Twitter : What’s it worth to ya?

Well, let’s see….. twitter is fast becoming the new social forum of the year 2009. So I’d say it’s pretty darn important to jump on the bandwagon and count yourself in.

Twitter is a unique kind of communication and once you’re INTO it on a daily basis you’ll understand how amazingly fast your messages can be put out there. Not only that but you will receive blasts of information that may be useful for you.

Take it from me, I like the old style forums where you answer and receive messages in a “Word doc” like thread from others that you have waited for a reply. It is a great way to bond, swap ideas and do business. But with twitter you can achieve the same results… but faster.

For one you can use #hashtags in your tweets. #Hashtags mark any topic you want to tweet about and give others a place to tweet information or comment back about a specific topic. ie. > #design or #iphone Just try typing in your twitter search box #design and see what comes up… amazing! An entire conversation of individual tweets that you’ve been directed to by entering a #hashtag.

#Hashtags are only one way you can communicate to other tweeple. An easy and obvious way to tweet is right from your home tweet page. You have the option to “directly reply” to another tweeter by using their tweet name ie. @TheMerryBird (that’s me!)

Gaining more followers is the goal on Twitter. I’m finding the top tweeters that have thousands of followers often RT. RT is short for Retweet. When you RT you are basically reading information from another tweeter and think it’s important enough to share with other tweeters, so for example if you like this very article link -- RT @themerrybird Twitter: what’s it worth to ya? -- you RT it so another fabulous twit can have the information. RT basically moves the first twit with the idea around but also lends to exposure of your own Twitter page where tweeple will most likely want to stop in and read your bio. (don’t forget to fill in your twitter bio!) Try following top tweeters and see what they are up to. The number one tweeter is @BarackObama – over 150,000 followers.

There are many facets to twitter but some handy dandy tools like mycleenr.com can take an overview of your followers and tell you how often they tweet and the last time they tweeted. If you see a follower in your list that hasn’t tweeted in months then…delete them as they are only dead wood, of no use, incognito, Finished!



Another useful place I’ve found on twitter is their very own HELP button! Once opened you can see a list of useful places to visit that will inform you about the ups and downs of twitter. For one, status.twitter.com is a worthy stop as it informs you to what is happening with twitter on a technical level. The issues that may arise in front of you may really happening everywhere so don’t think your PC/mac is the only one with a whale of a day. For example, the latest crush on twitter was the follower counters weren’t registering new follower numbers or losing thousands of them all together. Devasting to the twitterer that built thousands of followers… hey it’ll come back!

Twitter can be used in a multitude of ways you only need to open a twitter account and explore – I’ve just brushed the surface… go follow me and tweet me a message. Let me know what you find! @themerrybird

2009 Stationery Trends

While taking some time to read about TRENDS in stationery design, it was brought to my attention that even in the worst of economic time’s stationery can thrive. New paper products, colors and themes set a tone and provide the least expensive way to “give” a tangible thought while keeping a consumer budget in check.

The following trends as quoted from Greeting’s etc. magazine forecast the upcoming year of successful buys. Items with environmental “emphasis” and papers that save our world are very popular for the "green movement". Stationery will have edgier designs, urban and bolder appeal. Patterns will be more evident and graphic patterns that “bleed” off paper edges will still be successful.

Of course, technology and the digital revolution is only touching the surface of what will be available. Color Gray is gliding into the room as a backdrop for design elements. Simplicity will take the forefront in elegance.

Organized consumers will reach for funky designs on file folders, calendars and journals. Items that scream fun or funny will be a fine catch to the consumer that is on!

Bring on 2009!

A Short on The Latest Trend in Logo Design

Did you notice Wal-mart, Pepsi and many other companies out there are changing the face of their product logos? It’s not uncommon to change or re-brand a product image and today the logo trends are moving fast and furious.

Clean lines and more intense colors are being used in the upcoming year. I would go as far as to say 80’s electric colors and geometric figures are returning but will appear in new millennium forms and shapes.

Give photoshop a pat on the back for their filters but the present logo trend will be moving away from “filtered” images and tricks of the trade. Get creative!

Patterns are still popular as ever and will continue to be.

Shades of recycle “green” I believe will continue to be popular as the world is ever “greening” – though no one here said it would be that unique anymore!

The Merry Bird features hand drawn technical, graphic, and typography logo’s. When you are in the market for a new logo Choose wisely and Know what’s going on in world of design!


Ref.: logolounge.com