Twitter Explained: The Mom Version
My mom doesn’t understand Twitter. Big surprise. I think the possibilites as far as uses for Twitter goes are endless but all my mom, and probably your mom sees it as is another worthless bit of the internet. After our last internet-related conversation, I got to thinking about all of the different ways that someone could use it, so mom, this one’s for you.
Twitter defines itself as:
”… a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?”
That sums it up decently, but doesn’t even scratch the surface of the endless amount of applications for it.
Twitter is based on a slightly different networking system then the majority of social networking sites in the sense that you can befriend or “follow” someone without them having to follow you back, or approve it. The exception of course being when privacy settings are set to require approval. This creates an instant method of networking. Once you have some people who you are following, all of their updates show up on your homepage when logged into Twitter as a feed, constantly keeping you up to date on their going-ons and whatever else they choose to share.
One of the most noted alternative uses for Twitter is as a business tool. For example, @comcastcares, which is a Twitter account run by Comcast Customer Experience Manager, Frank Eliason giving customer service via Twitter. As a Comcast customer, I have utilized Frank’s knowledge and service numerous times with great ease and success. On top of that, Frank seeks out complaints about Comcast service and helps to remedy the problem without the customer having to seek him out. Other businesses use Twitter to update customers on changes and sale offers. Jet Blue Airlines (@JetBlue) is a prominent business using Twitter for this purpose with updates such as; “Thunderstorms in the Northeast may cause delays and cancelations. Check jetblue.com or mobile.jetblue.com for the status of your flight.” There are many companies on Twitter using it in all sorts of different ways, @WholeFoods and @SweetLeafTea being a couple of my personal favorites. Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of this post for a list of companies using Twitter.
Another great way to utilize Twitter is to find out what’s going on around you. Simpleweather.com has created accounts for major cities around the United States providing updates on area weather right in your feed (e.g. @wx_houston). There are also numerous area blogs and bloggers on Twitter constantly keeping you up to date on events going on around the area. For example in Houston, @houstonist sends it’s updates to Twitter constantly letting you know what’s going on around the city.
Twitter can also be used as a great way to follow all sorts of politics. Presidential hopeful Barack Obama (@BarackObama) is a prominent user, keeping everyone who wants to know up to date on where he’s at and what he’s doing. John Edwards (@johnedwards) and Ron Paul (@RonPaulforCong) are also both frequent users of the site. @HouseFloor keeps you in the know with what’s going on at the House of Represntitives and @SenateFloor does the same for the Senate. Giving you a sort of intimate experience with the country’s inner workings.
Be sure to check out the Twitter Brand Index as compiled by Fluent Simplicity for a list of companies, organizations, and media outlets on Twitter!
Well, I hope that gives at least a small idea of the many different possibilities that Twitter offers to users and sparks a little more interest. I will now bring my endless and incoherent rambling to a close.
