Review by M. Susoev:

I was disappointed with Twitter Power, especially after reading the many reviews that claimed this book would reveal many techniques for both beginners and pros alike. For anyone that has been using Twitter for more than a couple weeks, this book is really 101. It seems to be geared towards people that have never heard of Twitter or are just getting started. If that’s the case, this book will help you get your feet wet, but it doesn’t shed light on anything you can’t pick up on your own simply by using Twitter for a few days.

Twitter is real time with instant response in most cases, and you’ll find out what works for you and what doesn’t almost immediately. You can also pay attention to the power players and note their approach. The book just points you to the top users on Twitter anyways. Save your money and do a little homework.

I’ve given an extra star because 10% of author proceeds go towards sustainable long term water solutions in developing areas of the globe.

Review by Ann Paris:

This is the third Twitter book I have read and this one was the best by far. In my reading and marking pages, I found at least 50 specific marketing strategies I can use right now. Being an author of 20 books myself, I am a tough critic of these kinds of books. I would give this one my highest recommendation for anyone wanting to learn about Twitter or online marketing in general.

[...]

Review by C. Avampato:

When I read, appropriately enough on Twitter, that Tim O’Reilly and Sarah Milstein had written The Twitter Book, I couldn’t wait to scoop up a copy. Literally. So I sent a message to the book’s Twitter account and asked if I could get an early copy to review. The book is so clear and concise, so necessary to the social media world, that I wondered why on Earth it has taken so long for this kind of book to be written. Tim and Sarah are the perfect people to publish this type of work, both experts in the tool itself and in the art of communication. We’re lucky to have them.

The Twitter Book is appropriate for people who’ve never heard of Twitter, who don’t understand it, who like the concept though aren’t sure how to use it, and for Twitter addicts like me. Whether you’re an individual looking to build your own personal brand on-line, someone who is considering starting a business, or part of a large company, the book is chock full of ideas, resources, and helpful advice.

I recommend getting a copy of this book and using it as a constant reference the same way you’d use any top-rate how-to guide. I also found that it was incredibly helpful to have my computer in front of me so I could actually experiment with the different tips and resources that Tim and Sarah suggest. Within the pages of the book I also found a few other great people to follow on Twitter.

From a personal brand building stand-point, I found dozens of great ideas in The Twitter Book. (For those interested in how The Twitter Book helps business brand building, please see my Business Strategies column on Examiner.com.) Here are three of my favorite ideas to give you a flavor of what awaits you in this book:

1.) Twitter gives you the opportunity have superhuman powers you’ve always wanted: you can read people’s minds and overhear conversations as if you’re a fly on the wall.

2.) The art of brevity and timing is priceless. Highest traffic days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, business hours in EST. That’s when the most links, ideas, and thoughts get replies (direct messages – dms – or @ messages) and passed around (“re-tweeted”). People need to see your message (“tweet”) within 5 minutes of you posting it or they likely won’t see it at all. And make it concise and interesting because you’ve only got 140 characters to get your point across.

3.) Jargon explained. I hate to be in acronym city. I think a lot of people use acronyms and catch-phrases to make themselves seem better informed than anyone else around. It annoys me. Twitter is no exception. A lot of people scratch their heads when they hear words like “tweet”, “tweeple”, and “tweetup”. I don’t blame them. I did the same thing and for a long while the jargon scared me off. I belonged to Twitter for a year and was mostly inactive before I figured out why it mattered and how it could be useful to me. The most valuable reason to pick up The Twitter Book is to have experts Tim and Sarah explain the jargon in very straight-forward terms, and then show you how the tool can be a very powerful part of your overall brand-building toolkit.

Before Tim and Sarah even get the discussion going in the book, they ask for suggestions to improve and enhance the content. The book has given me a lot of great ideas and I want to return the favor to them with a few ideas to consider for the next edition.

1.) For people brand new to Twitter, a glossary of terms would be very helpful.

2.) A set of easy to reference lists in the appendix would be handy. Common mistakes to avoid on Twitter, top companies using Twitter effectively, etc.

3.) An expanded section on how non-profits can use Twitter. It is briefly touched on in the book and I’d love to learn more from Tim and Sarah on new ideas that are particular to nonprofits that would help organizations increase awareness through Twitter.

4.) A resource directory, divided up into sections, in the appendix would be handy. For example, a list of third party programs, resources to help trim messages that are over 140 characters, etc.

An easy and endlessly helpful resource, The Twitter Book will accelerate the growth and power of Twitter. Generous and honest, Tim and Sarah skillfully help their readers take part in the conversation.

Review by Gene Venable:

I have an O’Reilly Safari account and read this book online.

I had tried Twitter and was frankly disappointed. I just didn’t see what all the shouting was about.

Then I read the Twitter Book and my life changed. I know what the shouting is about. Many ways of using Twitter are shown — indispensable tools!

