TRAPPSTR

So you think Twitter is stupid and it’s just like a Facebook status

Posted on 28. Sep, 2009 by Brett in Social Media

It’s Twitter Week at TRAPPSTR.com! 5 days of Twitter madness! Whether you love Twitter or think it’s hot garbage, check back each day for a fresh look at the state of the Twitterverse. If you haven’t signed up for Twitter, DO IT NOW! You can do that here. You can find the TRAPPSTR on Twitter right here. If you know a Twitter hater, pass this article along by clicking on the SEND THIS POST TO A FRIEND button at bottom.

Also, I’m having a contest for a free, custom-designed Twitter background! You can learn about that here.

Unless you’ve been living on one of Saturn’s moons for the last year, you’ve heard of Twitter. The original concept was shockingly simple: People logon and answer the question, “What are you doing right now?“. That’s it. The catch is that the question must be answered in 140 characters or less. While that’s how it started, it has evolved into so much more. Twitter’s growth has been staggering.

I remember the first time I read something about Twitter, I thought it was a ridiculous idea. I had already been a Facebook junkie for several years. Using facebook was like driving a Hummer while Twitter seemed like riding a bicycle. It was too simple…like technology going in reverse. After all, the internet is supposed to make things fancier and more sophisticated. Right?

As it turns out, no. The beauty of Twitter is its simplicity. The Internet clutters our lives with a thousand voices squawking for our attention. The founders of Twitter marched right into the junkyard of the internet and planted a Garden of Eden. Quieter. Simpler. Easier. It’s no wonder people have been flocking to it ever since.

Simply put, if you haven’t joined Twitter, you need to! Here are 7 reasons why:

1. New, interesting people - On Facebook, it’s taboo to friend request strangers. On Twitter, it’s encouraged, and no one thinks you’re a weird pyscho. The beauty of Twitter is in one way relationships (see below). With Twitter, I can listen to @RickWarren encouraging fellow pastors. I can see a picture of an NFL wide receiver running with a kid who challenged him to a footrace (@OGochocinco). I can message back and forth with my favorite authors (which I’ve done with @DanielPink and @KeithFerrazzi). At the same time I can see what my fellow co-workers are doing with their families all around the country.

2. Twitter is NOT like a facebook status - It’s not. A glass of Sprite and a glass of water look the same, but they couldn’t be more different. Same with facebook statuses vs. tweets. 90% of the people on Facebook use the status just to tell us what they’re doing. That’s fine, but it’s not always that interesting. People on Twitter use tweets to post interesting links, funny quips, amazing pictures, emergency updates, observations on life, and of course updates about their day.

3. One way relationships – When I logon to Facebook, I’m flooded with statuses, most of which I find uninteresting. But I’m not going to defriend people (aka stabbing my friends in the back). The beauty of Twitter is in the one-way relationship. That means that I can follow anyone’s tweets even if they aren’t following me. If I follow someone on Twitter and they bore me, I just unfollow them (and I don’t feel bad about it :)). Start out by following lots of people and then progressively removing those who aren’t adding value (entertainment, motivation, humor, learning, etc.). After a while, you’re left with a totally customized Twitter stream from people who interest the heck out of you. The crap gets zapped and the gold gets told!

4. Easier to access – Twitter is the perfect social networking platform for cell phones. While Facebook has created some great mobile apps, Twitter is WAAAAAAY better for people on the go. 3rd party Twitter apps have sprung up all over the place. My personal favorite is ubertwitter for the Blackberry. These mobile phone clients let me read and update twitter with one click. Being able to instantly post pictures, video, and geolocation is simply amazing.

5. Twitter is real time – At the end of the day, Facebook is bogged down with tons of static information–stuff you’ve already seen and don’t care to see again. Twitter is completely real-time. That means that everything you see is fresh, new, and hot off the presses.

6. Trending topics – When you login to Twitter, there is a list of trending topics on the right sidebar. These are the top ten topics receiving the most worldwide chatter at that exact moment. When in human history have you been able to get an instant pulse on current events? Wow!

7. It makes your brain grow! - The learning opportunities on Twitter are endless! I follow a ton of business owners, authors, pastors, and other experts whose insight into the world is fascinating. What are you interested in? What are you passionate about? Odds are, there are people on Twitter offering a geyser of of information on those things. Jump in and soak it up!

Are you on Twitter? If so, tell us what you like/hate about it in comments!

What are you waiting for? Sign up for Twitter now! And be sure to look me up!