Not a week goes by where an analyst does not ask SageCircle – typically in response to a query from us if they have a Twitter handle – what is the value of Twitter for an analyst? This is a great question because analysts, like AR, should make intelligent decisions about the use of a new communications tool. While some analysts are heavy users of Twitter, it does not mean they are necessarily effective users. Here is a subset of Twitter uses (in alphabetical order) that analysts typically find constructive.
- Announcing activities (e.g., briefings by vendors) to elicit a response
- Building brands, personal as well as for the firm
- Developing ideas
- Discussing research agendas with clients and non-clients
- Exchanging observations with other analysts
- Gathering data points
- Promoting research publications and events
- Starting conversations with enterprise technology users and vendors
Are there uses that are not listed? If so, please leave a comment.
Which ones are the most valuable? What should be avoided? Please vote by leaving a comment.
Bottom Line: While some analysts have clearly moved Twitter from evaluation to production, many members of the analyst community still look at it skeptically. (Can you remember back to when email was an interruption?) SageCircle recommends that these skeptics seriously experiment with this communications and research tool to determine its proper role in their toolbox.
Question: Analysts – Have you written blog posts where you discuss your use of Twitter? If so, please leave a comment with a link.
Building a Community 
Okay, this post finally nudged me to write up how I’ve been using social media (including Twitter): http://securosis.com/blog/mildly-off-topic-how-i-use-social-media
I see Twitter as the one place I fully mix the personal and professional. On the analyst side, it’s a great place to toss out half baked ideas, make new connections, and have information discussions.
Compare that to a bad choice for new AR staff needing a solid skills foundation and for experienced AR pros wanting a refresher.