This book, which is co-written by THE O’Reilly of the famous O’Reilly Books, is not just ABOUT Twitter, it is a revolutionary publication all by itself, because of how it is written.

It is written for people in a Twitter-type hurry and need for quick, simple information. I read it on my Nokia N800 little computer, but am sending off for a hard copy now to show my friends.

This is the no-BS book you are dreaming about. Don’t miss it.

Review by Dennis J. Lupton:

I purchased this book after finding just enough information elsewhere to get me addicted to Twitter. The information I was able to find was a bit vague and seemed to be more for the veteran than the newbie. Then along came “Twitter for Dummies” and all of my questions were answered. This book not only explains how you do everything, but why you would want to in the first place. It is written with a clear understanding and a true passion for the service. Twitter is such a fast evolving service that is used by so many different people and organizations for so many different reasons that no book could ever cover it all. Fortunately, the authors have provided additional resources which will provide whatever updated or changing information you may need. But be forewarned, if you are just a casual user of Twitter, this book may make you a true addict.

As with other “for Dummies” books, “Twitter for Dummies” is broken down into convenient, independent sections which contain all of the necessary information a reader needs to gain a full understanding of each topic. Although a cover to cover read will give a reader a somewhat unnecessary review of the basics required for each section, the authors have placed enough little factoids and bits of information (@Pistachio’s Easter eggs) throughout the book that you will want to read it all.

If you purchase this book, you can find me on Twitter at @Headshota23 (shameless plug). I’m sure I will see you there.

Review by S. J. Pesner:

Should this review be just 140 characters? I don’t think it would be helpful; or how about: “Great book. Buy it. Great for newbies and sort-of-newbies.”

I had been on Twitter for several months, but could never really get a handle on what the benefits were, how to “talk the Twitter language” and how to manage all the tweets I was getting.

Yes, the book starts with the basics of signing on (well, it IS a “Dummies” book), but even some of the basics were things I needed to know. The authors are also very upfront that things are constantly changing; but this being Twitter, they’ll also provide updates via @dummies.

The book is well organized and answered all my questions so that I’m not afraid to go online (or on-mobile!) and dive in. In fact, the authors encourage you to jump into conversations and not be shy.

Lots of good tips, lots of things to do on Twitter.

If you’ve been using Twitter for a while and feel you know you way around, this book isn’t for you. It’s for the rest of us–those of us who may have put our toes in but needed to be up to submerge ourselves (bad metaphor?), or for those who may have been afraid of this new social medium. Happy tweets!

Review by Douglas Karr:

This book and Twitterville, by Shel Israel, are the only two books you need to buy if you wish to understand what Twitter is, why you should use it and how to get it done. Kyle Lacy has done an amazing job detailing the information needed for every business – both large and small – to deploy their marketing efforts by this new medium. Twitter sounds like a toy, but it’s an amazingly simple and powerful tool that businesses can use to listen and speak to their customers and prospects.

Businesses who are leveraging Twitter are seeing incredible results – in reduced customer service expenses, reduced marketing expenditures, and increases in brand awareness. Buy this book now and get started!

Review by Karen Seketa:

In Kyle Lacy’s easy going laid back style, he takes you on a journey through what can be harrowing halls of Twitter for the novice and instantly makes it basic, easy and understandable for those of us who are social media toddlers. The information in his book is not just for the newbies out there, however. His tips and tricks have value for those who are among the Twitter accomplished who might have missed out on some the important basics or efficiencies of the system. Kyle does a great job of pointing out some of the basic etiquette without getting preachy on you. It reads more like a casual conversation over a cup of coffee rather than an informational text.

Review by Kelly R. Wibbenmeyer:

This book really gets to the heart of the networking matter. This book works! I have used this book in various seminars and have really helped those who tend to be shy network in a very postive and rapid manner using the tools in this book. For those of you who are introverts, this book guides you to network in your “comfort zone”.

A must read for those of you who have difficulty networking!

Kelly Wibbenmeyer, the author of Any Tom, Dick, or Harry Can Get a Job: A Sure Fire Way to Land a Job

Review by Shiva:

“HOW TO FIND A JOB on LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MySPACE” is a tremendous book that is not only timely, but practical too because it shows you the nuts and bolts of each major social network of the title and how you can make the most of these networks to get a job. Today, social networking is big and keeps on growing. Here, the authors (Brad & Deb) take you by the hand to let you know about each network and how to make the most of it and potentially find a job. This book has ten chapters, and so I am blogging about this book on my website Great Documents Dot Net ([...]). I hope to share my ideas about each chapter with my blog readers so they can maximize their experience with this book. Kudos to Brad & Deb for a great book!

Best Regards,

Keith Johnson, M.S. Education

Technical Writer & Documentation Specialist

Great Documents Dot Net

Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA

Review by C. Papandria:

Twitter as a social networking tool is exploding and this book is the first to help you untangle all of information you need to learn about Twitter and put out your first “tweet.” It provides a good foundation for the basics of getting started but it is also loaded with intermediate and advanced tips and tricks to get the most out of Twitter. Whether you just want to start tweeting or are looking for ways to leverage Twitter to its fullest, I think you’ll find everything you need to learn and maximize Twitter in this book.

