While young girls throughout America might want to be like Miley Cyrus, PR professionals should not follow her lead when it comes to social media. Cyrus recently made headlines when she deleted her Twitter account, leaving more than 2 million followers behind.

Admittedly, Twitter has its skeptics, but it can be a useful tool. Yes, far too many tweets include inane things such as "going to get my hair done" and "deciding what to get for lunch," but Twitter's growth as a social media platform can't be ignored.

The site now has more than 18 million users, and corporations such as JetBlue, Dell and Starbucks have effectively used Twitter to tell consumers about special offers and spread the word about their product. With more and more businesses using Twitter, it's time for you to learn about tweets, retweets and tags.

Here are some ways Twitter can benefit you and your company:

• It keeps you informed. Have you heard about the new application that allows you to send tweets directly from Facebook status updates? That news was broken on Twitter. Twitter is a great tool for following news sites, social media sites (such as Inside Facebook) and PR blogs that give great insight and tips for making an impact through social media.
• It builds your network. Some PR firms have more than 3,000 people following them. That's not typical, but the more followers you have, the more awareness you build. Update your Twitter profile and add new people to follow every few days. They will often follow you in turn, creating a stronger network for your business.
• It can help you land clients. Businesses are putting more and more resources into social media platforms – Bank of America and Lowe's have both added social media directors in the past few months – and they are looking for PR firms who know how to use these tools. Prospective clients will often look at your Twitter account to see how you approach social media.
• It promotes your business. Twitter is a great way to send out quick updates about your company. It is less intrusive than an e-mail blast announcing a product, and updates can be sent several times a day without cluttering up someone's inbox. But don't send out mass tweets – more than three within a minute – because that will often cause people to take you off their follow list.

With all of these benefits, Twitter is primed to make a tremendous impact for several years. We're not sure if the same can be said about Miley Cyrus.