The Dubai Expat Diaries

Twitter (Official Site: www.twitter.com, More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter) the microblogging service that allows users to update their status, share ideas, interact and post online finds with others using 140 character messages is fast growing in popularity. The Twitter community in the UAE is currently estimated to be over a 1000 users, with a percentage which is quite active. Here are the results of a recent survey of 23 Twitter users, 60% of whom are based in Dubai /UAE to see what they had to say:

I would rate myself as a:

I use Twitter to:

Other:

• More specifically, ALL OF THE ABOVE
• update my industry knowledge
• Shufflegazine

How I connect with others on Twitter:

Other:

• GOing to sign up on TweetDeck to stay organized
• Follow people who follow me and occasionally look for interesting people

What’s the single most important thing you LOVE about Twitter?

• Instantaneous updates
• Meeting new people
• It has such a great deal of viral marketing potential
• The community around the service
• still learning about it
• ultra instant connexion
• Collaborative learning with the community
• Great content from around the world
• fast
• get updated info/ links about anything related to the tourism industry and networking!
• Easy of use
• Connecting w/ people.  It’s my #1 Strength per StrengthsFinder 2.0
• interactivity
• The generosity of thoughts and ideas.
• Constant conversation with interesting people!
• Simplicity
• It’s immediate
• Realtime behaviour
• Global access to ideas, information & contacts
• Nonstop updates from intelligent people with my interests.
• knowing what others are doing
• simple, minimalstic (140 char) and quick
• the instant nature and informality

What’s the one thing you DON’T like about Twitter?

• people showing off!!! !@$@$# ah I hate that
• The 140 character word limit
• The site itself could use a little tweaking to offer more customization of profiles
• Should not be given the right to channge the username !!
• Not too sure what is it yet and how its a useful tool
• Twitter tool is too simple. Need to use a Twitter client
• People who call themselves SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERTS!
• Still looking
• statistics
• difficult to follow the conversation when you “follow” so many people
• Not being able to organize people in twitter as much as I would like to
• Negativity sometimes; it’s like reading people’s minds
• not found that yet
• Spam users
• Ummm….
• Simplicity
• As you follow more tweeters it’s hard to keep track, API limit is a pain
• Spam
• Sucks down time
• Endless, pointless updates a la @rida
• not many people I know use twitter
• some days it takes too much of my time…
• not having anything between a public and direct message – eg. groups

If you were to offer one piece of Twetiquette (Twitter Etiquette ) advice to Twitter Newbies, it would be:

• get followed with care
• Follow everyone who follows you, and make sure to start the conversation
• try it
• Be yourself, as you would be in person. Listen first and be polite and conversational when you speak.
• Watch, listen then participate
• have patience
• Just do it
• keep going!
• be courteous and remember who is listening
• Please do not automate your DM’s.
• Don’t autofollow, but don’t be afraid to follow anyone you find interesting. (And be polite!)
• Never say in public what you cannot say face to face
• It’s about interactivity, dialogue, not one-way communication.
• Be nice
• Tweet as you would be Tweeted to
• If you want people to follow you, be selective in what you have to say.
• be yourself, only more interesting…
• Tweet information which would be helpful/interesting to someone besides you

What’s the worst example of Twitter use you’ve come across?

• Feeds -> Twitter if its already on feed why on twitter?
• Lastminute who boring me with is promotion, etc
• Haven’t encountered any personally in my stream, sorry.
• Stopped following someone who would ONLY tweet about their company, multiple times per day repeating tweets, all boasts, no network building, community sense, etc.
• Twitter Spamming!
• Selling get rich quick schemes.
• Anyone being negative; newbies making mistakes.  Best if a person *listens* first to get the lay of the land.
• a guy talking about his sexual exploits … blocked
• Every identity theft twitter celebrities.
• One way communication. No matter how many people are following you, engage at least some of them in conversation, even if there are to many to talk directly to all.
• Don’t know.
• no personal experience – not heard of any
• Connecting your blog feed automatically to Twitter can backfire badly, losing your followers and turning the Twitter community off to your Twitter presence.
• Nothing springs to mind.
• advertising
• There are far too many bad examples, people who use it only to promote their links or work, with no real value t offer.
• The DMFail episode was despicable

A big thank you to these 23 Twitterati for taking the time to complete the survey!

@moukhan, @Reuven_p, @Acher0n, @gsmbk, @ddaisykat, @claudebenard, @floatr, @mesimos, @smarketer, @hoobing, @glulife, @Juliesquires, @kaimere, @dorksterdave, @DaddyBird, @binmugahid, @mnystedt, @ajag, @carringtonmalin, @youseftuqan, @rockchrispy, @DrBaher, @pkgulati, Survey by @hotelemarketer | Source of the Twitterati Dozen – Twitter Survey

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