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Twitter Thursdays


Published by: David Nordella 06-14-2012  |  POSTED IN: Twitter Thursdays

Trust is not a 4 letter word

 
Pew Internet reports “the proportion of online adults who use Twitter on a typical day has doubled since May 2011 and has quadrupled since late 2010–at that point just 2% of online adults used Twitter on a typical day;” http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Twitter-Use-2012.aspx. Twitter is being used more frequently on a daily basis.
 
Pew speculates that the growth in smart phones may be the driver behind these statistics, which makes sense. Mobile micro-blogging with Twitter seems like the natural platform for an increasingly mobile technology. Twitter users are busily weaving the Twitter thread into their Social Media fabric.
 
So what could go wrong for Twitter? Plenty. The last two Twitter Thursday columns discussed Twitter’s new Developer Rules of the Road in an apparent effort to combat the increasing use of spam-bots on Twitter. Apparently we were on to something when we asked “How many real (human) users will stick around if virtual users (“spam bots”) are flooding Twitter’s servers?”
 
Business Insider reported on Monday, June 11, that “Up to 46 percent of Twitter followers of companies with active profiles could be generated by robots, or bots, a study by Marco Camisani Calzolari, a corporate communication and digital languages professor in Milan”: http://www.businessinsider.com/busted-half-of-these-companies-twitter-followers-are-bots-2012-6 .
 
People try to deceive each other on the Internet. You may not be shocked to hear that the Nigerian Minister of Finance will not be sending you $50,000,000. Human nature can often be disingenuous. Many people seek a quick profit through using short-cuts. Your patient’s trust in your integrity protects you from being seen as “just another” Twitterer intent on making a quick, and possibly, dishonest buck.
 
So how could you combat this breach of confidence by others when using Twitter? Ragan’s Health Care Communication News prescribes using the Health Care Blogger Code of Ethics in their article “5 ways to make your hospital blog trustworthy”: http://healthcarecommunication.com/Main/Articles/8939.aspx.) Here are the 5 fundamentals of the Health Care Blogger Code of Ethics:
 
               1. Clear representation of perspective
               2. Confidentiality
               3. Commercial disclosure
               4. Reliability of information
               5. Courtesy
 
The message of the Code is simple. Bloggers need to be authentic, discrete, honest and tactful. We recommend that you use the same values when Twittering.
 
Does Twitter lack credibility because of the spammer and scammers? Not at all, they have rewritten their Developer Rules of the Road to squarely address any unintended consequences of their service. Professionals can still build and maintain their credibility if they serve the interests of their patients by thinking of, and communicating, their patient’s interests using
Twitter.
 
That is why trust is not a 4 letter word. There are no short-cuts to building trust. You must spell out your values and act based on those values.
 
Your patients will tolerate nothing less.
 
Success in any Social Media is based on providing value to people so that they willingly invite you back to share more time with them. Do you have questions about using Twitter to engage your patients? Let us know about how we are doing by leaving a comment below.
 
 
David Nordella is the Managing Director of Provider Finance Associates, LLC. His interest
in Twitter mixes well with his passion for improving the profits of Independent Practice
Associations. Find out more about David at:
               � @BeneficentGuild
               � www.providerfinance411.com
               � http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidnordella
Thanks for reading. Jason.
P.S. Don't forget to subscribe below to this blog.
 
About Jason Ciment
Formerly an attorney and CPA, Jason has been working online since 1997. His columns on affiliate marketing can still be found on www.Clickz.com and his book on search engine optimization can be found at www.seotimetable.com.

This blog is published 4x per week and covers website design and SEO tips as well as a wide range of tips and advice for working and living online more efficiently and enjoyably.
 

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