Symbiotic Relationship: Twitter and The Sportswriter

Choose to ignore Twitter, but it's not going away.

It's here, despite the NFL's insistence on barring players from tweeting from the game or some schools barring reporters from tweeting. Twitter is the rage everyone hoped would go away, but if anything, is getting stronger.

Some coaches love to tweet. Steve Sarkisian, head coach at Washington, actually tweeted from the USC game- granted, we are sure an assistant did it for him, but still, it was highly effective in capturing the sheer joy, in real time, of his victory over the Trojans.

Most coaches are now tweeting because, well, Pete Carroll started it and they'd be a fool not to use this thinly veiled recruiting tool. You just have to keep up with the Joneses, don't you? In fact, most high profile coaches now tweet- Les Miles, Nick Saban, Pete Carroll, Mack Brown and Charlie Weis are some of the more popular tweeters.

But what about sportswriters? Some are begrudgingly holding back from using this newest social media tool- it's called the Neuheisel Syndrome. As of a few weeks ago, Neuheisel stated he was waiting to make his grand entrance of sort- we're still waiting Rick. Meanwhile your pal across town has around 44,000 people following his tweets.

As far as the sportswriter goes, it's an easy decision.

If you write, you must tweet.

For those who eschew this newest invention for microblogging, consider this: the world found about about Shaq's trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers before Shaquille O'Neal himself did, via Twitter.

The trials and tribulations over Terrell Owens' search for a house in Buffalo was told, via Twitter.

Twitter is instantaneous information for anyone who wants to know anything about anything- President Obama found that out when he called Kanye West a "jackass" and it was tweeted by ABC (later deleted.)

OK, so you're still not convinced that Twitter will be a major reporting source for news? Consider this: the SEC actually updated their media policy rules to include Twitter as a device that is considered a no-no, depending on how you understand their rules. The debate rages on.

What exactly is Twitter?

In a simple explanation, it is a website that texts messages to anyone who "follows" you. If you have unlimited text messaging with your cell phone provider, you can use your cell phone to receive these texts, called "tweets." If you don't have unlimited text messaging, your computer is probably the best bet to check your tweets.

The tweets consist of 140 characters or less. Tweets are short, sweet and concise. One of the great things about Twitter is that it trains you to be nice and tight in your messages, something all sportswriters are reminded to apply to their stories on a daily basis.

So how do you start using Twitter?

Go to Twitter.com, and sign up for a free account. Most writers use their own names since people will be searching for that writer by name. Once you establish a Twitter page, start following your favorite writers. In the search box, type in a name, and it will give you the link to that writer's Twitter page. Click on the "follow" button below their picture, and voila, anything that writer tweets will show up on your page.

So now you are asking, "How does this help me?"

Many writers have auto-bots that automatically follow you back. If this is the case, then that writer will now follow you. But the biggest advantage of following someone is now you can check to see who he follows- if an editor of a major on-line website is his follower, follow him as well. Slowly, but surely, you will build a following.

Of course, this isn't all about following people, it's about self-promoting yourself. Since you are limited to 140 characters or less, pasting a long url into a tweet is ill-advisable. Instead, go to tinyurl.com, copy your long url into the box, and it converts that url into a 25 character or less url.

Think of the possibilities here: unknown or struggling-to-get-publicity writers can promote their blogs or articles on Twitter! And their followers can click on the tinyurl to read the blog or article. More reads!

Some more advantages to using twitter are "retweeting" other comments or links. For example, say you read a really great article on FOXSports.com or ESPN.com and it was tweeted on Twitter. Copy and paste the tweet, as seen below:

YahooSports Braves' Cox to retire after next season (AP) http://ow.ly/15QFm7

to this, as seen below:

LisaHorne RT @YahooSports Braves' Cox to retire after next season (AP) http://ow.ly/15QFm7

The "RT" stands for retweet, so everyone knows YahooSports tweeted that, not Lisa Horne. Notice the tinyurl in there as well? It's a perfect tweet. You can also add your own comments (before) the "RT", so Yahoo Sports and all your followers know what you said about the Yahoo Sports tweet. Just make sure you put your comment first, then "RT," so it is obvious what distinguishes your tweet from the tweet you are retweeting ( plagiarism applies on Twitter as well.)

So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a Twitter account and start promoting yourself! My Twitter account name is LisaHorne, so if you follow me, I'll follow you back!

Market yourselves. Promote yourselves.

Tweet to your heart's content!

Maybe Rick Neuheisel will follow your lead.