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The Tao of Twitter, Revised and Expanded New Edition: Changing Your Life and Business 140 Characters at a Time
Hundreds of proven ways to increase influence by gathering an army of followers on TwitterThe Tao of Twitter offers strategies, tactics, and time-savers for driving measurable marketing benefits on any Twitter account. You’ll get hundreds of tips, examples, and easy-to-follow instructions that will help you increase influence, get new followers, and boost overall profitability.
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2012
60 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 31, 2013
If you're trying to put Twitter to use for your business, organization or cause, ditch all the other Twitter books and grab this one. It's very thorough and effective at helping you maximize results.
February 13, 2023
Despite the recent Twitter dramas caused by Elon Musk buying the social platform, I still found this book useful. Schaefer describes how to use Twitter to grow a business by doing three simple things: creating targeted connections, posting meaningful content, and being authentically helpful. The book is light and easy to follow, and I was inspired to start accessing my Twitter once a day for 10-15 minutes to find a few interesting people to follow, engage with a few posts by others, and share one meaningful bit of content. So far, so good.
November 22, 2013
I started tweeting about nonprofit communications a year and a half ago. I would say, "This is the book I wish I had read back then," except that might give you the impression it's only for beginners. That would be untrue. I'm glad I read this book today.
The Tao of Twitter is basic in the sense that it focuses on the basis underlying all successful social media--and a lot of life.
1. Targeted connections. "Systematically surround ourselves with people likely to want to know us, learn from us, and help us."
2. Meaningful content. Write, blog, and tweet for the people you want to reach. Make sure what you say will be important to them.
3. Authentic helpfulness. Don't sell. Connect. Find ways to help without already seeing (let alone asking for) a favor you can get in return.
One-third of the book elaborates these principles. One-third tells you how to put them into action through Twitter. And one-third tells you how to build on the basics and succeed.
It's true that the book has a business focus, but with a little imagination, nonprofits can put the same advice to work. I plan to blog about how to do this at dennisfischman.wordpress.com soon. Come join me there.
The Tao of Twitter is basic in the sense that it focuses on the basis underlying all successful social media--and a lot of life.
1. Targeted connections. "Systematically surround ourselves with people likely to want to know us, learn from us, and help us."
2. Meaningful content. Write, blog, and tweet for the people you want to reach. Make sure what you say will be important to them.
3. Authentic helpfulness. Don't sell. Connect. Find ways to help without already seeing (let alone asking for) a favor you can get in return.
One-third of the book elaborates these principles. One-third tells you how to put them into action through Twitter. And one-third tells you how to build on the basics and succeed.
It's true that the book has a business focus, but with a little imagination, nonprofits can put the same advice to work. I plan to blog about how to do this at dennisfischman.wordpress.com soon. Come join me there.
September 18, 2015
Full of practical advice and tips about making Twitter work for you, ‘The Tao of Twitter’ is a great resource, whether you use Twitter for business or personal reasons.
At the heart of Twitter are the person to person exchanges it espouses. ‘You are connecting to real people, not avatars,’ he writes, which is something you should never forget. It is the more human, personal stuff that allows others to relate to you and potentially make a connection, which is so important in the business world.
As someone who tweets for pleasure, the most useful advice I took from ‘The Tao of Twitter’ was about creating lists in which to group together people and organisations I follow that reflect my interests. This has allowed me to scan tweets in each group much more easily using Tweetdeck and share those I find interesting with my followers.
For business users of Twitter, the author provides a wealth of information and advice, with anecdotal supporting evidence, about how Twitter can enhance your business. There’s nothing more convincing than personal experience and the author draws heavily on his own business success using Twitter to make this an insightful and interesting read.
At the heart of Twitter are the person to person exchanges it espouses. ‘You are connecting to real people, not avatars,’ he writes, which is something you should never forget. It is the more human, personal stuff that allows others to relate to you and potentially make a connection, which is so important in the business world.
As someone who tweets for pleasure, the most useful advice I took from ‘The Tao of Twitter’ was about creating lists in which to group together people and organisations I follow that reflect my interests. This has allowed me to scan tweets in each group much more easily using Tweetdeck and share those I find interesting with my followers.
For business users of Twitter, the author provides a wealth of information and advice, with anecdotal supporting evidence, about how Twitter can enhance your business. There’s nothing more convincing than personal experience and the author draws heavily on his own business success using Twitter to make this an insightful and interesting read.
April 19, 2014
The book is very inspiring yet not very poor of technical details , I would recommend interns to read it while they're early penetrating this field
April 3, 2025
Reading this in 2025 gives a strong nostalgic feeling.
