I was recently introduced to a compact guidebook for businesses trying to get a sense of Twitter. This short guide, entitled Twitter Business Guide: Communication and Marketing was written by Jean-Christophe Barré and Dr. Andreas Schroeter and in just 32 pages covers some of the things that may be keeping you and your business away from this platform. For someone who is new to Twitter, this e-book will prove a helpful compass as you begin to explore Twitter. Twitter Business Guide As with any tool or platform, this should be seen as just that. ebook Twitter MORE >>

Image by ntr23 via Flickr. Twitter is growing both in terms of users, messages and the importance that users and others place on the service. In a recent presentation from Raffi Krikorian , Twitter’s lead on Application Services, we got an insight into how Twitter is being used and some current statistics. Twitter generates 10TB a day. Top three twitter-users by number of followers  – @ ladygaga (8.3m) , @ justinbieber (8.1m) , @ barakobama (7.0m). Twitter by the Numbers (Columbia University). phenomenal amount of text. MORE >>

Image by dobrych via Flickr. Matt Rhodes Social media news facebook linkedin Office for National Statistics Social network TwitterThe latest data from the Office of National Statistics n the UK shows that, for the first time ever, over half of adults accessed social networking sites in 2011. The annual British Internet Habits survey showed that in 2011, 57% of over-16s in the UK are using the internet for social networking, as opposed to 43% in 2010. Social networks are all but ubiquitous for the 16-24 year olds , with 91% of this age range using them. Tweet This! MORE >>

While a dwindling number of business executives still dismiss Twitter as a waste of time, recent research suggests it is one of the most valuable social networks for business. Awareness of Twitter has exploded; 87% of Americans said they were “familiar with” Twitter in a poll taken earlier this year, versus just 5% in 2008 and 26% in 2009. Although fewer Americans use Twitter than Facebook, Twitter users “are far more likely to follow Brands/ Companies than social networkers in general. Twitter users frequently exchange information about products and services.” MORE >>

Or, at the least, take a break as I did. -- Thank you for reading Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Flickr YouTube Blogging Blah Blah Blah: Knowing Why You Use Social Media is What Counts at AriWriter. This paragraph comprises the first words published on this blog since I asked for your opinions on blogging frequency seven days ago. Never before in the history of this blog (or, at least over the past 18 months) has a week transpired without new content. She owned her world. Those are powerful words. We use social networking sites for different reasons, but it is crucial to grasp the WHY. MORE >>