Understanding the bird
Communication has come a long way since the carrier pigeon. In fact, it seems like just yesterday I was talking to my best friend via paper cups with a string in between. Now we have computers and smart phones which allow us to send a mass message across the world with just the click of a button. MySpace gave us some fun for a few weeks, and Facebook continues to monopolize the social networking scene, so where does Twitter come into play? There are only three types of people in the world, those who have Twitter, those who don’t, and grandparents.
Those who have Twitter love Twitter, those who don’t have Twitter truly believe it is idiotic, and our grandparents still think “twitter” is a dirty word.
“Hold on a sec, isn’t Twitter, like, pretty much, like, updating your Facebook status, like, all the time?” Why yes, yes it is generic teen girl; however, there is more to it.
Naturally, we all have our own opinions and most of us want them to be heard. Twitter offers more than the ability to share with your followers what you are eating for dinner, or that it’s your little cousin’s fifth birthday today, it allows you to express who you are. People are vastly different and that reflects on the type of tweeters they become. Here is my attempt at giving you a better understanding.
The Opinion Tweeter: This is without doubt the most popular and annoying way to use Twitter. Simply expressing what they hate, love, and why; treating the site as if it is a public diary used to vent their emotions.
The Information Tweeter: The easiest and quickest way to find out what is happening in the world is through these people. The second they hear something, they tweet it. Between info-tweeters and trending topics (subjects most commonly being talked about), Twitter will be sure to permanently keep you in the loop. You can also follow more specific news sources that are more suited to your interests. (@MTV, @CNN, @Cordnews)
The Comedy Tweeter: There are a lot of funny people out there, some with absolutely hilarious outlooks on life. In the comedy world, Twitter acts as a powerful tool, allowing aspiring comedians to network with each other. Personally, this has always been my cozy niche. My followers are the audience and it is my job to entertain them through humour. Keep in mind Twitter only allows 140 characters per tweet, so jokes must be concise and to the point. From making fun of celebrities, to witty one liners, there are multiple people on Twitter dedicated to making you laugh. (@robdelaney, @meganamram, @thesulk)
The No-Tweeter: Tweeting isn’t for everyone, but that certainly does not mean there is no place for you. The top excuse for not creating an account is “but I have nothing to say!” Despite that being incredibly false, you don’t have to worry about constructing fascinating tweets if you don’t want to. Many people use Twitter solely for the purpose of following their favourite celebrities, television shows, and sports teams. (@Ladygaga, @MapleLeafs, @BarackObama)
Once again, this was just to give you a better understanding of the misconceived website. Through experience you will learn about hashtags, retweets, favourites, and all that Twitter jargon. Just know that the site doesn’t primarily consist of Kim Kardashian tweeting about her captivating love-life; it has a lot more depth than that. You may come to realize that Twitter, and social networking in general, is not your cup of tea, in which case I don’t know what to tell you. I suppose you can go enjoy reading your so-called “books” or what ever those things are. I’ll be in my room tweeting all night if you need me. (It’s not what it sounds like Grandma!)