Once people become more sophisticated Tweeters, your next step is to understand how to maximize the value of your Twitter network. For most people in the media industry that tell me they find Twitter useless, it usually means their network doesn’t contain the right people that can tweet information that is helpful or interesting to them. Are you following the right people? Are the right people following you?

Nearly on a weekly basis, new tools and sites are launched to help people find each other or maximize their network on Twitter. Here are some of my favorites that I use:

Mr Tweet: (http://www.mrtweet.net/) This site will help you by looking at your network, and also at your Tweets, and make recommendations of others you should consider following. And, even more useful, is the Tweet they send me on a regular basis with a link to my recommendations. What could be easier?

Twitter Grader: (http://twitter.grader.com/) Made by the talented team at HubSpot, Twitter Grader is fun for those of us vain enough to want to know what our Twitter ranking is – but to really maximize the value of this site, it’s to look through the list of those who have the highest rankings overall, or in your area.

Twitter Search Recommendations: http://twitter.com/invitations

Twellow: (http://www.twellow.com/) Like Yellow Pages for Twitter

Twitter Counter: (http://twittercounter.com/?inc=100) allows you to track your own followers, and also has this handy page to show you the top 100.

Still have questions about how Twitter can and should work for you? Or, do you have a story to share about Twitter has helped you make connections and / or grow audience for your site? Email or tweet me and let me know! For now, happy Tweeting!