Twitter is changing the world in my opinion. It could be the most important invention of the century, next to the computer. I hear you laughing, but let me lay out my case.
It is a microblog, a business network, an always “switched-on” social hub, a mobile mesh, a broadcasting tool and search engine, all rolled into one. What other invention can you say the same about? The telephone? Sure we all use it, but it is limited. TV? I have all but ignored it (save LOST and a few others I Tivo). Radio? Please! Never listen to it. Am I missing anything? We could argue lots of different inventions here. The point being, I can get the highlights or lowlights from my Twitter stream on TV, movies, sports, technology, politics, or anything else I want. Twitter is what the Internet was born to do.
You see, Twitter is “in the eye of the beholder” meaning it can be whatever you want or need it to be, which is what makes it so unique.
Let me explain. Here are the top reasons why I think that Twitter is a real game changer not only for me, but for you as well:
1. Twitter acts as a digital swiss-army knife. Some people use it to connect with close friends and colleagues. Others use it to spread the word about their blog or business. Some come to learn about the latest trends in their industry. Others use it as a watercooler. I use it for all of the above.
3. Twitter is a growing community. 1,382% spike in unique visitors to Twitter from February ‘08 to February ‘09. I predict at some point, just about everyone will have an account. It’s inevitable. It could end up being a one-stop shop to connect with anybody and everybody. Think LinkedIn, Facebook or MySpace, but bigger. It actually could have a greater impact than Google down the line, and trust me, Google is paying attention.
4. Twitter gives you access to any of its members (by using @ replies and DM direct messages). You can ping anyone out on Twitter from @RealHughJackman to @barrackobama with a message and they can see it. Just don’t get your hopes up that everyone will respond back. Some will. There are celebrities, politicians, CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies and many others using Twitter. This is great because these are people you had zero access to before. Think of Twitter filling in the blanks on email addresses, instant message id’s, or phone numbers you never had.
5. Twitter is a place to learn. I follow people in my industry (recruiting and human resources) as well as in social media, marketing, technology, entrepreneurship and other areas. I learn from others. I use a “wisdom of crowds” approach to my daily life. You can too. Follow some people that interest you. Sit back and digest.
6. Twitter has major searchability. This is the part where Google is starting to get jealous. There are many ways to search Twitter, and by searching Twitter, you are actually peering into conversations. Conversations on the web are what I call “The Social Web.” This is the real good stuff. Now you can find out what the CEO of Oracle really thinks, or what Betty from Marketing on the 5th floor really does in your company, and much more. It is also the ultimate reference check on anybody. No need to interview someone for a position if you listen to their Twitter stream…if you follow me. You’ll know if you want to hire them before you even reach out to them. So, check out the search feature inside your Twitter home page, see Twitter Search, and also a personal favorite, Twazzup. This is just scratching the surface on search.
7. Twitter is being embraced by developers. There are hundreds of apps, desktop clients, tools and sites out there currently that tie-into Twitter, making your world a hell of a lot easier. I love TweetDeck (w/Seesmic Desktop a close second) because they act as a dashboard for the 800+ tweeps I follow, and for the 2,100+ people who follow me. Check out the Twitter Fan Wiki for a good starting point on more, and also see the impressive Twitter list on Mashable.
8. Twitter is mobile, making it the “everywhere” social and business network. Have a smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, etc.)? Then you’ve got a powerful network in your pocket my friend. Take Twitter to work, in your car, on vacation, to the grocery store. Wherever you want. Tweetie or TwitterBerry give you a clean, easy to use version of Twitter. Get recommendations, do business, anything you want with Twitter on the go.
9. Twitter can put you on the map. I’m not talking about 15 minutes of fame here. I’m talking about branding yourself or your company. Take the concept of LinkedIn, where you look to connect with other people in your field, or network for a new career opportunity, and expand much further. With Twitter, you can get into real conversations with other people you want to meet. It can also showcase your skills and talents. Members can also place themselves in Twitter directories such as WeFollow, Twitr or geofollow so others can find and follow them.
10. Twitter can help you AND your company perform better. If your company is not on Twitter, get them there, or start looking for your next job. It is not a trend, and will not go away. I only see it getting bigger and better (although don’t get me started on the recent “hiccup” policy changes). Conversation is where everything online points to now. MySpace and Facebook got millions on top of millions of people there, but Twitter offers a much better platform to get to the next level. Companies (and people) can recruit, market, brand, sell and much more utilizing Twitter if done right.
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