Why Is Twitter Important?

Twitter asks users to answer the question "What's happening?" in only 140 text characters. This response is known as a "tweet." A tweet from a particular user is seen initially by anyone that follows their account. However, tweets spread if other people decide to "retweet" the update to their followers. As of March 2011, Twitter has 200 million registered accounts, making it one of the most important social networking tools on the Internet.

Speed

News breaks faster on Twitter than almost any other media platform. Each short "tweet" is easily shared and spreads through the network at speed when relevant. For example, the first pictures of the plane that landed in the Hudson River in January 2009 appeared on Twitter. This speed makes Twitter an important tool for real-time reporting of events using short updates. This means both media outlets and the public can be kept up-to-date much faster with Twitter than with many other forms of journalism or media.

Connecting Causes

Twitter, like other vast social networks like Facebook, allows users to connect around common causes. Unlike Facebook, Twitter is mainly an open network -- meaning a user's tweets are open for anyone to see, unless specifically protected. This helps people connect under different causes. For example, a BBC summary blog reports many people in the 2011 Egyptian protests used Twitter to communicate information about when to meet and details on the current protest situation. Twitter content is also largely uncensored, unless fellow users report an account for spamming or harassment.

Marketing and Fame

Twitter provides marketers with a channel to promote content, offer competitions or reach new audiences. A tweet featuring an interesting link may spread to thousands of people within a day. It's also an important way for famous people to connect with their fans. Many of the most-followed accounts on Twitter belong to Hollywood or music stars. It offers an outlet for people to send messages to the stars and for them to talk to the fans in return.

Customer Service

Twitter offers an important way for businesses to respond and listen to customer complaints and suggestions. However, the service also offers consumers the chance to broadcast their complaints to a much larger audience and sometimes gather support quickly. This may push businesses to become more responsive to customer concerns. It may also help companies to better understand what their customers need and want. Twitter is important in opening up companies, and even governments, to the public.

References

• BBC News Business; Twitter Co-founder Jack Dorsey Rejoins Company; Maggie Shiels; 28 Mar 2011
• Internetnews.com; Social Media Steals the Show in NY Plane Crash; Judy Mottl; Jan 16 2009
• BBC World Service; Does Social Media Really Help us Understand the Protests?; Sarah Holmes; 23 Feb 2011
• Stanford Graduate School of Business; Using Social Media as a Marketing Tool; Mar 23 2010
• Knowledge @ Wharton; Is Business-centric Social Networking a Revolution -- or a Ruse?; March 02 2011