Let’s not mess around with the thinking, here’s the data: companies with between 100 and 500 followers on Twitter generated 146 percent more median monthly leads than those with 21 to 100 followers. So, whip out your Blackberry and pump out those 140-character insights!

Well, it’s not as simple as that, as I’m sure you know. But, the link between Twitter and lead generation is certainly worth a closer look.

The latest research from eMarketer reports that developing a rich Twitter following – in conjunction with a “regularly updated stream of content on a blog” – helps trigger engagement, leads to search engine optimization advantages and ultimately brings more opportunities in the door.

The challenge, of course, is to produce enough content, as eMarketer points out (and as we’ve mentioned more than a few times here). What’s interesting, though, is that eMarketer has quantified the impact: every 50 to 100 incremental indexed pages, it says, can translate to double-digit growth in your lead stream.

As usual, this is great until you have to sit down and execute a content strategy. Take a look at the following articles for ways to start quickly and manage your blog and Twitter content effectively:

1. Fill Your IT Marketing Blog in Five Easy Steps >>

2. Corporate Blogging Insight: The Content Funnel >>

3. IT Resellers: Make Your Blog Multimedia Without Spending a Dime >>

4. Five Reasons Why Corporate Blogs Fail >>

5. Five Survival Tips for Corporate Bloggers >>

6. Why It’s Hard to Find Corporate Blogging Topics >>

[Source: eMarketer]