What Makes a Website Invaluable: How Twitter Works for You
Twitter bird logo icon illustration by Matt Hamm
What makes a website invaluable: How Twitter can work for YOU
How do you use Twitter?
What do I stand to gain?
Do you follow your friends, or big companies?
If you are following people you actually know, Leisa Reichelt describes a concept called “ambient intimacy,” which signifies that you find Twitter valuable because you have the ability to tell your friends what’s going on in your life.
There are other reasons for using Twitter that may not be as apparent, like job security for example.
By knowing the most up to date innovations, you keep the upper hand. You can also introduce new followers with the @reply feature that allows for users to feel a sense of belonging, giving you more power within your network. This leads to a feeling of acceptance and value by creating a hierarchy within Twitter.
While security motivations explain some reasons why Twitter has become an important tool for many users, many still strive to become better “tweeters.”
But how do you go about this?
Social media networking takes time and practice; it’s often nice to have some guidance.
Articles have surfaced that attempt to explain how to tweet more efficiently, and thus gain more followers.
Countering the physiological reasoning for why some use the site, an article by Don Reisinger explains that too many users are updating the world on topics no one cares about.
• People on Twitter want to be heard; once you realize this, the best way to connect with others is to reply.
• Be a proactive user by finding interesting articles and sharing them with your followers, this way others will re-tweet your update.
Overall, while some find Twitter a great tool for updating everyone on their dinner, others believe that the site is an invaluable networking tool that should not be taken for granted.
How will you tweet?
What you put into the site is what you will get out of it. AND the same goes for all other social media platforms.
Twitter offers a prime example of how it is possible to do a lot with just a little concept, get ahead and broaden your networking horizons.
