– I had to write a creative nonfiction research paper for a class and was asked if I was going to post it to my blog. So here it is! :)
Killing some time before class, I open my browser to the Google homepage and click my saved bookmark titled “Twitter” with the little blue bird icon perched to the left of the text. After a few seconds, the welcoming sky blue masthead pops up accompanied by the giant twitter logo, dominant search bar, trending topics, and top tweets. To the right of everything is a giant yellow button encouraging users to “Sign Up” and just above is what current users are searching for: Sign In. After entering my username, HeySenseless, and password, I’m transferred to my homepage, divided in half, the left side is titled “What’s happening?” and the right are my stats: 1,785 tweets, following 148 users, 147 followers, 3 favorite tweets, 10 lists following me, the minute’s trending topics, and suggestions on who to follow. Forced a year ago to sign up for the obnoxious networking site for a journalism class, I didn’t know that this would be the place where I connected to the world. Now, what have I missed?
@Tucson_Police: seeking public’s help in identifying suspect in robbery today at US Bank in 7600 blk of E Broadway. See website for pics & details.
@UofAZPolice: 6th/Highland intersection is CLOSED. No vehicle traffic is allowed in area for several hours Use alternate route.
@ChandlerNews: 4th Valley officer killed this year http://is.gd/g8
Among the news of Tucson and Phoenix, I find a tweet from a funny friend and fellow blogger,
@Tegasaurusrex: Half drunk in a bar listening to Amy Winehouse and eating cantalope with a Packers fan. #TerribleChoices.
Her hashtag (#, a way to unite global tweets around a particular topic) shows me that she isn’t enjoying herself in her current predicament. A Phoenix blogger, Meghan Cunningham, soon pops up commenting,
@TheHatingExpert: Illegally driving in the HOV lane to cut ten minutes out of rush hour traffic #thephoenixlife, making me immediately miss home.
@RayWJ: I bet you $5 that you’re reading my tweet right now, a famous New York YouTube celebrity soon chases away my nostalgia.
Twitter.com, categorized as an “information network” or “micro-blogging” platform but also referred to as “social media”, is becoming one of the fastest growing interactive marketing platforms; and while there are 105,779,710 registered users, 56% of Twitter users say they use the micro-blogging and communication service for business purposes.
Known as the big Twitter nerd among my friends, I usually get the question, “Isn’t it the same as Facebook?” But, unlike Facebook, which focuses more on socializing with friends using daily or weekly sociable status updates, Twitter expands on that ‘sociable update’ aspect and is enhanced to immediate information updates. These tweets (or messages) are up to 140 characters in length and can range from sharing a news link, to a joke, or what you’re having for dinner (although most people don’t care). Facebook has even taken some ideas that have originated in Twitter, such as tagging people in a post. By typing the at symbol (@) before the username of the person you want to tag, it sends the tweet to a special feed that houses only the tweets that user is mentioned in. Separated from Facebook’s “social network” category, there are also social aspects to Twitter.
A friend from Phoenix tweets at me an inside joke,
@kayci: @HeySenseless I so want to buy you this. http://store.delias.com/item.do (a “The Future Mrs. Bieber” t-shirt)
While, another friend responds to my tweet about finishing a book,
@Uh0h0reo89: @HeySenseless nice!! What did you think of the ending?!
Coming across an interesting article by one user, I retweet it (or RT, meaning that I repost another user’s original message),
@MacTrast: Apple Blog: Apple Crowned Marketer of the Decade: Here’s Why http://bit.ly/9I223j.
The main problem is that people don’t know what Twitter is or what it can do. While Twitter can be used as a social networking website, it wasn’t originally intended to be one. Marketed to businesses, online advertising and awareness is what Twitter is mainly about. For example, social media spending is expected to increase from $716 million in 2008 to $3.1 billion in 2014. Since Twitter users are 3 times more likely to follow brands on Twitter than other social networking sites, subsequently social media spending is growing faster than any other interactive marketing category. New and old companies are taking full advantage of what the website has to offer. Best Buy, for example, has over 2,500 employees helping customers on Twitter as part of Twelpforce (@Twelpforce) and also has commercials on TV specifically to advertise this part of their customer service. Aditionally, Pepsi dropped TV advertising for the 2010 Superbowl to invest in a $20 million social media campaign since only 18% of traditional TV campaigns generate a positive return on investment and a lot of other companies are starting to jump in on the profit.
@MacTrast: Apple Blog: Apple Crowned Marketer of the Decade: Here’s why http://bit.ly/9l223j.
