Twitter on AND

An article I wrote on Twitter was published in this month’s issue of AND magazine. Here’s the original unedited version of it.

About a week ago, I was sitting in the company of a few random journalists. They were talking about Twitter, a hot little web service that allows members to post 140 character updates to the internet and receive similar updates from other members. These updates, technically speaking, are status updates (the sort you post on Google Talk or on your Facebook profile), but they can vary in nature. People use Twitter to break news, do political commentary, share interesting links, and even write micro-fiction (stories 140 characters or less in length).

However, as is common practice among people from mainstream media, nobody in the gathering saw Twitter as much more than an uppity little pastime. Why anyone would feel the need to broadcast the most frivolous bits of their daily lives to the whole world was beyond what they could imagine.

I joined Twitter over two years ago. I was there before Barack Obama got on it and made it a crucial tool in his campaign to be the President of the United States of America (and won!). I was there before some of the world’s largest corporations started using Twitter as a direct line to their consumer base. I was there before news of some of the most devastating natural disasters in recent times spread across the world through Twitter.

I have seen it all unfold, in a manner of speaking, before my very eyes. As you might imagine, every time Twitter is called ‘frivolous’ (or some such thing) in my presence, my heart rages in righteous indignation. Why must something as time-tested as Twitter suffer judgment by those who only came to know about it five minutes ago?

I have therefore, taken upon upon myself the reponsibility of bringing to mainstream light, the various glorious aspects of Twitter.

Twitter for News:

Logging into Twitter every morning is like entering a village square at mid day. The place is full and everyone is talking the talk of the day. I admit, it is very noisy, but one learns to listen soon enough.

People are usually discussing the big news of the day, current match scores, their opinions on what TV thinks is ‘in’ along with random bits from their lives as well (like how bad the traffic is or how much they would like to quit their job RIGHT NOW). On Twitter, the tiny is as newsy as the big and breaking.

And this isn’t news handed down to me from the high and mighty mainstream either. It’s people like me – office-goers, bus/train-takers, students, entrepreneurs – the everyday sort, who tell me what’s up with my world.

What’s more? I get to join in. I discuss issues of national and international importance with people from all walks of life and make informed decisions. I am part of the news cycle. I am the newsman as well as the audience.

Many times, Twitter serves as a live news source as well. For example, if a tweeter is at a momentous gathering or at the scene of a disaster (like the 26/11 terrorist attacks), all that anyone, anywhere in the world has to do is to start following his updates on Twitter to get their fix of the latest.

Of course, such news may be fragmented and full of noise. But then so is TV news. I am not suggesting Twitter as a replacement for news channels, only as a complement. An extra layer of protection against newslessness, if you will.

Twitter as a networking space:

I follow over 2000 odd people on Twitter. Among these, are business-owners, students, scientists, military men, techies, researchers, money experts, designers, writers, artists, photographers, and these days, even celebrities (blessed aren’t we?).

Needless to say, life isn’t ever dull on Twitter. Besides, a resource base so diverse and knowledgeable is a thing to die for, don’t you think? Sure, Google will whip up more links than you need, but there is something about actual expert advice that a search engine doesn’t even come close to beating.

Twitter is an extremely handy tool when it comes to basic research. Are you standing before a multiplex wondering which movie to go for? Post a tweet via your mobile and watch recommendations and mini-reviews flow in. Looking for a good online resource on banking? Post a tweet. If you’re even slightly lucky, you will probably get pinged by an actual banker.

Twitter for branding:

Twitter works because of the people on it. But unlike something like Facebook or Orkut, Twitter enables a much more open exchange of ideas and conversations. Whatever you say on Twitter, goes out to all your followers. Over time, a tweeter builds a lasting identity in his little pocket of people.

Those who have the most to gain from branding, have taken this message to heart. Existing brands – corporations, publications, movie studios – have taken to Twitter to complement their advertisement strategy. Lesser brands have benefitted from Twitter too. Pizza shops, libraries, movies have used Twitter to gain traction in their respective markets. Twitter is where word-of mouth truly comes to life.

More and more celebrities have taken to Twitter for better self-branding. And not just movie stars either. Twitter is now home to sportspersons, authors, ministers, wannabe-ministers, public servants, NGOs, TV personalities and a whole lot of other professionals. It is a market for markets.

This Lok Sabha election, in a somewhat Obama-inspired moment, politicians and political parties alike chose to make Twitter a tool in their campaign strategies. I have personally been in the middle of several heated debates with some very dedicated political activists.

Twitter started off as a seemingly inconsequential status update service, but grew into a many-fangled modern beast of communication. What it is today, is a model of connectivity much suited to our chaotic times.

Twitter isn’t one tweet. To see it at work, you need to jump in and let it wash over you. Unless you would rather just watch TV of course, in which case, God help us all.