| To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question. | | | | the news story, video, or picture has been posted or |
| There’s no denying that Twitter is a social | | | | retweeted. Got a product you think is going to |
| networking phenomenon. Let’s face it; once | | | | take off? Check out the buzz on Twitter, invite |
| Oprah got on the Twitter train in April this year | | | | people to join your group, it’s all free advertising. |
| (2009), you knew it was probably something you | | | | There’s big business to be found on Twitter. |
| should check out. Despite the fact that it was | | | | More and more companies are jumping on the |
| originally meant to help teens keep track of each | | | | bandwagon to offer links to websites, coupons, |
| other, it has grown up considerably over the past | | | | information on new products, sale announcements, |
| year. In fact, the vast majority of the | | | | and more. There are rumors that advertisements |
| network’s users are adults, not kids. Only 11% | | | | will soon be included in the network. Twitter could |
| of Twitter’s users are between the ages of 11 | | | | charge a small fee and not have to look for |
| and 17. Twitter has become much more than just | | | | content. It’s all provided for free by tweeters. |
| another way to find out if your friend is at the | | | | Twitter is even becoming a great place to find a |
| coffee shop or if Ashton Kutcher is vacationing in the | | | | job. Companies that are looking for social-media |
| Caribbean. Talk to a teen, and they’ll probably | | | | savvy employees have decided that the best way |
| tell you that Twitter is lame; they’d much rather | | | | to find them is to go to the source. As job boards |
| go on Facebook to have longer chats, exchange | | | | become more saturated, hiring professionals are |
| photos, and play games. | | | | finding more of what they want on Twitter, and at a |
| So why the adult interest? The 140-character limit | | | | cheaper cost than advertising on the regular boards. |
| on posts would, at first, not seem to lend itself to | | | | Many HR professionals will accept tweeted questions |
| anything more than “At the grocery. Lines are | | | | like “what should I wear to the interview?” |
| long.” But Twitter is about a lot more than just | | | | and tweet back an answer in reasonable time. |
| sending mundane messages into the ether. Though | | | | It isn’t all sunshine and roses for Twitter right |
| Kutcher beat CNN in a challenge to gain a million | | | | now, October numbers reported the first decrease |
| followers this spring, CNN acquired a ton of followers | | | | of unique domestic users. It’s only 8%, which |
| themselves. To date, they add up to over 2.8 million | | | | still leaves a whopping 19.2 million, but that’s |
| people receiving their breaking news. (Sure, Kutcher | | | | enough to worry some investors. New features, like |
| still has them beat at over 4 million followers, but | | | | retweets and lists are in place to help reverse the |
| that’s a lot of people who get instant updates | | | | trend. The question that has yet to be answered is |
| without turning on the TV.) You don’t have to | | | | why the drop, and is it truly a concern? It’s |
| follow Britney Spears; there are news organizations | | | | possible that it’s just a settling in period, |
| like NPR and CBS, politicians like Barack Obama, John | | | | especially with more youth users moving on to other |
| McCain, and Al Gore. Keep up with sports by | | | | social networking options. But with so many adults |
| following the Twitter feeds from the NBA, NFL, or | | | | and businesses finding ways to work more efficiently |
| MLB. | | | | and economically with this tool, it seems unlikely to |
| Though it may seem daunting to have countless | | | | fade away any time in the near future. |
| tweets clogging your phone on a big news day, | | | | Twitter’s undeniable popularity is backed by |
| there are ways to narrow it down and even conduct | | | | more than fad and fancy. There are few options out |
| research. Do a search through a Twitter aggregator | | | | there that allow you to make a brief, instant |
| so you can stay tuned into the news only you care | | | | connection with potentially 19.2 million people in such |
| to read about. Twist, Tweetizen, and Twitturly are | | | | an easy, cheap and fun way. Whether you are job |
| three aggregators that can help you narrow your | | | | hunting, researching a product, or just keeping up |
| searches by topic, filter lists based on keywords and | | | | with your favorite sports team, Twitter has an |
| tags, form groups to facilitate discussion on a | | | | application to help you achieve your goals for both |
| particular topic, and keep a tally of how many times | | | | business and leisure. |