8 reasons for using Twitter.

After using twitter for some time, I found that it is very interesting and if used properly, it could definitely be a great social media too.

With twitter gaining popularity, the number of users greatly increased after celebrities start to use this social media platform. Some people get tired of twitter after a month and stop using while others continue to use it.

Many people ask, "What are people talking about on Twitter?" or "What's so interesting about micro-blogging?" Well the answers depend on the people you are following.

Enough said, I guess I don't have to explain what micro-blogging is about. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-blogging)

Micro-blogging is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates or micromedia such as photos or audio clips and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user. These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messaging, instant messaging, email, digital audio or the web.

The content of a micro-blog differs from a traditional blog in that it is typically smaller in actual size and aggregate file size. A single entry could consist of a single sentence or fragment or an image or a brief, ten second video. But, still, its purpose is similar to that of a traditional blog. Users micro-blog about particular topics that can range from the simple, such as "what one is doing at a given moment," to the thematic, such as "sports cars," to business topics, such as particular products. Many micro-blogs provide short commentary on a person-to-person level, share news about a company's products and services, or provide logs of the events of one's life.

Twitter defines micro-blogging and since July 2006, more and more people are on it, Twitter become a very powerful social media tool. Let me give you 6 reasons why you should Tweet!

1) Networking - You can find all sorts of people on twitter, and following the right group of people, and allowing people to follow you can allow you to build up a strong network of people that share similar interests. You can sometimes rely on the expertise of these people and as they come from varied backgrounds, having these people in your network is definitely great if you need to seek advice on a topic you do not understand.

2) Updated news - I could not believe how fast some of these news show up on twitter. Being on twitter, the news show up real time and unlike certain newspapers of news source, the current events you get from twitter is varied and may give you a very balanced or skewed new on a certain topic. I now get my news on twitter as some of the people I follow watch sports and tweet as the action is going on, and I get a really - real time report!

3) Friendship - Updating your status or what you are doing can allow you to stay connected with your friends and family. Reading about your friend's tweets about their newborn lets you stay in touch with them, even when you cannot be there. You can also make new friends, and people with similar interests.

4) Information - You definitely get a lot of information on twitter. News on google failing to buy twitter, and apple buying twitter, information on how to pick mangoes, and movie reviews. You can find almost everything on twitter. What's even better, you can post a question to your followers and sometimes they will reply you with a link of what you need!

5) Entertainment - There are tons of quotes, jokes and funny picture or video links. Endless entertainment on twitter. You can also follow celebrities and know what they are doing or are planning to do. Its fun!

6) Events and meet ups - Tweetups are getting more and more common, and it is quite funny that many people who are usually not social butterflies, fell more comfortable to come to a "TweetUp" or a twitter event to meet their fellow friends whom they have never met in real life on these events. It is a great way to go out and meet new people.

7) Job Search - In this financial crisis, any new source where you can find a job would be a bonus isn't it? Just do a #Jobs or #Job search with #location for more specific jobs.

8) Find someone to chat - It is easy to go to a trending topic of interest, find who is talking about it and start a chat. If you are bored or just need someone to talk to, there are always lots of people on twitter all the time.

-- Robin Low

http://www.facebook.com/digitalmediaacademy