Twitter’s Connecting Culture
I continue to be amazed by Twitter. As I wrote a couple months ago, I was very uncertain about the business value contained with this micro-blogging 140 character frame. From the outside looking in it seemed like a total waste of time. Something more for my teenage niece than for a business person!
However, I love technology, and was certainly curious enough to give ‘ole Twitter a fair shake. Once on the inside…the view was quite a bit different. Now, 3-months in, I appreciate the view more and more each day.
Culture Builder or Time Waster
Some, as Patrick May with The Mercury News recently reported are connecting but wasting time on Twitter. That is certainly true. Some are wasting time. However, like any social media tool, there is an art to balancing the time drag and sifting the tool for its worthy business applications. Corvida at ReadWriteWeb wrote yesterday that Twitter has Culture. I agree completely! When trying to experience any culture, you do not truly experience it by watching it on TV or by visiting a new area for a week or two. You experience and get to appreciate the uniqueness of a culture when you immerse yourself in it over a period of time. Then and only then can you understand its subtleties.
Here for example, are a couple interesting Twitter cultural experiences I have had in the past couple of weeks:
Care During Tragedy
Almost two weeks ago, as a major forest fire broke out in the Halifax area (kilometers from my home), I began to Twitter about it on my BlackBerry (my power and web were knocked out by the blaze). Local area Twitterers shared their vantage point of the unfolding disaster and some of my new friends on Twitter from around the world asked for updates on my personal safety and the safety of my home. Interestingly, it was nice to know that people who I have never met took the time to care.
Webinar Twebinar
I discovered an upcoming Twebinar last week and sent the info about it out to my Twitter followers. Because I did, several read my article and registered for the Twebinar also and they personally thanked me. I was happy I could help them discover the event, so Twitter is a very practical way to share useful information…that is not a time-waster.
Questions, Links, and Connections
It has been interesting to watch some of those I follow share the most useful and interesting business, marketing, technology, and spiritual articles they come across. The flow of cutting edge information is fantastic if you are following people who are using Twitter for more than mere social chatter. I also see people posting interesting questions to survey their followers so they can write interesting blog posts as well as to solve problems like getting recommendations for places to eat, stay, and where to rent cars. So, the information can be very practical and followers seem more than willing to help when they can.
Manage It
It seems all worthwhile to me, but as I started out saying, it is all in how you manage it. I am still trying to get that part down. It gets harder the more people you follow as understandably, there are more tweets to sift through. All I can say, for those who doubt the value, is to give it a fair try and I believe you will be pleasantly surprised when you experience the unique culture of Twitter.
For those of you in Twitterville, I welcome your thoughts on your cultural experiences…in 140 characters or less of course, please.
« Your Marketing Up in Smoke? | Home | Brogan’s E-mail Writing Tips »
Pingback: Pastor Tuned In With Technology « Marketing Integrity