What is a Twitter?
Yes you read my question right. What is a twitter? As a card carrying cave dweller I find myself wondering why our society needs a millionth avenue of communication. Terms like tweets and retweet (a reposting of someone else’s tweet) is all the rave. Everyone from celebrities to the mail man tweet their daily business and affairs. Why anyone would be interested in the daily ins and outs of others puzzles me. Keeping track of my own life keeps me occupied enough. Let alone tracking someone else’s. I assume twitter followers are employed and enjoy it for sport and games or they simply see something I do not. I suppose I have other pressing matters like eating, bathing, writing this paper, and living. But to be fair and objective let’s examine this topic a little more closely.
I’ve stumbled across some interesting definitions but my top three are:
• Twitter is a communication tool that provides a way to share and discover what’s happening right now anywhere in the world. (Getting to know Twitter, 2009).
• Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages. People write short updates, often called “tweets” of 140 characters or fewer. These messages are posted to your profile or your blog, sent to your followers, and are searchable on Twitter search. (Getting to know Twitter, 2009).
• Twitter is micro-blogging. It is social messaging. It is an event coordinator, a business tool, news reporting service, and a marketing utility. (Web Trends, 2009).
All you need to access Twitter is an internet connection or mobile phone. The Twitter search allows users to see what other people are saying and doing on Twitter. Users can locate their friends and start following them or invite friends to become followers. Followers are people who receive your Twitter postings and updates. New messages are added to your homepage as people post them so you always get the updates in real time. Users can see who they’re following and who’s following them.
Although your Twitter profile is public by default, you can protect your profile to approve followers and keep your updates out of search. You can even block people from following you. They won’t be able to follow you or send you any messages. You can even block spammer as Twitters’ support program monitors block reports to see whose “causing trouble” on Twitter. Twitter recently added follow and update limits for stability and control.
Twitter is used by television news networks (that ticker streaming across the bottom of the television screen), it’s faster and more immediate than a blog, and everyone from magazines to move stars use Twitter as a quick way to connect with an audience.
Even President Obama effectively used Twitter during his presidential campaign in getting out his message.
The article in the text Advertising: The Soft and the Hard Sell (Browne, 2005), states that advertising is constantly with us. It’s has become our way of life. It saturates our markets and nowhere can we turn without noticing some form or another. It sounds as if Twitter is receiving its share of advertisement. The more Twitter is relevant and understood, it will continue to grow and draw many more users. It already has the celebrity advantage.
Okay I can see the value in Twitter if I want to shoot my mom a quick message to say ‘I’m running late’ or ‘check out this week’s Macy’s sale’, but why not use the phone? I’m concerned that long, reliable, and more intimate forms of communication such as phones, letters, and emails will get lost in the shuffle. I guess Twitter is another option for the progressive and technologically astute population. Innovation is certainly a force to be reckoned with. I’m not sure if I’ll be joining the ranks of this community anytime soon.
Twitter Support: Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved January 28, 2010 from http://www. Help.twitter.com/forums
What is Twitter? Twitter Explained. Retrieved January 27, 2010 from http://www. webtrends.about.com/od/socialnetworking/a/what-is-twitter.htm
Browne, R. (2005) Profiles of Popular Culture. Popular Press.
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Great post, I really enjoyed reading it. I still dont see the fascination with twitter, i use myspace, facebook, etc. but twitter is, in my opinion, a waste of time. I dont think anyone needs to know what I feel, or I am doing at any random second of any random day. Most of the tweets ive seen are just that, im going shopping, looking at shoes, etc. I dont need to know that!
ReplyDeleteGood job though!
Jim
Hi Leslie,
ReplyDeleteI often wonder about all this technology myself. i was just telling one of my co-worker this morning that the younger generation don't have to think much, because technology is everywhere to do just about anything for them. I find myself wondering what's next? And lo and behold there is always somenthing next. It seem that we are more connected than ever, but at the same time we are disconnected. The personal interaction is fading. I'm running behind though, because I'm not on facebook, myspace, or I'm not tweeting. I'm realy behind the times. Hopefully I'll catch up soon.