Twitter is the next big thing — but most companies don’t know how to take advantage of it.

First things first. What the hell is Twitter? Some people say it’s a microblogging tool. Others call it a social network. We’ve also heard public instant messaging, the new town hall, text messaging meets graffiti, the best thing since sliced bread and a complete wast of time. We think they’re all a little bit right.

Yippie. Why should I care?

Because Twitter users are early adopters and influencers. They blog. They recommend new sites. They download new applications. And they love to try new products. If you’re a fan of The Tipping Point you understand the benefit of having the mavens enamored with your brand.

Twitter users are cool hunters, opinion leaders. They hunger for what’s now, what’s new and what’s next.

The other big reason twitter is important to your brand? Google loves fresh content. Fresh content leads to higher search engine results. There isn’t much fresher than what you’re doing right now. You can even integrate your twitter content into your web pages.

If your brand needs to reach new customers, your brand needs to be on twitter.

You can follow my Tweets at http://twitter.com/CharlieCurve.