My Heart Belongs To ‘Twitterville’ — Now In Book Form

I was privileged to attend Shel Israel’s recent book launch party in honor of his upcoming book, Twitterville. After reading his first book, Naked Conversations, which he co-authored with technology evangelist Robert Scoble, I was looking forward to what was coming up next. Since I’ve been living in San Francisco, I’ve had a chance to interact with Israel multiple times, both online via Twitter, email, and even in person at various events throughout the Bay Area. So I wasn’t going to pass up on this chance to read another one of his books—this time on a familiar subject: Twitter.

Twitterville recounts the history of a community of passionate people who use the microblogging application for personal and professional reasons, achieving success as a result. Shel Israel has done an incredible job showcasing companies and individuals who have thought of Twitter as something more than simply (and literally) posting responses to the infamous message “What are you doing?“.

The book has an exceptional foreword written by Altimeter Group founder & co-author of the book Groundswell, Charlene Li. From there, the tale of the Twitter community begins with a simple word: Arrested. That’s where the book was first conceived when Israel followed along with James Buck during his brief, yet tragic incarceration in Egypt by the police. From this point, you’re led on this historic voyage through the creation of this unbelievably successful startup that has amassed a massive following of millions.

If you’re looking for a book about how to use Twitter, then unfortunately, this book isn’t for you. This is probably one of the better business books that focuses on how Twitter has become an essential part of the communication scheme. Just look at how the sub-header on the cover: How Businesses Can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods. It’s a book that presents case studies on how companies and individuals leveraged Twitter to reach a broader audience, an approach unlike anything they’ve tried before.

Like I mentioned before, Twitterville is filled with case studies. You’ll be able to read about the actions taken by small and large businesses and the results they have achieved. Shel Israel focuses on brands like Dell, Comcast, United Linen, Sodexho, Evernote, Starbucks, Zappos, StockTwits, crowdSPRING, and many more, and looks deep into Twitter usage. Whether it’s for recruiting, crisis communication, feedback, or simply talking to customers, these brands have been doing something right. Now you get to look at what they’ve done.

The chapters are a great read. They’re not too long, but not too short, and pack a lot of information in them. Surprisingly, it’s not a bigger book because of how Israel acquired some of this information.

During the writing of this book, Israel frequently tweeted requests for case studies, seeking people’s experiences with topics such as personal brand, company perceptions, fundraising, conversation, and more. Many of those who submitted their information for the book have been included, which makes this truly a book from the Twitter community – a Twitterville, of sorts.

Twitterville covers many of the hot topics that have hit the social media community like a tidal wave. Israel brings a straightforward approach and paints a complete picture on issues such as “Motrin Moms“, “Comcast Sucks”, the terror attacks in Mumbai, the Sichuan earthquakes in China, the Miracle on the Hudson, and the Twestival global event. All of these events and issues have been communicated to the public in some way, and Twitter was partially responsible for that coverage. This is why you need to read Twitterville. It will enlighten you to the critical importance of understanding the power of this microblogging tool. You might be sick and tired of always hearing about “Twitter this” and “Twitter that,” but rest assured, you’re not going to be tired of reading about it from Israel’s book.

You’re looking for a business book? Interested in social media and wondering how it’s applicable in a more commercial setting? I suggest you get Twitterville when it comes out on September 3 by clicking here. Be a part of the community. Be a part of the global neighborhood.

Disclosure: I am a contributor to Twitterville. I submitted a story to Shel Israel, and it is featured in the book.

Featured Image: "Twitterville" is a book by Shel Israel exploring how businesses can thrive in this new global neighborhood. Credit: Ken Yeung