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* Twitter's Overhyped A number of people commented on Twitter hype growing: * Come on, this is ridiculous. Yes, a large proportion of getting-edge tech geeks use Twitter, but this is still less than 1% of the population as a whole. I'm a tech geek, I work in search and research, but I have never used Twitter in my life and have yet to see a purpose for it. * Have done some research for a couple of companies on where they're showing up in the Web 2.0 space. My feeling is Twitter is a very long way from replacing certain review sites let alone search engines. * Honestly, I believe Twitter will fade rather than become an alternative to search. More people are joining Twitter because others are, but few realize the real value - and that real value has yet to truly reveal itself. * I admit that Twitter will become a great knowledge sharing tool, but it doesn't have the scale to be useful outside of the state of California…yet. * I don't see Twitter overtaking search engines in any way shape or form. For quick contact with friends or very specific advice that's better handled with some quick back and forth, sure, but Twitter lacks the depth, specificity and authority of search engines for 99% of anything I need to look for. * I think Twitter at the moment is over-hyped. Period. * I'm more likely to trust a reliable website that specializes on the topic at hand over a friend or random person who follows me. I also wouldn't have to wait for a response if I just searched for the answer myself. I do like the concept of getting answers to real time issues, but I can accomplish that on facebook (which I have far more connections on). In Summary Made it to the end? Here's a summary of the findings: * Half ask a question on Twitter at least once per week * Nearly 40% are "usually" satisfied with the answers they get * Half "sometimes" or "often" turn to Twitter for questions rather than a traditiona

How to Build a Robust Social Presence Get your basic data out there. For many professionals, the core of your social presence probably involves one or more of these: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Each of these can be set up in less than five minutes and costs you nothing. Before jumping in, a few tips are in order: * When creating your profile, be sure to include a nice photo, and follow the steps suggested at each site to complete as much of your profile as you can. When you're considering adding, following, or contacting someone, think about the impact of missing or otherwise insufficient information. Business networking should not feel like you're living in a mystery novel. None of us has time for that, so think about the people who are looking at you. Make it easy for them to understand who are and what you do. * Thoughtfully add people to your network. I overheard someone on a plane last week saying "I have over a thousand people in my personal network but have no idea who most of them are." If the people in your network lack credibility, what's that say about you? These are your "friends," right? * On LinkedIn, seek out recommendations, but only from people who are qualified to give them. Five hundred professional connections without a single recommendation sends an unfortunate message. Likewise, a recommendation that starts out "I've never actually worked with Dave, but..." is useless, and detracts from social capital and personal credibility. * Participate. Leverage your ability to add or become friends, to post, and to comment to your advantage. Talk about your business, about news that relates to you or your profession, about things that are of interest to your audience. Do not shill or spam. * Be careful with questions like "What are you doing right now?" This common question -- in the context of business -- is a thought-starter, not a literal interrogative. The best response is less along the lines of "ea