Last week I used my existing social networks to do a little research on Twitter. I posted a question on my Facebook status and asked my friends as I saw them throughout the week.
My first discovery was that people who didn’t use it didn’t like it and people that used it, liked it. I was quite surprised over the dislike and disapproval that many had when I asked “How do you feel about Twitter?” Then when I asked if they actually used Twitter, they said “No.” A lot of people felt they were too old, which opens up a whole new topic about the age gap in the use of Web 2.0 technologies.
As I began to tweet and follow tweets, I had my next discovery. Similar to Facebook, Twitter helps you create a social network of sorts. In Facebook, you share with your friends and they share with you. In Twitter, you end up with two groups; people who follow and people you are following, with a little overlap. But as I learned the details of Suze Orman’s weekend, it felt a little weird as I wanted to ask her how she cooked the fish she caught.
My final conclusion is that if you are already a member of a network that uses Twitter, then it is a useful tool because you have a reason to follow. Also, if you are someone that is already followed, like my friend who is a reporter for the St. Louis Cardinals or my mom who is an executive director of a non-profit, then Twitter is a useful tool. However, make sure your tweets are for everyone!
Will I remain a tweeter? I would say there is a slim chance that I will continue to use it considering the communities that I am a part of are not on Twitter. For now, I use Facebook and email to communicate effectively. But, I am open to new possibilities.
About Me
- Eirin
- I am 34 years old. I live in Tallahassee, Florida, my hometown. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and stay busy working full time while going to graduate school.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's always good to be open to new possibilities! I wonder, of the twitter users that you know, what percentage use cell phones for texting. My guess is that it's easier to tweet about being on the beach while you are on the beach vs having to tweet on a computer after the occasion has occurred.
ReplyDeleteJack - I think that the people who see Twitter as a valuable tool do use mobile devices - either cell phone or Blackberry or other. I tweeted about being at the beach on a laptop computer. Technically I am not on the beach, but at the pavilion by the parking lot.
ReplyDeleteJack, look at all the people continuing to tweet about Michael Jackson! I've been tweeting about the Tour de France, today's stage is over, and there are so many tweets it made the Trending Topics list. There are actually more tweets than when the stage was going on this morning.
ReplyDelete