Review by D. Summerfield:

My teenage daughters talked me into signing up for Twitter. I had no idea what I was getting into. But I had found a few old school friends and work colleagues on Facebook, so I thought: Why not?

When I started getting emails from perfect strangers saying they were “following” me on Twitter, I thought perhaps I should find out what this phenomenon was really all about. So I ordered this book.

The book is well-written, and keeps within the parameters of knowledge which would belong to the average computer-savvy person (i.e. someone who can use a computer to surf for pleasure, word process, send email and do their office job.) It explained the reasoning behind Twitter, which is to keep up with friends and their lives in short bursts (bytes, really) of frequent information. The book also explains how to use shortcuts and extra features to enhance one’s Twitter experience.

What the book did for me, admirably, is convince me that Twitter is a complete waste of time. I am already inundated with information which I feel I must assimilate to stay current in this fast-paced world. Twitter is an electronic pastime which I can safely do without. This book helped me decide that, and I think it did a good job of it.

You might come to the opposite conclusion after reading this book. It’s an excellent resource, no matter what you decide.

Highly recommended.

Review by Christopher Maddox:

I am not a marketing person per se, but as a business executive I have to appreciate any resource that helps me get my arms wrapped around a new technology and how it can be leveraged to improve my results. I have been a Twitter user for nearly two years, but my use is limited mostly to personal networking, following news in my industry, and staying connected with my home city while I travel extensively on business.

The beauty of Twitter is its simplicity, which allows it to be molded in many ways by the user and third-party API communities. It is evolving rapidly as a marketing tool and it’s time that my company (and many others) take advantage of this; always better to be a pioneer than a follower. I’ve found no better guide and reference for this than this book. Hollis Thomases, a web marketing pioneer in her own right, breaks Twitter marketing down into easy-to-digest pieces, lays out a straightforward plan for implementation, and provides at the same time a significant reference for advanced use of Twitter specifically and social media in general.

The book starts with the question that is first on people’s lips – “just what is Twitter?” – and explains it much better than I’ve ever been able to, weaving in its history, features, emerging culture, and who is using it (and for what). Once the fundamentals are disposed with, she moves quickly into a weekly plan to get your organization up and running on the Twitter platform. This is accomplished with an engaging voice, plenty of case studies, and examples appropriate to any kind of enterprise. She includes a lot of discussion on third party applications and tools which are really the heart of Twitter’s power and without which this would be just another novel web application. Ultimately, she gets into the meat of what we’re here for: building your brand, promoting your product or service, measuring results, and avoiding the pitfalls that can accompany any marketing tool.

This book will be ideal for those just starting to explore this tool as well as the seasoned social media professional – and for those, like me, not directly responsible for marketing but required (and eager) to understand and realize its strategic value. As a combination of how-to simplicity and valuable reference, this volume can’t be beat, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Review by Sima R. Dahl:

Anyone can teach you how to tweet, and there are countless “how to” books on Twitter that do just that. But Hollis goes beyond the basics to map out a clear and actionable plan of attack for people who want to explore Twitter as a marketing tool and business growth engine. I’m an avid tweeter (@simasays) and friends and clients are always asking me to “teach” them the ins and outs of Twitter. What I have found is that folks just need a bit of hand-holding to wrap their head around the possibilities, approval to tinker, and a step by step guide to put a toe in the water. Twitter Marketing An Hour A Day does exactly that. There are plenty of case studies, best practices and resources throughout this book that were new even to me and I find myself flipping through it again and again to reference tools and tips from my fellow tweeps. If you’re considering Twitter as part of your marketing mix, start here – you won’t be disappointed.

Review by Kristen A. Jacoway:

Twitter has exploded in growth and it has become a fertile field for recruiters and employers to source potential candidates for positions. Social media is providing job seekers with platforms for visibility in their job search unlike we’ve ever known. The book, “The Twitter Job Search Guide” provides comprehensive strategies and is written for people with all levels of experience on Twitter (one chapter will tell you to skip it if you are not new to Twitter). This book is so well-written with tips from some of the leading authorities on online identity, personal branding, and career coaching. It is a MUST have book for anyone wanting to unleash the power of Twitter as part of their job search strategy!

Review by Carlos Ronisky:

I’ve been “Tweeting” for quite some time. I consider myself a power-user, but this book showed me some things I didn’t know. Very well-written with lots of tips & tricks not only from the three authors, but from many other personal-branding experts and career coaches as well. It’s a soup-to-nuts explanation of Twittering for your career and it shows you why being on LinkedIn is not enough.

Whether you’re a Twitter novice or an experienced user like me …. get this book. Build your network, search for a job … advance your career!