The key element of value in short instant messages on Twitter usually involves a link to a website. This is especially useful within an industry. For instance, I follow several local SEO experts, and they tweet news on this ever-changing industry on a daily basis. The message always includes a link to an article, and the tweets often ask an engaging question on the topic to stir discussion.

There are also ways to aggregate tweets by topic. I recently met someone looking for a job in the search engine industry, and she turned me on to the twitter search term @houstonwebjobs, where links to job postings are listed for that specific geography and industry.

You can also follow your favorite local hot spots to get special deals or hear about the next event coming up.  Coffee Groundz (@coffeegroundz) and Saint Arnold Brewery (@saintarnold) are two Houston establishments that quickly come to mind. They tweet daily to let you know what’s going on this weekend, what product they’re making now, how you can get it, and if there’s a special deal for twitter followers. You can also find ways to entertain the family and do it cheaply with Houston On The Cheap: @HOUcheap.

And now that Facebook lets you set up pages for businesses, and developers have come up with easy ways to share information between social networking sites, communication is quick and efficient. Post a message and link once, and it can show up in all your social spots.

In reality, social networks are amazing ways for local businesses to build loyalty and communicate directly with its consumers if done right. All it takes is a little manpower and creativity, so make sure you’re part of it!

- KR