More publicity for Apple.
An incoming tweet from @JambaJuiceAZ: Know what would be ideal right now? A Jamba Juice Ideal MealTM. For $2, gives me a craving.
Twenty-eight percent of U.S. shoppers say that social media influenced their purchases in 2009 holiday shopping exhibiting the Internet’s (as well as Twitter’s) prominence in advertising for companies. Twenty-five percent of search results for the World’s top 20 largest brands are also linked to user-generated content online and while 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations over advertisements, this results in word of mouth traffic (both good and bad). As an effect of this social-media advertising boom, 91% of online retailers plan to have a Twitter page by 2011.
A new next generation American car company that I’ve been keeping an eye on, based in Chandler called Local Motors, uses Twitter as a way to get information out to the community and customers about their new technology,
@LocalMotors: Check out the 4 Rally Fighters being built by customers! http://bit.ly/bdJk0g.
Companies often intrigue their followers into paying attention to their tweets and at the same time use it to push traffic to another user associated with them, who they mention in their tweet.
@NyxCosmetics: Why is @NyxBruce constantly trying to look at our new sets? We’ll be sending sneak peeks soon!
No doubt girls everywhere will be hanging on their every cyber word to be one of the firsts for the sneak peek.
The premier Internet giant, Google, also always has something interesting to say,
@google: A sneak peek at apps & content coming for Google TV http://goo.gl/eksP plus a new site www.google.com/tv (via @GoogleTV).
Given that a majority of the population (their consumer market) isn’t on Twitter, 20% of tweets are solely about products and approximately 44% of Twitter users have recommended a product. A lot of sneak peeks or special offers have been showing up from various companies, encouraging consumer traffic so that essentially, companies get millions of dollars worth of advertising for free.
Even celebrities are expanding their fortune on Twitter. Ashton Kutcher and Britney Spears have more Twitter followers than the entire populations of: Sweden, Israel, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, and Panama. Since most news media and social-news networks are watching Twitter users for updates, releases, and ideas, celebrities are using it to expand their fan base, launch their product lines, and attract awareness for their charities, among other things.
@jtimberlake Help me support Shriners Hospitals for Children. Check out my video on the Shriners tab on my Facebook page!!! http://bit.ly/djmsNs.
@kanyewest YOOOOOOOOOOO THE PRE-ORDERED ALBUM IS ALREADY NUMBER 11 ON THE I-TUNES CHARTS!!!! I PROMISE YOU’LL LOVE IT! http://twitpic.com/30i4t0
Political activist, comedian, and celebrity, Bill Maher often tweets about his HBO show Real Time With Bill Maher, as well as gives his followers funny quips.
@billmaher: About to get my star on the walk of fame – this feels like the bar mitvah I never had – mostly cuz we were Catholic.
Additionally, Comedian Conan O’Brien’s info at the top of his page says, “I had a show. Then I had a different show. Now I have a Twitter account”, playing off of the scandal with the network NBC. Using his account to either attract fans to his website or make jokes, he always has his followers laughing.
@ConanOBrien I hunt everything I eat. Yesterday, I shot a Cobb Salad.
Sports franchises are also hopping on the twitter bandwagon. During games and days after sports events, Twitter is full of score updates, benched players, and articles on whether or not your team will make it to the top. The official Phoenix Suns Twitter usually gives play-by-plays during the game as well as articles for after,
@PhoenixSuns: Along with Steve Nash and Grant Hill, @jrich23 has been announced a co-captain for this year’s team. His reaction: http://on.suns.com/33.
@AZCardinals: Arizona Cardinals face a tougher fight for the NFC West title – AZCentral.com http://is.gd.g98Za.
Getting ready to go to class, a few more tweets pop up,
@PHXfire: Singing firefighters, fire truck displays, safety booths and water relays. Phoenix fire teaches kids fire and life safety October 25-27th.
@nytimes: Public Housing Repairs Can’t Keep Pace With Demand http://nyti.ms/9IfFij
@UofAZPolice: The intersection of 6th&Highland is now OPEN. This is an all clear. (Just in time for class)
Whether I want to or not, I’m always having a laugh, I always know what’s going on, and I’m always informed. Erik Qualman, a prominent author, professor, and columnist of social networking says, “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it?” Whether it’s next door or half way around the world, I know I’m not missing anything.
*Afterthought: I found this really cool video that a friend had posted. If you’re interested in social media, the video is only 4.5 minutes and totally worth it. Some facts would astound you! Social Media Revolution 2