When Twitter is Useful
- Image via CrunchBase
Local Pioneer Press editor Joe Soucheray stirred up some Twitter debate today when he said Twitter is “the end of the world as we know it, and I don’t feel fine.” His point: we waste time chattering about nothing and mistakenly believe ourselves to be important by virtue of participation. He bemoans the potential displacement of real human interaction.
Well, end of the world is a bit extreme. But sure, absolutely we’re a far cry from days characterized by more in-person exchanges. And yes, Twitter can be a huge waste of time.
If you are using Twitter for work, you’ve had to figure out how to manage the beast in a way that delivers useful information and connections. Know your audience and reliably serve updates that are meaningful to them.
As for who you follow on Twitter, the great thing about this medium is just how much you can shape it. Follow those individuals that you need to keep in touch with, and those sources that you value. Remove the rest. I like Twitter for the news feeds I get from some of my favorite media sources and local business groups. I also appreciate the relevance of casual updates from editors and colleagues. It helps put the day in context of others.
It is worth remembering that a large contingent of the Twitter population is made up of people that work independently, often from a home or satellite office. As the March wind howls outside an otherwise quiet office – save the soft snore of one of the dogs – I would be remiss if I didn’t admit that Twitter makes the world a little more HERE.
Twitter doesn’t replace in-person conversation. Like email and everything else, it has the potential to be a time sink. That doesn’t mean it isn’t incredibly valuable when you figure out how to make it work for you.
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2 Responses to “When Twitter is Useful”
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I, for one, welcome the Twitter Apocalypse!
#BlaineFridley
I learn more from Twitter every day than I do listening to his three hour radio show. Let’s see–(complain) about the liberals, ads, try to be funny, ads, cylinders on your car, ads, (complain) about the liberals, ads, try to be funny, ads, complain about government, ads, weather, ads, ads, (complain) about the liberals, try to be funny. Did I miss anything?