The actual practical advice that the book was teaching feels to be gone in far past.
Modern Social Networking has been completely mechanized. It all feels completely unnatural, and often the effects of advertising can be felt. On several of the platforms that used to be so active, almost nobody posts anymore, except for businesses.
It feels nice to read this book and return to the time that now feels naive and full of life changing and business opportunities.
The actual practical advice that the book was teaching feels to be gone in far past.
Modern Social Networking has been completely mechanized. It all feels completely unnatural, and often the effects of advertising can be felt. On several of the platforms that used to be so active, almost nobody posts anymore, except for businesses.
It feels nice to read this book and return to the time that now feels naive and full of life changing and business opportunities.
March 29, 2018
One of the best reads for new entrants in the twitterverse
July 17, 2013
The Tao of Twitter shares the author's experience with Twitter, showcasing the business and personal connections that he's made on this social media site. I love that he goes back to his first impressions, and how he gradually began to use the site more and more as he understood how useful it could be.
It's easy to get side tracked on Twitter. People get sucked into the follow-back game, and they get caught up in the idea that they needs thousands of followers in order to be taken seriously. But that's not what it's about.
Social media is all about networking: it's about the people you meet and engage with. It's not about building massive numbers of followers. Mark W. Schaefer makes this very clear through the examples he provides in this book.
This is a great book for anyone who is new to Twitter and who isn't quite sure what it's all about. It's also for people who might have tried the site a few years ago and still think it's all about sharing what you had for breakfast.
It's not. It's about online networking: meeting interesting people, sharing content that you find useful, and helping others out. As Schaefer says, it's all about P2P (person to person) connections.
He talks about authentic helpfulness, and finding your tribe, and how to attract the kind of followers you want to have. I like this book because, while he provides clear steps for beginners to take, he goes beyond the technical steps of getting started and really explains the philosophy behind connecting with people on Twitter. This is something that people keep forgetting to explain about social media: it's about the people you meet, not about the number of followers you have.
Most importantly, he focuses on a “mindset of helpfulness.” For business owners using Twitter, this is an ideal place to connect with existing and potential clients so you can help them out. There are so many ways to help in 140 characters or less. Read The Tao of Twitter to learn how.
It's easy to get side tracked on Twitter. People get sucked into the follow-back game, and they get caught up in the idea that they needs thousands of followers in order to be taken seriously. But that's not what it's about.
Social media is all about networking: it's about the people you meet and engage with. It's not about building massive numbers of followers. Mark W. Schaefer makes this very clear through the examples he provides in this book.
This is a great book for anyone who is new to Twitter and who isn't quite sure what it's all about. It's also for people who might have tried the site a few years ago and still think it's all about sharing what you had for breakfast.
It's not. It's about online networking: meeting interesting people, sharing content that you find useful, and helping others out. As Schaefer says, it's all about P2P (person to person) connections.
He talks about authentic helpfulness, and finding your tribe, and how to attract the kind of followers you want to have. I like this book because, while he provides clear steps for beginners to take, he goes beyond the technical steps of getting started and really explains the philosophy behind connecting with people on Twitter. This is something that people keep forgetting to explain about social media: it's about the people you meet, not about the number of followers you have.
Most importantly, he focuses on a “mindset of helpfulness.” For business owners using Twitter, this is an ideal place to connect with existing and potential clients so you can help them out. There are so many ways to help in 140 characters or less. Read The Tao of Twitter to learn how.
November 29, 2013
Ah, the magical land of Twitter.
The Tao of Twitter, as with other various marketing books, continues to push the idea that there really is something to Twitter beyond random status updates about eating food and other incomprehensible inane ramblings about god knows what. Apparently relationships can be formed. The Tao of Twitter attempts to teach you how.
How good is it? Well, it would be nice to hear the point of view of someone who started completely from scratch, knowing no one. Not someone that already has a following and someone that people would already want to follow in order to get ahead themselves.
The Tao of Twitter is a decent breakdown but I would have enjoyed a more in-depth breakdown on where to find quality people to follow and how to create relationships with people who have gigantic followings when you yourself don't already have one.
Twitter is also a hard topic to cover because as with anything relating to technology, the supplementary programs for tweeting and community hubs are always changing.
Overall, I did like this. It's just not all that I hoped it would be. It did help convince me to give Twitter another try.
