Why Twitter?

Hi.

Yes, I do Twitter.

In fact, I have two Twitter accounts. But, why?

For most of my peer group, Twitter has little usefulness (or little perceived usefulness). Essentially, it’s seen as an application strictly for status updates. What follows from that is Twitter being a tool strictly used to “stalk” or “creep” others. While that is true for some and a lot of people are just looking for follower count, Twitter is more than that.

Twitter is anything you want it to be. The restriction to 140 characters intuitively leads people to think it’s strictly status updates, but these status updates are rife with information. I can choose to share my mood for the day or what I’m doing if that’s my thing. I can also engage in commentary (not restricted to someone’s blog) about an article as well as share that article with others.

Twitter is instant. The media (ie. the less tech savvy writers, who really just don’t get it) eat this up. After every big disaster, outbreak or something, there’s inevitably going to be an article about how “Twitter broke the news first.” But, it’s true. Twitter is fast and allows you to keep up with things as they break. Of course, that’s contingent on you paying attention to trending topics or having selected the right people to follow.

Twitter is a filter. I’ve selected who I want to follow based on what I like to read. I know there are humans behind these accounts (…the accounts I follow are humans), and I have followed them because I am a fan of what they do or the insights they bring to the table. Their commentary not only gives me an insight into the minds of someone I’m interested in, but knowing who read the article and felt like sharing it gives me confidence that the article is a worthwhile read. I am somewhat of an “info” junkie – but I prefer to read things that are interesting and I’m interested in.

In short, Twitter satisfies my personal need to “stay informed” and follow areas or scenes that I would like to. I can open up connections others if need be. Everyone has their own personal use for it – it’s not just what the media says.