The Challenge of Understanding Twitter's Purpose In Life
Sometimes in life we encounter a challenge. One that seems we just can't overcome. So I present to you Twitter. Millions use it, millions don't understand it. There are so many definitions about what it's purpose is, but directly from Twitter.com comes this explanation:
"Twitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news about what you find interesting. Simply find the accounts you find most compelling and follow the conversations.
At the heart of Twitter are small bursts of information called Tweets. Each Tweet is 140 characters long, but don’t let the small size fool you—you can discover a lot in a little space. You can see photos, videos and conversations directly in Tweets to get the whole story at a glance, and all in one place."
So as a user, or even a social media marketer, how does Twitter benefit us? Is it just a place for people to share that they are eating a Cronut or share that daft idea that just popped in their head?! Here are some of the successful ways Twitter is being used, and received:
Experts of Industries - The most well-respected people in their industries have great insight, knowledge and information to share. If you can follow your industry it's a great way to get a lot of great information in a little bit of time and space. Even people who are semi-experts can share industry-relevant articles that are worth taking the time to sift through.
News/Media Stories Unfolding - When there's a news story unfolding, many people now turn to Twitter to report live. Everyone can be a reporter in a sense and Tweet about what's happening live. Many news stations now rely on Twitter users at times to know what's unfolding with a story.
Celebrities - Who doesn't love following their favorite comedian or actor/actress? Of course you want to know when they're vacationing in Belize while you're at home in your underwear eating Cheetos. Honestly, comedians are a great follow though because it's a new channel for them to try comedy routines in 140 characters or less.
Brands - Many brands relay great information about their products/services but Twitter provides a way for them to see what people are saying about the brand and engage the user about the problem to help fix it. Some like McDonald's and LivingSocial have customer service during the day that you can tweet issues to and help get resolved. It's forming to be a new type of customer service in itself. Brands & businesses (especially small businesses/nonprofits) can also share news and updates quickly, so that's why it's good to have a Twitter account for your organization and use it frequently with updates and articles. The more active you are, the more people will find you.
Everyday Joe & Jane - What are you friends up to? Wonder no more as they will let you know what they are eating, where they are checking in at and how they are feeling. On second thought, maybe pick and choose these people to follow.
Twitter has many more purposes, but these are just a few of the basics. I didn't even TOUCH on hashtags (#CONFUSION) this time around, but we'll save that ball of confusion for a future post...
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