The Tao of Twitter, as with other various marketing books, continues to push the idea that there really is something to Twitter beyond random status updates about eating food and other incomprehensible inane ramblings about god knows what. Apparently relationships can be formed. The Tao of Twitter attempts to teach you how.
How good is it? Well, it would be nice to hear the point of view of someone who started completely from scratch, knowing no one. Not someone that already has a following and someone that people would already want to follow in order to get ahead themselves.
The Tao of Twitter is a decent breakdown but I would have enjoyed a more in-depth breakdown on where to find quality people to follow and how to create relationships with people who have gigantic followings when you yourself don't already have one.
Twitter is also a hard topic to cover because as with anything relating to technology, the supplementary programs for tweeting and community hubs are always changing.
Overall, I did like this. It's just not all that I hoped it would be. It did help convince me to give Twitter another try.
August 10, 2011
I read this book as someone who is interested in understanding more about Twitter as it becomes a bigger part of the social media world and interacts with my personal life. Additionally, as a marketer, I thought it might also be interesting to gain some tips and tricks that could be useful for my business life.
I lacked an even basic understanding of how to use Twitter and all of its inner workings (hashtags, retweets, etc.) I had NO idea where to start with Twitter (what to Tweet about? Who to follow? etc.) or what the etiquette is in certain areas. The Tao of Twitter helped me get over all of those initial humps. From a business perspective, it offered some good and very simple (in a good way!) advice about how to get up and running with a Twitter account and benefit from it. However, from a single person perspective (someone interested in having a Twitter account but doesn't know what to do with it), I did not get much value out of it. It has a strong business focus and payoff that the average person can't relate to quite as much.
I lacked an even basic understanding of how to use Twitter and all of its inner workings (hashtags, retweets, etc.) I had NO idea where to start with Twitter (what to Tweet about? Who to follow? etc.) or what the etiquette is in certain areas. The Tao of Twitter helped me get over all of those initial humps. From a business perspective, it offered some good and very simple (in a good way!) advice about how to get up and running with a Twitter account and benefit from it. However, from a single person perspective (someone interested in having a Twitter account but doesn't know what to do with it), I did not get much value out of it. It has a strong business focus and payoff that the average person can't relate to quite as much.
October 2, 2012
Who has time to master Twitter? Everybody knows it's a powerhouse of social media, but how do you use it well? For business purposes, how can you get results that matter?
Mark Schaefer tackles these questions as he outlines the principles of effective communication on Twitter: finding targeted connections, adding meaningful content, and giving authentic help. He then gives you a number of practical tips that will enhance your enjoyment of Twitter and closes the book with a section for advanced users.
While it's especially helpful for someone just starting out with Twitter, it's the kind of book you will refer back to as you become an advanced Twitter user. I've been using Twitter for a while and have 2,000 followers, so I've done something right, (my handle is @danielgtaylor), and this book has taught me about several areas of Twitter I didn't know about.
If you want to have more meaningful connections on Twitter, read this book.
Mark Schaefer tackles these questions as he outlines the principles of effective communication on Twitter: finding targeted connections, adding meaningful content, and giving authentic help. He then gives you a number of practical tips that will enhance your enjoyment of Twitter and closes the book with a section for advanced users.
While it's especially helpful for someone just starting out with Twitter, it's the kind of book you will refer back to as you become an advanced Twitter user. I've been using Twitter for a while and have 2,000 followers, so I've done something right, (my handle is @danielgtaylor), and this book has taught me about several areas of Twitter I didn't know about.
If you want to have more meaningful connections on Twitter, read this book.
June 27, 2013
I have been putting off this facet of social media. This book is the perfect primer on the subject - succinct, yet all encompassing treatment of the subject. Does not take that long to read - my first pass through was with a red pen, and now that I am "tweeting", I look forward to a second quick scan of my markups with a highlighter to catch the more advanced topics.
All in all I'd say I will have invested about 3-4 hours - with 2 read throughs and gained exactly what I was looking for - the practical nuts and bolts, as well as marketing strategy and theory or Tao! of Twitter. A definite on my list of recommended business books on social media, no matter what industry in which you are involved.
All in all I'd say I will have invested about 3-4 hours - with 2 read throughs and gained exactly what I was looking for - the practical nuts and bolts, as well as marketing strategy and theory or Tao! of Twitter. A definite on my list of recommended business books on social media, no matter what industry in which you are involved.
