04 Sep The Point of Twitter
I can’t count on two hands how
many times I’ve heard “What’s the point of Twitter?”. In fact, I can also remember a time when I’ve felt this way too. The primary questions are, “How is it different than instant messenger?, or in the words of one family member, “Why would anybody want to know when I’m cutting my grass?”.
So from the outside I completely understand why Twitter appears pointless. I understand that it is hard to believe why somebody would care about my 140 character postings through the day, inspired at random times about completely random things.
However, in the personal realm, I have seen how Twitter has the potential to grow relationships in a much different way than other social media. While blogs and social networks allow users to create neatly packaged profiles or eloquently written posts, Twitter is focused on created an ongoing broadcast of it’s users “day to day” or “minute by minute”. As a result, these seemingly insignificant posts can collectively form a user’s identity and strengthen a social network. For instance, by following a few of Jim’s “twitter’s” I can see he’s a professional who is clearly interested in social media, he went tubing on Falls Lake this weekend, and that he still pulls for Duke even when they lose. This translates in the marketing realm as a new way for businesses to integrate updates, news, promotions and events into a medium that is valuable and entertaining for its followers.
What further differentiates Twitter from instant messenger and what makes it particularly interesting in social media marketing is that it is entirely broadcast in nature. A thought is opened up for all who want to follow. Responses are entirely optional. Tweets are far-reaching and sometimes out of context. And as a result, the reach of topics is expanded and audiences can connect on a wide variety of levels. The result is a less-intrusive way for marketers to convey a message.
If you are still having trouble understanding the applications of Twitter – start by integrating it into your daily routine by installing Twitbin or Twitterific to keep updated. The more you use Twitter, the more the applications and uses will begin to emerge.
