Growing Bolder Twitters

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Added: Wed. Dec 24, 2008 1:46pm
Posted in: Computers

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I was a little late to the party but I’m beginning to develop an appreciation for the potential power of Twitter.

Twitter is a tool that immediately gives anyone a voice on the Web. It allows you to “follow” the musings of anyone on Twitter and allows them to “follow” you. The Twitter community is now nearly 5 million users worldwide. Members include CEOs, professional athletes, journalists, advocates, technology gurus, and more. Some of the top thought leaders in every niche imaginable are now on Twitter. But don’t be afraid, the majority are ordinary men and women alike you and me.

A 2006 startup, Twitter has exploded in 2008. In fact, according to Hubspot, 70% of all users were introduced to Twitter this year and 20% of Twitter users only joined in the past 60 days.

All Twitter asks is that you continually answer the following question, in no more than 140 characters: “What are you doing?”

The answer (aka “tweet”) is sent to everyone who “follows” you. You receive the answers from everyone you follow. Tweets run the entire gamut from the mundane to the thought-provoking. From the mindless to the mind-boggling. From self-serving garbage to useful, actionable gems. It’s “a glimpse,” as Kathleen Parker of the Washington Post puts it, “of what the world would be like if hummingbirds could type.”

Is this simply the latest online “game” that will be replaced by a new game someday? Maybe. Is 90% of the content mindless babble? Absolutely. And that’s why I resisted. But as I’ve learned, Twitter is filled with a constant stream of truths and insights that you can’t find anywhere else. Following an active tweeter gives you a unique look into their lives and into their thought process. You learn what they did before coming to work and what they had for lunch. You also learn what they’re reading, what they’re thinking, and what’s influencing them.

Fortunately, you learn very quickly how to filter the content to find what interests you. Still not sure how it works? I invite you to follow one or all of the GB’ers who Twitter. You’ll learn a lot about what we do and where we’re going. If you Twitter, we’ll also follow you. In fact, if you’re a GB member who uses Twitter, please contact us and we’ll add you to our list of GB Twitterers and help make sure the world hears your voice.

http://twitter.com/marcmiddleton
http://twitter.com/kwidrick
http://twitter.com/billshafer
http://twitter.com/patnarciso
http://twitter.com/growingbolder