TOPEKA, Kan. - The second Topeka TweetUp was held for members of the social networking site, Twitter.com Wednesday.

Twitterers and Twitter fans were invited to SouthWind Gallery @ Framewoods of Topeka, 29th and Oakley, Topeka, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4.

They enjoyed art, refreshments and get to preview the newest exhibit Flower Power 2.

Twitter is a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time. It's one of the newest social network phenomenons changing the way businesses, politicians, even news outlets, operate.

For example, at Wednesday's TweetUp, attendees were able to post pictures from the event seconds after they were taken. Twitter offers immediate access for a nearly live experience.

SouthWind Gallery and Framewoods of Topeka owner, Gary Blitsch, said he has been researching the use of social media for business. He's already set up a facebook account.

Blitsch said he was skeptical at first, but through Wednesday's event saw many new faces in the gallery he didn't think the business would have reached otherwise.

"I think we're on the forward edge for businesses that do what we do," Blitsch said. "I don't know any of my peers that are doing it."

Social media is opening doors for businesses to connect with consumers on a more personal level and hopefully reap the benefits.

SouthWind Gallery Artist, Michelle Leivan encouraged Blitsch, her employer, to get more involved in the technical scene. "The next step is not just having a window to the gallery but also a personality and that's something you can find through Facebook and Twitter and all these web 2.0 functionalities that are absolutely fantastic," Leivan said.

WIBW-TV has been implementing more Twitter activity in stories at www.wibw.com. Sign up for a Twitter account at www.Twitter.com and search "WIBW" to follow the newsdesk, anchors, reporters and other WIBW staff.