Twitter

Microblogging is something that varies from regular blogging. One of the biggest differences is that microblogging is done in very short blurbs. Each time a journalist post something it is usually under 140 characters. This is much different than posting a 1,000 word article about a subject. Another major difference between regular blogging and microblogging is that when a journalist microbloggs it is almost always an instantaneous posting. A journalist can be much more in demand with their writing. They are able to give their readers updates as they are happening. In my opinion this is the biggest and greatest difference. In generic blogging the journalist has to wait until they are home in from of a computer to put the story on the internet, but the microblogger would have the story already online in short little blurbs as the event was unfolding.

          Even though microblogging is using the internet and is considered in the same family as social networks like Facebook, it is very different. Facebook is more for keeping in contact with friends, planning events, and connecting with some of your favorite businesses. The biggest difference between the two is the purposes of Facebook and a microblogging site like Twitter. Twitter is best used for following a story, a celebrity, or a business, but not in the way Facebook is used. Twitter helps people read the latest gossip, the latest news story, and the latest update without them being bombarded with all this other information they have no interest in viewing. It helps people focus on just the information they are after. It’s a very useful tool when trying to find out certain information.

          When I used Twitter, which was only for a very short time, I didn’t really use it for too much. I thought that I wanted to use it to keep my friends updated with what I was up to, but instead I just found myself heading back to Facebook over and over to let the same people know the same thing. I wasn’t a celebrity, a News company, or even a business, so the majority of people on Twitter were not looking to my Twitter for find out the latest scoop. I found it pretty useless for personal use, but it’s a great use for professional people.

          I don’t think I will use Twitter after this class again unless I find myself in a business where it is beneficial for me to be getting my viewers or friends immediately updated information. I can’t really say if I will be in a position like that or not, so I can’t really say if I will ever actually use Twitter again. Maybe I will find some reason for it even when I am not in a professional setting. I’m sure that Twitter will be changing in the future and it might become friendlier to users like me.

          I will say that looking at Twitter; it is a phenomenal thing for business people, journalists, and even for politicians. It gets the message out to people instantly, and they are not bothered with events, pictures, games, applications, and other things that might hinder the message being delivered effectively. It is something that is progressing everyday and I predict that it will soon be the only way some people try to get their message across to everyone, as long as they have a computer.