This is how our Internet Editor answered that question http://thequig.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/op-ed-how-the-states...
Here are the many twitter accounts our reporters use to distribute and collect news and information http://www.statesman.com/news/content/standing/twitter.html
The team I work for wrote a tool to aggregate/retweet tweets from our staff and "widgets" to display them on various pages of our websites. This is mostly used during major events such as SXSW, elections, or Longhorn Football games as a fast way to collect and publish news and tidbits from our staff in the field. And also, of course, to engage/serve the Twitter community with news and information.
In general Twitter is a communications tool. If your business benefits from communicating with its customers (not all do) then it can benefit from Twitter.
But, like all things, it takes effort and can be done "wrong". It, like all things, is not a silver bullet.
Note, for this, we don't use a bot — A. because traffic is low volume, only a few tweets every few days and B. (imo), bots that send send the same message to everyone regardless of what the query is, is obnoxious.
It's still early, but I think it's a promising way to get the word out on stuff and start conversations. When we release new site designs or app features, it's another way (besides our blog) to get the word out.
Also, another strategy is to use the search feature and find people looking for product recommendations (this happens more than you think).
Search is also good for finding people who are frustrated with your customer service–or your competitor's.
Also, just posting links to promote your stuff is a really ineffective way to promote your stuff on Twitter. Twitter is about the conversations, not the broadcasts. Engage in some meaningful conversations related to what you're trying to promote and you'll see the benefits.
Of course that assumes Twitter is working itself at the time... which sometimes it's not.
You guys are a pretty tech savvy bunch - how do you use Twitter?
Sorry to leave you with some nasty scabs there. :(
If all you wanted was to find out about how companies are using Twitter you could have posted an "Ask HN" asking just that question.
If you want feedback about your startup you can post an "Ask HN" about that, too, but don't go pretending that you weren't just playing for traffic.
Looking at most everything in the new section, they all link to outside links, so I thought that was required - like Digg. I restated the question here AND linked, so I could get responses here without the need for people to follow the link. Extra traffic to Trogger was a bonus, sure, but after SXSW and the hype of Twitter that continues there, I was curious.
Still, I'm not sure what your role at Trogger is, but if you're involved in marketing or promotional stuff you should understand why I and the other people who voted you down reacted the way we did.
Next time act in good faith. Ask the community directly and if you want to post a link to your own startup don't pretend that you "found it" on "some community site." Tell us up front that it's your startup and gosh HN is great and we'd love your feedback, etc.