Twitter is a whole new phenomenon which took the world by storm a couple years ago with its release in 2006. For those of you who are unaware what twitter is, the essential purpose is to post pictures or 100 or so characters or less about where you are and what you are doing every minute of the day. I think what contributed to its popularity however was the fact that celebrities caught on to the twitter phase and opened up their own accounts. Instead of just seeing what your friends were doing, you can "follow" almost anyone you want. Twitters also recently have begun posting contests and games through twitter which allow fans to win concert tickets, backstage passes and all sorts of things a fan would never normally have access to. There are so many resources to make sure you get the most of your twitter account as well. Twitterlocal.net finds twitters near your location. Twitterholic.com pulls up all the most popular people being followed. Whoshouldifollow.com gives you a list of users who have a similiar name as you, interests, or friends in common. It is actually a little frightening in my opinion how much information you can now get through here. There is a way of course to make it private which helps some but for those unaware how to do so there "tweets" get sent all through the internet for anyone to view. If it were not for the high celebrity appeal I am not sure Twitter would last. People feeling as if they can talk to celebrities, hoping they will respond keeps them hooked. When they see a latest post from their celebrity crush or just one fo their favorites it makes them feel, even for a second that they are connected in some way. It is a sad world we live in where that can actually make someones day, talking to a person who essentially is just like them but has this stigma attached to them like they are some sort of God. But in another sense it is kinda cool that those who feel that way do have access and connection to these people they otherwise would not have. In any case, for those using Twitter for their family and friends it is and even more step by step connection they can have with them, as now they can know what they are doing at every moment of the day. Just another new communication technology which is bringing us all together.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/may/08/socialnetworking.twitter
Twiter is definitely the "it thing" to have. I totally agree with you. Before celebrities starting creating their personal accounts, twitter wasn't really talked about. Thanks to you, I now know it was released in 2006... I had no idea. So many people follow twitter religiously, and I kind of sort of get it. It's a way to know what's going on in the world we live in today, not only in the lives of our friends and family, or celebrities, but also our community leaders. I wonder if it's going to kill Facebook the way Facebook killed Myspace!
ReplyDeleteTwitter is now a major part of the marketing industry as well. Every name brand has a twitter account and it is becoming more about advertising then anything else. I'm not sure I like Twitter too much.I don't think it is a substitution for facebook at all, at least i hope it's not!
ReplyDeleteYou should check out my blog! Ashleymiskoff.blogspot.com
@praniece That's a good point. Facebook did completely destroy myspace. I think Facebook will continue to last though just because it has so many more options than Twitter. There really is hardly a person now who doesnt have a twitter its ridiculous.
ReplyDelete@ashley You are so right! Twitter is now even being flooded with advertisements in a way. I randomly will log on and some new brand of jeans, or something will be following me. Then I go look through their page and its loaded with codes to get free shipping and links to these new looks. Twitter is a big selling plow for companies/brands/and artists. It's all about people getting drawn in lol. I don't think it will ever replace Facebook though.
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