September 23, 2012
I picked up this quick read to find out more about the advanced capabilities of Twitter because I was aware that the author, Mark Schaefer, is a leading authority on the subject. Little did I know that Schaefer would present a great platform for anyone using Twitter. He demonstrates that he is certainly an educator, as well as a saavy marketing professional. His use of 'straight talk' and examples of success - and failure - throughout the book are great tools for learning. Whether you are interested only in using Twitter to manage the tweets you send or receive, or you are looking for ideas on how to start building a business, this book is a great place to start!
April 3, 2015
I've worked with Twitter for several years now and this book had several ideas and suggestions that really helped me. I read it with a highlighter and marked the book up. I will use this guide as I help my co-workers set up accounts that they can use to attract corporate sponsors for our nonprofit. I am the voice behind our nonprofit's twitter account but I do not make it personal. I have a personal account that I use instead. We need to be careful with our voice as an organization. But that doesn't mean we aren't personable and approachable. I would recommend this book if you want to succeed on Twitter. Just remember to have a highlighter handy.
July 7, 2014
The only worthwhile book on the topic I've found - and a super easy, quick read.
I checked out a dozen library books on the topic - all well-reviewed online - and didn't make it more than a few pages into any of them. I actually read this whole thing... it's a super quick, skimmable read; take from it what you can at whatever level of experience you may be. Not for the *expert*, but I found beginner books boring and too easy, and even the basics that are covered here were quick and easy to move past, to whatever you find most relevant. Took me only a couple days of subway commutes, and found a handful of helpful tips and things I need to try.
I checked out a dozen library books on the topic - all well-reviewed online - and didn't make it more than a few pages into any of them. I actually read this whole thing... it's a super quick, skimmable read; take from it what you can at whatever level of experience you may be. Not for the *expert*, but I found beginner books boring and too easy, and even the basics that are covered here were quick and easy to move past, to whatever you find most relevant. Took me only a couple days of subway commutes, and found a handful of helpful tips and things I need to try.
February 21, 2016
Well, I've been fight this technology for as long as I can remember. I got my twitter account back in 2009, and I've only done a hand full of tweets so fare. Well, I have no excuses any more.
I read this book in about a day, and found it very informative and helpful. It's a good guide for beginners. One of it's short comings is that it doesn't talk much about building the content needed to capture a following.
At this stage, I think I would only be using it to generate prospects, but I guess we'll see. I hope the time it takes to implement this is worth the trouble. If any of you have any experiences you could share, it sure would help. Hope to hear from a few of you.
I read this book in about a day, and found it very informative and helpful. It's a good guide for beginners. One of it's short comings is that it doesn't talk much about building the content needed to capture a following.
At this stage, I think I would only be using it to generate prospects, but I guess we'll see. I hope the time it takes to implement this is worth the trouble. If any of you have any experiences you could share, it sure would help. Hope to hear from a few of you.
February 11, 2013
Really enjoyed this book, so much so that it could also be added as a 'want to read' book, as I do have every intention of reading it again in the not too distant future.
Mark Schaeffer's easy to read tone, and straight to the point way of writing, makes this a very easy book to read, which made me stop and think about how I use Twitter almost right from the start.
A must-read book for anyone hoping to increase their profile, influence and/or sales using Twitter (although the lessons learned about Twitter could be easily applied to other social media platforms as well....
Mark Schaeffer's easy to read tone, and straight to the point way of writing, makes this a very easy book to read, which made me stop and think about how I use Twitter almost right from the start.
A must-read book for anyone hoping to increase their profile, influence and/or sales using Twitter (although the lessons learned about Twitter could be easily applied to other social media platforms as well....
August 21, 2013
Fun read about Twitter! I don't have an account, but I have "tried" to follow certain hash tags in the past. After reading this book, I have an whole list of web sites offer helpful ways to do that way more easily! You can even find local or trending topics, etc... I am almost afraid to sign up for an account now that I know a lot more about it! lol!
If you don't "get" Twitter, this is the book for you! Don't blame me if you spend hours on it though using all the tips from the book! It's the author's fault!
If you don't "get" Twitter, this is the book for you! Don't blame me if you spend hours on it though using all the tips from the book! It's the author's fault!
July 25, 2015
Wow, what a killer read!! This is for people of all Twitter experience levels, and I'd consider it to be THE de facto standard for Twitter. It helps newbies understand the true intents and meanings of this strange bird (pun intended) that is Twitter. It's also packed with killer strategies and resources for intermediate and advanced use. All while being able to explain the purpose of twitter in a language all people can understand.
I love this book and would buy it to be able to re-read again and again.
I love this book and would buy it to be able to re-read again and again.
May 23, 2018
I 'read' this via Audible and while I think the content of the book was good the delivery was hard to adjust to. The author keeps an unusual cadence throughout and pauses awkwardly. That cost the star. The content is great.
