Tour de Fitness Joins The World Of Twitter

Twitter (/ˈtwɪtər/) is an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short 140-character messages called "tweets" .. or so Wikipedia says. In the last week or so, I can't now be sure when as I'm losing track of time on this sabbatical, I created a Twitter account for my 'Tour de Fitness' persona. Why you may ask? Well, I've had a Twitter account for some years in my own name, but have never had a reason or mission to use it. I say mission as from what I've learned in my limited time of observing Twitter users is that one basically uses it to sell something .. either a product or service, raise awareness of a charity, or ones own eminence.

I initially decided to create my account to shamelessly promote this blog, increase the number of readers and share my 'Tour de Fitness' journey. Since receiving Twitter guidance from my cycling buddy, the Near Naked Man at the Broom Wagon, I've found it actually to be far more than just a platform from which to promote oneself. The companies, publications and people I am now following, have interesting facts and events to share themselves. I have also found it to be more than just a one way communication, I've been able to enquire on companies products, raise issues, exchange ideas and re-share interesting information with my own followers.  The responses I have received from companies has also been far quicker and immediate than email or letter!

Having had such a positive initial experience with my Tour de Fitness venture, I've now also set up an account for the Pedallers to complement our Facebook page, we will see how long I keep this up and whether it has the results I'm hoping .. generating interest in the AVP and encouraging local cyclists to join us. It has been great, for example, to see the Seaton Tourist Information Centre re-tweeting our ride details, and it will be interesting to see how this develops.

One downside to the immediate availability of information from my Twitter feed, however, has been in finding out the results of the Vuelta, the Tour of Spain pro cycling event, prior to seeing the evening's catchup programme on TV! I have another 2 weeks of having to turn a blind eye to the day's updates or just access it early morning and late evenings!

Finally, returning to this blog, you will see that on the right hand side of this page, there is a section where you can view a summary of my random 'Twitterings', so that you too can share in the immediacy of these communications without having to open an account yourself .. naturally, if you have taken this step into the world of twitter, please feel free to follow, that is after all, what it is all about :)