Reviews

“Tweet”ily Dee or “Tweet”ily Dumb?

By BARB CASPER

Bay Imaging and Technology Services

Being on a computer all day, I try to be vigilant and keep my personal life secure and tucked neatly away from prying eyes on the “Net.”

I must admit I haven’t used MySpace or Facebook or the more recent media sensation, Twitter. My attitude towards all of these products has been rather dismissive.

But when the staff at Info Northeast invited me to do a tech column, I felt I needed to hop on the bandwagon and do some research. I decided to start with Twitter and wade through the hype that surrounds this newest method of staying in touch.

So what is Twitter? The owners of Twitter suggests that it is a way to communicate with others by providing quick and frequent answers to the simple question: “What are you doing?” Twitter is a social networking service that allows users to send and receive user updates. These updates are known as ‘tweets’ and have a maximum length of 140 characters making Twitter a micro-blogging service.

MY TWITTER REVIEW

The GOOD, using Twitter as a social tool:

• If you follow people who are credible and insightful, it’s a great way to discover new resources.
• It’s a quick and easy way to stay on top of information using a network of people who share your interests.
• Short on time? Even at your busiest, it’s easy to tweet up to 140 characters.
• People listen if you have something valuable to say.

The GOOD, using Twitter as a business tool:

• Businesses are using Twitter as a productivity tool. It can be used to create a digital to-do list, post self-reminders or quickly let your co-workers know where you are and what you are doing.
• Businesses are using Twitters as a marketing tool. The service can help build your brand by getting your name out there.  
• Due to its ability to ‘tweet’ quick messages, a business can update customers about new products, specials and services. For example, a video store owner could send a message about the latest video release or a restaurant could tweet about their daily special.

There are a significant number of third-party applications that enhance the use of Twitter. One of the apps that I found most useful was TrendsMap.com. Here users can do a map search to see what people are talking about based on their location. This is an excellent tool to weed out emerging trends and see the ‘tweets’ in your local area.

Unfortunately, as with most things high-tech, you also find...

The BAD and the UGLY.

Be aware there is a significant amount of mundane rhetoric on Twitter. For example:

“Need to finish waking up and have some breakfast... then it is on to studying for midterms. Yipee”

“Just finished my sausage burrito…MMM”

“At work….super bored…the day has just started.”

“Just tried to upload a photo. Can’t! Twitter is over capacity again.”

If Twitter users don’t have anything to say, then should not say anything. Tweeps need to begin to be courteous of others and sign up for a private account so only their friends have to put up with mindless tweeting. As with any other social networking tool on the market, if you want to keep things private than it is best to sign up for a private account where your tweets are seen only by those you invite to follow you.

Lastly, following Twitter conversations is not for the faint of heart as there is a significant amount of cursing and swearing in the tweeting.

Moments after signing up for a business account, which I made public so others could follow my business happenings, I had two followers that were tweeting about sex-related topics. I had to block both users from following me. Of course, I could have signed up for a private account but business users who want to market their business using Twitter need to make their account public. I recommend that businesses with public accounts should be wary and at least check their account regularly for unscrupulous followers.

In summary, if you are thinking about jumping into the Twitter foray (and who isn't these days?) it's best not to do so blindly. While Twitter has its downfalls, on the positive side, Twitter does have a big advantage by allowing users to build relationships and follow emerging trends.

– Barb Casper, owner of Bay Imaging and Technology Services, is a freelance graphic and web designer. This tech column is geared towards keeping you, the reader, up to date on the latest tech products, gadgets, services and ideas while presenting the information in plain English.