This book is best for someone totally new to Twitter or someone wondering 1) how Twitter can work for their business and 2) if it's too late to get started on Twitter. It is full of actionable steps to get started and how to use it more efficiently if you aren't new to the platform.
This book is best for someone totally new to Twitter or someone wondering 1) how Twitter can work for their business and 2) if it's too late to get started on Twitter. It is full of actionable steps to get started and how to use it more efficiently if you aren't new to the platform.
April 11, 2013
I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Schaefer at Social Media Marketing World and then read his book (a personalized signed copy, none the less!) on the plane home. It was great and just wanted I needed to bring back to my PR team (and most importantly my boss) to help them get smart with Twitter too. It's a perfect pick for anyone who wants to understand what the heck Twitter is about and how to best use it.
June 1, 2013
This book is well written, engaging, and informative. In addition to providing great step by step instructions, the author provides valuable insight about how social media interactions and relationships work. I appreciated that the emphasis is on authenticity and genuine helpfulness. The Tao of Twitter is a short, solid read and everyone, those new to Twitter and even the absolute pros can benefit from reading it!
December 25, 2015
Great book to help you jump into the Twitter world!
Mark's enthusiastically leads you into the Twitter atmosphere by sharing stories how he has connected face to face as a result of tweeting, made friends, and grown his business. I look forward to trying out some of his tips. I too once thought Twitter was all about hearing what people are doing however, Twitter is my go to for learning and growing!
Mark's enthusiastically leads you into the Twitter atmosphere by sharing stories how he has connected face to face as a result of tweeting, made friends, and grown his business. I look forward to trying out some of his tips. I too once thought Twitter was all about hearing what people are doing however, Twitter is my go to for learning and growing!
July 20, 2012
An inspiring, and motivating book on how to market at this time in the world where the consumer is the creator, and the user generates the content. The uniqueness of this book is its reachable, and teachable persona of the author. While reading this book your imagination is going to ignite, and begin to flow with new ideas from this Twitter master.
January 30, 2023
أول سطر عالغلاف مكتوب انو هالكتاب رقم 1 مبيعات من بين كتب تويتر.
الكتاب مافيه دليل أو وصفات سحرية لحتى تجمع متابعين. بكل بساطة بيشرح عن ميكانيزم والكيميا يلي لازم تنخلق بتويتر .
كل فقرة بالكتاب كنت قول مزبوط فعلاً لازم يصير هيك ونساوي هيك, واجت آخر صفحة بالكتاب بلورت كل الأفكار .
الكتاب فيه قيمة مضافة راااائعة.
Thank you Mr. Mark
الكتاب مافيه دليل أو وصفات سحرية لحتى تجمع متابعين. بكل بساطة بيشرح عن ميكانيزم والكيميا يلي لازم تنخلق بتويتر .
كل فقرة بالكتاب كنت قول مزبوط فعلاً لازم يصير هيك ونساوي هيك, واجت آخر صفحة بالكتاب بلورت كل الأفكار .
الكتاب فيه قيمة مضافة راااائعة.
Thank you Mr. Mark
July 28, 2016
Extremely Complete, and Simpel
loved the Tao, I've been on twitter for a while but never really did much with it, this book completely shifted my perception and the best part (for me, at least) is how practical actually is. It literally tells you what you need to do, step by step. From getting new followers, to managing your very own Twitter Chats. Really great book.
loved the Tao, I've been on twitter for a while but never really did much with it, this book completely shifted my perception and the best part (for me, at least) is how practical actually is. It literally tells you what you need to do, step by step. From getting new followers, to managing your very own Twitter Chats. Really great book.
January 9, 2018
'Member when you learnt you could build an online network with Twitter? Yeah I 'member. And I 'member this book is easy to digest, and give precise instructions on how to use Twitter for business.
May 31, 2012
Overpriced book which makes decent points but 90% of which I have read elsewhere.
Book includes a lot of self praise, buy you get used to the style.
Bottom line, good 2 hour read to borrow. Don't waste your money.
December 27, 2012
Quick read and useful, practical information. There is a fine line between using personal examples to demonstrate a point and to self-promote. Sometimes the author is effective and sometimes he self-promotes a little too much. It's not too annoying since its a short book.
June 1, 2013
This book is filled with lots of great tips on managing a Twitter account - something I'm doing in my new role as a community manager. It's conversational and filled with real-world examples of proven tactics and strategies. Plus it's a fun read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews