angela_the golo editor: blog 
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let's talk about twitter
Published Nov 12, 2008Views: 2070
Good morning GOLO. There was a bit of chatter about the micro-blogging service "Twitter" a few days ago and I thought I'd jump in and talk about it a bit and tell you how and why we use it.
Twitter is a really cool tool. Some people find it useful, others find it useless. I think it's great. What it does is provide a way for you to build a network and keep in close contact with them through short messages that are 140 characters or less.
When you choose to "follow" someone on twitter, you will receive all of their updates. So, if a person is at the State fair, for instance you could essentially read all of their updates (commonly called, tweets) and stay updated on what's going on at the Fair. (Read this story to find out how the State Fair folks used twitter to reach out to the community)
Now, let's say you follow someone who is near a breaking news scene or natural disaster. If they start updating via their twitter account you would be in the know and pretty much have a front row seat to whatever it is they're "tweeting" about without being there. By the way, these updates can be issued from your PC OR your cell phone and that is how a great percentage of twitter users communicate. Just think for a minute what would have happened had we had twitter on 9/11.
The beauty of twitter is that it's real-time and there is no barrier to entry. Heck, you can even follow the President-elect on twitter
Now, let's say you follow WRAL news or NPR news or CNN or Southwest Airlines, etc...you would receive news updates or whatever else they decide to put out there for all to see. Can't you see the value in that? It's a tool for anyone who wants to communicate and stay on top of things and you build it around your own personal interests.
Twitter is also used in very unique ways. Here's one person's take on twitter:
- For many, Twitter is a way to interact with like-minded individuals. Whether one is a stay at home mom who craves adult conversation, an at home worker who misses the water cooler chit-chat from past jobs, or the business owner who wants to reach more of their target market, this form of social media fills a need. It makes it easier for people to connect with others in a way they might not have previously been able to.
And, here's a story about twitter from the Wall Street Journal: Twitter Goes Mainstream.
Twitter is different things to diferent people. i encourage you to give it a try. it connects you to people in ways that weren't possible before and the flow of information is amazing.
Now, if you do decide to sign up for twitter, be sure to follow: GOLOcommunity. I'm using it to let people know about some of our great content and conversations!
Filed under: Internet & Technology
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