Are you getting enough out of Twitter? If you think you could be doing better Twitter lists could be your answer.

Twitter lists are a powerful tool that can be used in a number of ways that help you stay ahead of the competition and the Market.

So often we dive into using online tools in a very linear way. The “how to use” Twitter methodology.

Social Media is not just about engagement; there is more than one way to pluck a bird, in this case it’s a little blue one.

Here are 7 ways you can use Twitter Lists in your business. A great place to start looking for lists is purpose built Twitter list directory Listorious. It contains lists based around many keywords and industries, they even have a top 140 list of lists.

1. Find People to Follow

If you’re new to Twitter finding people of interest to follow can be a bit of a drag. Checking out other peoples lists is a great way to find lot’s of relevant people to engage with in one go.

2. Identify Key Influencers

Many lists curated by others already contain the top people in particular market sectors. The Most Influential in Tech list by Rober Scoble for example is a who’s who of leading technology companies.

3. Potential Customers

Twitter is a great prospecting tool and building a potential client list is one way to go; make the list private so others cannot see it. You can track keywords or phrases used in your industry, building a list of people using them. By monitoring the list you can look for opportunities to engage and introduce yourself or your company.

4. Market Research

Using keyword or phrase tracking you can monitor what is going on in your market sector. Create a list of potential contacts and engage with them to get their feedback on your research topic.

5. Business Opportunities

Does your product or service solve a problem? Can you help others? Track people asking questions within your area of expertise, for example if you sell shoes, try this query “does anyone” shoes ?.

6. Monitor Competitors

Create a list containing all of your competitors Twitter accounts. See how they interact with customers, look for opportunities to improve on their service, or weaknesses in the way they engage.

7. Emerging Trends

Use related keywords and phrases to track trends in your market sector. If you can combine this by filtering a key influencer list you can gauge opinion over time about where the market is going.

Can you think of any other innovative ways to use Twitter Lists?