A Bigger Voice

10 Thoughts on Twitter, A Year Later

It was just about a year ago that I made a commitment to figuring out Twitter and using it on a regular basis. It's now part of my "eco-system" where I can find and interact with kindred spirits. A few observations, one year later:

1. Twitter has honed my writing skills. I have to quickly get to the essence of what I want to express, in 140 characters or less. It focuses my thinking, so as to not waste a single character.
2. Number of followers doesn't mean a whole lot. As Twitter has matured, so have all kinds of apps to support users, including ones that game the system and add on followers at a voracious rate. It used to be (way back in 2008), it was impressive to have 10,000 followers. Not so much anymore. It still pays to look for quality over quantity. I think others are yearning for this as well. I once tweeted how I like getting followers the old-fashioned way, organically, one at a time. I immediately got several replies, heartily agreeing. In fact, I sometimes miss the smaller community feel when my followers numbered less than a 100. I felt I could get to know each one over time.
3. Twitter has gotten "junkier."  During this last year, Twitter exploded in terms of an active user base, from less than 20 million in January 2009 to over 90 milliion by November 2009.   Like any tool, as it becomes popular, the opportunity for abuse and misuse increases. Was there spam when the Internet was limited to  research scientists in government agencies (DARPA)? I don't think so. I've seen an increase in being followed by tweeps who I have nothing in common with--vocation, values, or virtues. The infomercial component of the Twitter population has expanded rapidly.  
4. Twitter helps me connect with interesting people. No need to throw the baby out with the bath water. Just today, I discovered someone following me who was in my high school graduating class. I remember her as a thespian and now she does "idea mapping" for companies and organizations. Cool stuff. Earlier this month, because of something I tweeted, I connected with the "chief firestarter" for a branding identity company (Brains on Fire) This led to an interview for this blog, which will be posted in January. And last spring, I connected to @WalterAkana, who has become an ally/collaborator in my work with the Networking Naturally Program. I could point to a dozen more examples. None of this would have happened without Twitter.
5. Twitter helps me discover new, well-written blogs, with great information. Two blogs I discovered in the last week when bloggers followed me on Twitter--one for entrepreneurs and one for those who love to learn from other's mistakes --had excellent posts that not only got me thinking in a new direction, but also nodding my head, "Yes, yes, yes!"
6. Twitter has been an outlet for frustrations on what's happening in Washington, DC. I keep all of my blogs pretty much free of my political views.  Twitter has become my vehicle for expressing the day-to-day hope, discouragement, and sometimes, anger over what's happening economically and politically in the world. This tweet from September 2009 says it all: "i didn't used 2 follow politics until it seemed 2 really matter. it matters now."
7. Twitter has brought me business. It's not why I tweet (which puts me in the minority), but if it happens, all the better. Which leads me to the next point on why I tweet.
8. I tweet (and write) to have a better life. Twitter time is more in spurts these days, nothing for a week and then several tweets in a row. It's my way of engaging with the rest of the world, to talk about ideas that matter, to share fears, hopes and concerns, to connect with kindred spirits, to see what's on the minds of the larger collective. While there is a cost to being on Twitter in terms of separating the wheat from the chaff, I also view it from the strictest definition of Twitter: micro-blogging. Blogging has always meant creative expression, whether in a post like this one or in 140 characters.
9. You can take a break from Twitter and come back, without missing a beat. I have a friend who is off Twitter for long stretches of time and then becomes active again, not because he doesn't "get it" but because Twitter fatigue sets in.  I've experienced this myself.  It's sort of like missing the New Year's Eve party (speaking of parties....), but knowing that you'll see the same crowd at Fourth of July.  The party never stops and it's up to you to decide when you need a rest.
10. Twitter is a powerful tool, if you know how to use it. A couple of months ago, I tweeted my frustration about a technical problem I was having and within minutes, someone had messaged me with a solution. For other ways to use Twitter, check out this post, 14 Cool Things People Do With Twitter. Like I tweeted this morning, the post is a "testament 2 human creativity."  
    

My thanks to Laurel Bailey, for prompting me to write this post. Laurel asked about my Twitter experience and then suggested a blog post about the topic.What are your observations on Twitter, after using it for awhile?

The 1st company I would contact if I ever needed a job: Brains on Fire, www.brainsonfire.com , "helping organizations build movements." Check it out.

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