Twitter: What is it good for…?
Ruth Marie Sylte on May 08 2008 at 9:08 | Filed under: international education, social media
As I've started to talk to international educators about Twitter, most need a Twitter Primer. Once they understand, the next questions include "What's it good for?" or "Why would I use it?". Good questions. I continue to look for applications that can benefit international education. A few have already come to mind. Consider…
- The case of the University of California, Berkeley, student who was freed from an Egyptian jail because he twittered one word: "Arrested".
- Twittering during the recent security lockdown at the University of Richmond reported in The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required) and the Bavatuesdays blog. I received news of the story via a twitter (with a TinyURL link) from my colleague, Penny Schouten.
- Helping a fellow Twitterpal with easy information - like directions to a conference location. I did this with Shashi Bellamkonda, the community manager for Network Solutions. Shashi had twittered that he wanted to know the best way to SOBCon08 from Midway airport in Chicago. Since I had just done the same route the day before, I twittered the instructions to him.
I can think of a couple of possible uses:
- An institution or organization has a Twitter account where faculty, students, staff, parents, etc. can follow and get news and emergency updates. While Twitter relies on the receiver to check in, this can be done in a variety of ways including through mobile phones, widgets on web sites, instant messaging services and email.
- Do you have programs in specific countries? Have you considered setting up a Twitter account to monitor the many newspapers/news services that are now sending out headlines by Twitter with links to the articles? I no longer check the BBC news site as often because I am receiving BBC news twitters throughout the day.
- An association or organization has a Twitter account to send out "headlines" to their membership and others who are interested in what they do. I see that NAFSA is already experimenting with Twitter.
- Some companies are already monitoring the twitterstreams for mention of their brands or products. They do this to check in on customer experience and perceptions. That's an interesting use for public relations and marketing!
Is there more "noise"? Sometimes there is. It all depends on how many Twitterfeeds you're following and how much you want to engage. Remember that Twitter is a relatively "young" concept. It will be interesting to see how it grows up.
UPDATE: This evening, Jeremiah Owyang twittered a link to TwitterLocal's recent statistics on the top 30 cities with the most (public stream) twitters in the last month. Talk about international! On the day of this post, Tokyo led with 31,861 twitters — in one month! Also included were San Francisco with 18,900+, London 9200+, Sao Paolo 7800+, Paris 6800+, Madrid 6000+, Toronto 3900+, Sydney 3100+ etc. My own area of Minneapolis with 3800+.
Do you Twitter? What have your experiences been?
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Very cool list Ruth. Such great ideas. I've loved twitter (and meeting you at Sobcon as well!)
Somehow I missed Shashi was Network solutions. I gotta have a talk with him. I need help!!
Michelle Vandepas's last blog post: What Everybody Ought to Know About Self-Esteem
I think Twitter is, like many new media tools, mostly one of those "roundabout" connection things.
I was sitting next to chris garrett at sobcon - and he said to me, "I don't make money BY blogging. I make money BECAUSE I blog." Same with me. The entire structure of my music career has changed because of blogging. But it took some time to make that shift.
Twitter is so new to me that I'm still in the overwhelm stages. For instance, when I log in and see all the conversations of the people I'm following — it's like walking into a loud cafeteria with tables of people everywhere and I'm holding my tray wondering where the hell I'm gonna sit!
So, I haven't completely jumped in at this point. I may try Twittering an upcoming performance or something! (Or maybe I'll Tweet from the stage!)
Great to meet you, even if briefly on the last night at SobCon!
Christine Kane's last blog post: To Tweet or Not to Tweet
Ruth:
That was an excellent and timely post because I'm a newborn baby Twitterer. Just born yesterday and am still in the process of getting used to it. I was reluctant to jump in before because I was concerned I'd let this distract me more than I want it to (yes we all have control of our own inhibitions but why bring in more distractions if we don't need them, right?).
But then I went to SOBCon08 and everything changed. After staying at Karen Putz's house Sunday and Monday nights I saw a little more of how it worked. Then when I arrived home on Tuesday, I got an email from Karen who told me others were asking if I was on Twitter. I got converted right then and there.
Like Christine said, I'm still getting used to it but I think I might like it.
It's kinda cool and I love how the messages are very short. I also like the possibility of engaging in a short and sweet conversation about something a little more substantial than mundane, everyday things we're doing (i.e. "I'm having an ice cream cone right now versus what do you think of the political landscape happening between Obama and Hillary").
I'm thrilled to be here - you are one very intelligent lady and I'm glad we met at SOBCon08.
P.S. Have you tried the Woopra plug-in? It's really cool!
Stephen Hopson's last blog post: Stephen Hopson Interview with Alexander Kjerulf, Chief Happiness Officer from Denmark, Part II of II
Hi Ruth,
It was wonderful to meet you. You have visited so many countries and speak so many languages. I can't thank you enough for the tip on the train from midway to downtown.
Shashi
Shashi Bellamkonda's last blog post: A Solutions Are Power Connection story
[...] Marie Sylte came up with even more institutional uses for Twitter on this post. Even folk-rock stars are using [...]
Hi Ruth,
I'm curious as to what you think of this post about twitter in Creating Passionate Users
I note that the post was originally written in March 2007 — and much has happened in the Twitterverse since then. I'm seeing some really interesting and dynamic uses of Twitter in marketing and customer service. And there are third party applications being developed that allow for refining one's use of Twitter.
One brief example, Twhirl by Seesmic. It reads my incoming twitter stream, notifying me that twitters have been received and how many so that I can check in if I want. It also uses a particular sound to alert me when I receive a direct message or a reply addressed directly to me. So I don't need to read everything all the time.
It will be interesting to see how Twitter develops.
I will, however, take issue with her statement:
"Coffee with your next-door neighbor could do more for your brain than a thousand Twitter updates."
That depends upon who your neighbors are…
I can't even begin to describe the quality and quantity of helpful information that Twitter has brought to me, even in the midst of some of the "noise." After all, filtering out nuggets of essential and/or helpful information is something we have to do every day, even in face-to-face conversations.