I have been on Twitter for around three years -- which probably makes me something of an old-timer in that world -- and have also been a strong advocate of Twitter for people who collect watches. Abel’s posting and the responses here have left me thinking about the real benefits for watch collectors. In the spirit of Twitter, I will keep the “bullet items” brief.
Benefits of Twitter for watch collectors and enthusiasts:
- Find Watches Listed for Sale: Increasingly, retailers and individual sellers are using Twitter to list watches for sale. Because Twitter is so quick and easy, it may be the very first channel in which a watch is listed. In other words, a retailer prepares a “For Sale” listing on its website, then “Tweets” the listing.
- Find Blog Postings and Articles About Watches: Most major watch magazines and watch blogs are using Twitter to announce their articles and postings. Whether it’s a posting about Rolexes on Mt. Everest in 1953, or the release of JLC's new perpetual calendar, I believe that Twitter is becoming the dominant channel for news and features re watches. With Twitter in your pocket, you will always have something good to read, on whatever subjects interest you.
- Announce Your Postings, Articles, Books, Photos, Acquisitions, Questions, Etc.: The pros are using Twitter to announce their new “content” and you can do the same. “Tweet” when you have made an interesting posting on a forum, when you want to share a favorite photo, or even when you have a question or want to hear some opinions.
- Share an Interesting Article or Posting: If you find an interesting article or posting, Tweet it, so that your friends can enjoy it.
- It’s Quick to Post: At 140 characters per posting, it’s quick and casual; relaxed; informal.
- And Easy to Follow: No need to try to read everything that rolls down your screen. Leave it running as background noise / chatter, and catch up with it when it’s convenient. You can also scroll down postings or mentions for the favorite people who you follow, to see what they are up to.
Of course, many of these “benefits” are also relevant for people in other communities – Notre Dame football fans, bird watchers, beer lovers, photographers, corporate governance professionals, etc. If you are part of any online community, then Twitter will probably enhance the experience.
And a couple of items of advice for watch enthusiasts who are new to Twitter:
- Use TweetDeck (or another “dashboard”) . . . to greatly enhance the experience . . . as you learn your way around, you can create lists, columns, etc.
- Keep it Casual . . . shortening words & tightening phrases is part of the game; if you wanna proofread, that’s quick too
- Figure out how to include photos . . . it’s easy and attracts readers
- Use My List of “who to follow” . . . I posted this list in November 2012 and it will make it easy for you to find interesting people to follow
OK . . . that’s my manifesto in support of Twitter for watch enthusiasts. I’ll Tweet this posting, and hope that readers will share a few more thoughts.
Jeff -- @OnTheDash
