Zach Pleasant and Darren Buck energized the ITE Annual Meeting crowd with the wonders of Twitter and social media.
During the session, Pleasant explained how Twitter benefits its users, not just on a superficial/entertainment level, but also in professional matters. During the ITE 2013 Annual Meeting, there have been a plethora of sessions and meetings taking place. Can’t be everywhere at once? Check Twitter and find out the interesting bits and pieces of technical sessions or meetings you may have missed. Input #ITE2013AM for 2013 Boston Annual Meeting happenings Pleasant has posted on behalf of ITE. Twitter is also a great professional tool to post and review job openings and various professional opportunities.
Lists, re-tweets, hashtags, followers, etc. There are many aspects to the world of Twitter. Questions from the audience included how best to compile a "list," what a list actually is, what is a retweet? (when someone reposts a tweet to their followers) ; what is a widget? And so forth.
Buck shared his reasons for joining Twitter, including the desire to discuss his graduate school work, to create and maintain his own networks as well as interact with individuals he never would otherwise. He also explained it’s a great way to find people with similar interests. In addition, Buck uses it to discuss and publicize work, everyday communication, activism, and news.
Buck also suggested taking the plunge and checking out Facebook, LinkedIn and Gov Loop. The latter are best for professional networking.
So in brief—get on Twitter; observe, follow, then dive in! Be forthcoming in your bio, give and take, and most of all, be social!
Suggested feeds to follow:
ITE--@iteHQ
AASHTO-- @aashtospeaks
U.S. Department of Transportation-- @USDOT