This was originally posted on Modified in response to a thread about Twitter and was copied here:
Oh, Twitter...
Here's how I currently use Twitter in relationship to Footbag:
1) I talk to someone who's interested in coming to our footbag sessions, or is already at one of our sessions. I ask them if they want text message updates announcing our sessions. Usually they say yes, although I make sure they have unlimited text messages first.
2) I take their phone and send a text to 40404 (that's Twitter) that says "follow FootbagAlliance". FootbagAlliance is the user account. Put yours there.
3) Twitter shoots a text back asking their name. You respond.
4) You get a confirmation text back saying it all went down. Sometimes it goes through much later (has happened hours later, but is usually a 30 second thing).
5) Later, when you are at your computer, you'll have an email saying that there is a new follower to the account, go to their account and follow them.
6) When a session is going to happen later in the day, I jump on twitter, log in to the FootbagAlliance account, and post an update that gets pushed out to 27 people. That's a lot of phone calls to remind people of a footbag session that I don't have to make. That's nice.
7) Optional: In your tweet (that's what a Twitter post is called), you can ask people to respond if they are coming. They respond via text, you get it. That instantaneous feedback is helpful.
This is usually just a reminder to people about the regularly scheduled session (Weds @ 5), but I think it will really shine as we get closer to summer (I've started getting it going late into fall and through the winter) and if an impromptu session happens we can try and get some of the people who are new too it and not just our favorite shred-buddies.
I've thought about posting a quick wrap up to the session afterwords to share with others what went down but 140 characters is too small for the ENTIRE GROUP. I think that individuals sharing shred highlights would work really well. The best way to do this would be a blog post with all highlights for all players (maybe a video?) and then to announce it on Twitter. If you don't know what TinyURL is, Google it. They shorten long URLs to tiny ones so they fit on Twitter posts.
Here's how it could be taken further:
Once you get a solid base of people following the main twitter account, it'd be nice to interlink all of them. So you'd have to talk to each person and have them text in "follow USERNAME" to 40404 for EACH MEMBER. This would take a decent bit of work, but would be worth it. Then, when the main twitter was sent out and each person replied, each member would see all the responses after the main post. This would also allow a single member to send out a tweet asking if anybody wanted to shred without having to access the main account or use a computer for that matter.
I'm using Twitter for the Footbag Alliance in the way that traditional media (radio, tv, newspaper) works: one person sending out a message to a lot of people who can't respond back. Twitter, however, allows each member to talk to every other member while the rest of the members listen. Then others can add to the conversation that the first two are having. This is really something to experience and not read about.
In conclusion, Twitter seemed like dumbest thing I'd ever heard about (think back to the first time someone tried to describe Twitter to you), but one of the coolest things I use. It took a little (ok, a lot) of getting used to, but I get it now, and I think that it is an amazing tool.
Twitter Accounts:
The Missoula Footbag Alliance: @FootbagAlliance
My personal Twitter account: @EvanL
My geeky web designy, Mac lovin' Twitter account: @freeStyle_Media
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