The Help Centers

Awhile back I joined a site called Twitter after hearing about it on a podcast. It was a very interesting social networking site where you could leave and receive short messages either from the web OR your cell phone. You could follow another person’s posts and have them follow you.

Why does this matter and how is it a GREAT social networking example? Read on…

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Twitter while a very simple concept shows the explosive way people will interact with each other when the tools ‘fit’. Unlike a blog which is more like publishing a letter or at least a full thought, twitter lets you (or makes you) post quick and simple messages much in the flavor of SMS messages on a phone. It connects you to your friends. A quick post or tweet on twitter can send the message to all of your followers and vice versa. And unlike a sms or instant message the log of what’s been said is available through RSS expanding the amount of places that that information can be displayed.

The learning curve is minimal most people can post to a web form or send and SMS and there is a flexible API for the more adventurous.

The keys with Twitter are is Simplicity, Speed and Relationships. No longer do you have to remember a huge list of names to broadcast a message. Have a person you like that’s on twitter? Get information on what their up to quickly and easily. Who Follows you and who do they follow. All of these relationships are laid out for you to see.

Granted this can lead to a little cyberstalking but a good head and a block features help reduce this.

Another problem is an OVERLOAD of SMS messages on your phone. This can be problematic and costly so be VERY careful when setting up the account.

For myself Twitter its a fun diversion but not much more than that (partially because I have almost no contacts on it) but is a GREAT example of a Social Networking site.