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Posted on Sun, Mar 7, 2010 : 5:01 a.m.

Top 5 reasons why Rick Snyder should join Twitter

By Nathan Bomey

Ann Arbor venture capitalist and Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder has so far resisted the urge to join social media site Twitter. The move marks a stark contrast between most politicians.

Snyder's campaign actively uses its Twitter account -- but it's not Snyder himself. Here's AnnArbor.com Business Review's Top 5 reasons why the former Gateway Inc. president should join Twitter.

1. Snyder's top competitors, including U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra (9,067 followers) and Attorney General Mike Cox (2,802), have an instant edge in the social media world due to their significant Twitter followings.

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Michigan gubernatorial candidate and Ann Arbor venture capitalist Rick Snyder

2. The campaign needs to leverage social media to surmount Snyder's lack of name recognition. Facebook, which the Snyder campaign uses effectively, is not enough. Generating excitement online was a key element to Barack Obama's presidential campaign, for example, which illustrates the power of tools like Twitter.

3. Twitter offers the chance to instantly squash rumors and dirty political tactics. A quick tweet can instantly correct the record -- an increasingly important piece of the hyper-fast political news environment.

4. Twitter offers the chance to display personality. Like it or not, many people cast votes based on the candidate they like the best. Joining Twitter would bring Snyder closer to the "little guy."

5. Generating fundraising interest is easier via Twitter. Tallying thousands of small donations is possible by soliciting support online. And that'll help support Snyder's TV ad blitz.

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