Six Reasons to Use Twitter

There is no other social platform around like Twitter; in fact, at inception, many naysayers were positive that users would not gravitate to the restrictive 140 characters or less. In spite of its limitation, or maybe because of them, Twitter has continued to thrive as a central social network. Need some reasons to use Twitter?

Twitter, originally an internal service used between the employees of Odeo, included founder Jack Dorsey. The first Twitter message on March 21, 2006 at 9:50 PM PST: “just setting up my twttr”.

Here are some of the facts regarding Twitter:

• 288 million monthly active users

• 500 million Tweets are sent per day

• 80% of Twitter active users are on mobile

• 77% of accounts are outside the U.S.

• Twitter supports 33 languages

And let’s not forget about Vine with more that 40 million users.

The Oprah Effect is part of history “… thank you for a warm welcome …” (FULL TWEET), and you might as well follow her at @oprah. A lot has been recorded regarding Twitters rise to social network or information network. In many mays Twitter has become the celeb network (but only if you follow them).

As noted above Twitter boast 288 million users, a far cry from Facebook’s 890 million users, but there is no denying it’s impact. If you’ve haven’t tried using Twitter, we suggest you give it a chance. It’s truly an information channel, a non-stop, personalized news and events channel.

Why join the Twitter sphere?

1. Interesting people

Users should realize that this platform isn’t meant to connect with family and friends, but to communicate with those people you want to network with and whom you find interesting. You can follow anyone you on the platform and anyone can follow you, there is not mutual agreement like there is on Facebook. There is no privacy on twitter as everything is open.

2. Breaking News

Twitter has proved itself to be the source of breaking news, and with many it’s an “information network” more than a social network.  The simplicity of this platform allows people to say exactly what they think, real or imagined. Often, when there is a breaking news event, you can be sure to get feedback on many levels. This is referred to as Trending. What’s trending has been come a news item on many news and sports news centers.

3. Tracking Trends

Trends are determined by an algorithm and, by default, are tailored for you based on who you follow and your location. This algorithm identifies topics that are popular now, rather than topics that have been popular for a while or on a daily basis, to help you discover the hottest emerging topics of discussion on Twitter that matter most to you.

As an example, a world event, or local event (depending on your settings) will gain trending status; if for example, a celebrity has done something that is newsworthy. Much about the world is found on Twitter, and if there is a leak somewhere, it will be found on Twitter first. Users can also tailor Twitter trends switching from “Worldwide” to local depending on your interests.

Hashtags are method of contributing and tracking a subject on twitter, and it’s a great way to organize and track marketing and business programs. As an example, the Raven5 hashtag is #contestmarketing, Throwback Thursday has the hashtag #tbt, one of the original hashtags follow Fridays is #ff.

Everything you need to know about Trending.

4. Company Contract

Companies and brands love Twitter as a platform for marketing and a great brand will usually have a Twitter account for customer interaction. This is a great platform that companies can use to promote themselves and connect with consumers who are interested in what they have to offer.

Many large corporations use Twitter as a way to connect and provide customer service. The response that you receive from an online brand on Twitter will be immediate. Seems that companies and brands are monitoring Twitter most notably for negative comments or issues and offering immediate assistance in many circumstances. Want to give it a try? Write something negative about a large brand and you’ll likely see a response quickly, in some cases within minutes. Go ahead, give it a try.

5. Creative Outlet

The beauty of twitter is you’re only limited by your creativity. You can tweet and follow your interests. Whether they be business, politics, sports, your company, your brand … it’s a personalized news stream. Nothing is better at providing users the ability to stay informed about issues that they are interested in.

You can virtually start a Twitter account about anything as long as you obey the rules set forth by the company. Brands and marketers can use Twitter for monitoring customer information and building brand awareness.

You will find that there are other uses and other kinds of users. Twitter truly embraces the world’s interests and can be a parody of a celebrity. Users may write short poetry, be humorous, or just make noise. Twitter allows you to express your creativity, just as long as it’s within 140 characters.

6. 140 Characters

One of the toughest things about Twitter is that you are limited to 140 characters. This means that people are forced to get to the point and stick to facts; everything is pared down to the core of their essence. Personally, I am often forced to re-think or re-write my initial message or reply, in order to make the point. Things are not always grammatically correct, and sometimes it’s near impossible. There are lots of short forms in expression, and Twitter is one of the reasons for this transformation.

Twitter’s success is based on its ability to provide users with a personalized news and information stream while at the same time providing users a platform to get the word out. It is astonishing how much information you can gather, see and read from the Twitter newsfeed.

We’ve just provided you with six reasons to give Twitter a try. From a marketer’s view, it’s a must. Twitter will provide you insight about your company, your brand, as well as your competitors. Even more impactful, you’ll get to really see how your company and brand interact with consumers. Small businesses and franchises can all benefit from Twitter, and you can start with us @raven5 or me personally @mjbickerton. If you use the hashtag #f4f  (follow for follow), we’ll do so.

Still not believing? Check out how Big Brands Use Twitter and get convinced.

Michael Bickerton, (@mjbickerton) Raven5 Ltd. (@raven5) March 2015

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