of casual conversation with your friends, I would suggest that you start following a few professional tweeters online as they will offer some valuable information for you to share with your friends.  I have absolutely no doubt you will have a whole new world of information to draw from and, for a mom, that’s “hott”.

@IIeane – www.Ileane.Wordpress.com

@LifeToFullness – www.LifeToFullest.com

@whattoknow – www.WhatToKnow.org

@edu_grant – www.EducationGrant.com

@singlemommyhood – www.SingleMommyHood.com

@beginnerblogger – www.BeginnerBlogger.com

@twitter_tips – www.TwitterUserManual.com

@ACRWorks – www.ACRWorks.Blogspot.com