Take the Twitter Challenge
For those of us that use Twitter, if you’re like me you cringe when someone asks, “So, what’s the deal with Twitter anyway?”. It’s impossible to answer that question properly without wondering why, in fact, you actually do use Twitter.
“It’s a great way for me to network and meet new people.”
“Uh, you mean like Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Ning, etc.? I don’t need another way to do that.”
“Well, its a great way to find out new information, keep up with technology, learn from experts…”
“Uh, you mean like reading people’s blogs, subscribing to their RSS feeds, etc.? I don’t need MORE ways to get info, I get too much already.”
“Well I also use it to communicate with people.”
“Riiighhht, like email, SMS, and IM? Yeah, I needed ANOTHER way to communicate with people.”
At this point I usually attempt to show the person my Twitter feed on my iPhone via Tweetie, but still they just don’t “get it”. Then I remember about a year ago when I also didn’t “get it”.
I think, like most new technology, with Twitter you have to try it to understand it’s power. You can’t simply read the Twitter.com homepage and understand its value. You have to actually jump in, try it, give it some time and then you’ll actually understand it. And you know what, it might NOT be for you, but at least you’ll “get it”.
So the Twitter Challenge is this: For two weeks, spend 10 minutes a day on Twitter. After that two weeks, you’ll “get it”. 140 minutes over two weeks, that’s it. I promise it will all start to come together and I’d bet you continue using Twitter after the challenge, and probably in an altogether different way than the people that tried to describe it to you.
PS – you’ll also enjoy the experience MUCH more if you use an app like TweetDeck (my preferred app) or Filttr.
Great idea, Jeff. Like you say, most of us had to try it a while before we got it. But then, that’s probably been true of stuff like email, LinkedIn, blogging, and Flickr, right? We just need to try them for a while and then we end up using them.
Great idea, Jeff. Like you say, most of us had to try it a while before we got it. But then, that’s probably been true of stuff like email, LinkedIn, blogging, and Flickr, right? We just need to try them for a while and then we end up using them.
Exactly, plus I probably use LinkedIn, del.icio.us, etc, in a different way than you do, so explaining to someone the benefits of Twitter is tough as it means something different depending on who you’re talking to.
Exactly, plus I probably use LinkedIn, del.icio.us, etc, in a different way than you do, so explaining to someone the benefits of Twitter is tough as it means something different depending on who you’re talking to.
I was going to write almost exactly this same post. But you beat me to it. Thankfully. Now I don’t have to. ;-)
I was going to write almost exactly this same post. But you beat me to it. Thankfully. Now I don’t have to. ;-)
Hey Jeff, Great point. I will point some people to this blog. It is a great encapsulation of what I thought about as I was trying to explain twitter to someone on the telephone. Thanks for writing the article.
Hey Jeff, Great point. I will point some people to this blog. It is a great encapsulation of what I thought about as I was trying to explain twitter to someone on the telephone. Thanks for writing the article.
Here is a nice article from about a year ago in which the author basically says “silly rabbit, Twitter is for kids”:
https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18445274/
If someone does not get Twitter, just send them this:
https://commoncraft.com/twitter
Here is a nice article from about a year ago in which the author basically says “silly rabbit, Twitter is for kids”:
https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18445274/
If someone does not get Twitter, just send them this:
https://commoncraft.com/twitter
When i first joined Twitter, like so many I just did not get it.. I did not understand the value to me of using the service on both a personal and business level.. So I left.. I then returned approx 6 months later.. and did as you suggest.. spent time getting to understand how to use the service, how to engage, what to do, what not to do, and which 3rd party applications to use…
and then yes.. now it makes perfect sense..
I do think that if pepole give it a try, and also searched for the tons of great info on twitter, lots more would adopt it and have a go
best
Mark
When i first joined Twitter, like so many I just did not get it.. I did not understand the value to me of using the service on both a personal and business level.. So I left.. I then returned approx 6 months later.. and did as you suggest.. spent time getting to understand how to use the service, how to engage, what to do, what not to do, and which 3rd party applications to use…
and then yes.. now it makes perfect sense..
I do think that if pepole give it a try, and also searched for the tons of great info on twitter, lots more would adopt it and have a go
best
Mark