Many laugh off Twitter as a waste of time, thinking it is purely for social updates amongst friends. However, it is far more than just simple, 140-character messages. Although the size of the actual messages is limited, most tweets include a website link. To include a link in a tweet and not exceed 140 characters, the URL can be shortened using websites like bit.ly and tinyurl. Businesses should use Twitter for a number of reasons: 1. To Drive Website Traffic. Twitter messages tease readers into wanting to click on a web address. Twitter is not just a communication tool; tweets come up on search engines, like Google. 2. To Add a Tool for Free. There is no cost to create an account; the only expense is the time involved in creating and reading messages. 3. To Stay Up-to-Date. Breaking news can reach you faster, and there is no need to look for news online or in print. Almost every major news organization disperses information using Twitter. 4. To Stay Informed. Following thought leaders in a certain area of expertise is a great way to learn valuable, real-time, industry information and stay in touch with the latest trends. Following clients, competitors, and strategic alliances is an excellent venue to find out what they are saying. 5. To Reinforce a Brand. Showcasing tweets that contain ideas, opinions, and expertise will provide another communication vehicle to promote the brand. Many of those using Twitter regularly look for the right people to follow. By making a great first impression, loyal followers will be gained. 6. To Stay in Touch. It is a simple way to stay in touch with prospects and clients on a regular basis. Since others can retweet (or, forward) messages, it allows for viral marketing to occur. 7. To Share Others’ Information. It is very easy to retweet a message of something that followers would appreciate. This also allows for sending out valuable information without having to do much work. Another advantage is the ability to increase business intelligence. Monitoring what the competition is tweeting about is a great way to get ideas on how to improve own communications. These are just a few of the advantages that having a presence of Twitter can offer a company.