In the last couple of weeks Twitter has been making a lot of noise in the mainstream – at least here in the UK it has. First of all it was heavily featured on BBC news programmes and on their website. Then there was that interview between @wossy and @stephenfry on the Jonathon Ross show. And since then some of my non-techie offline friends have slowly begun following me on Twitter.
As exciting as it is to see real friends beginning to use Twitter, the excitement is usually short lived when I check them out to find they haven’t posted a single thing yet.
It took me a year of dismissing Twitter as an utter waste of time before I saw the light and started using it. I’m glad I did, but I fear some of my friends with less nerdy tendencies than myself may well give up long before then.
So, to the point of this post: three links to three great articles that will pique your interest in Twitter, explain why so many people find it so inspirational, and a few tips on how to use (or not to use) Twitter:
Elliot Jay-Stocks: A blessay about Twitter – Elliot superbly and eloquently describes what Twitter is to him by breaking it in to 5 things and successfully captures the very essence of what Twitter is to all it’s users. If you don’t get Twitter then read this now!
Wisdump: The inspiration that is Twitter – Sophie Lucero marvels at the many weird and wonderful innovations that Twitter has spawned, including a system that allows your plants to Tweet you when they need watering! If this doesn’t get you excited about Twitter then maybe nothing will.
Sam Brown: 7 ways to stop alienating your Twitter followers – OK, so you’ve read the first two links, you’ve signed up for a Twitter account and you’ve just posted your first update about how “you’re heading to the bathroom for your daily business”. Stop there friend, and please read this first.
Is Twitter going mainstream?
I’d be fascinated to know if you too are seeing an increase in your non-nerd offline line friends and family signing up to Twitter? But more to the point, are they using it?
8 fantastic comments
Hi Aaron,
I’d say Twitter already has gone mainstream, with the likes of Barack Obama and Britney Spears Tweeting. There’s a long way to grow, however. No doubt.
Hi Aaron,
We’ve always said we need to get into Twitter but after “That interview” and hearing it constantly referred to on Radio One. We’ve finally taken the plunge. These articles have certainly helped get my head around it all – so thank you!
@David – The thought of Barack Obama whipping out his iphone to post a quick update to Twitter in between saving the world economy and negotiating world peace is a bit much for me… let alone Britney! But yeah, the fact that they (or their PR people) are using it shows that they recognise its reach.
@Lucinda – No problem, and welcome to the world Twitter. I’ve joined your list of followers 
What are you talking about, Aaron?? Barack just DM’d me to say what a waste of space Lucas Leiva is.
Oh really? You should get him to DM ol’ Rafa, see if he can exert some of his influence and get Bentiez to stick to a decent 11 once in a while.
Tell me about it, mate. This game isn’t a pretty watch.
I know someone who has been asking about the usefulness of twitter recently, so I’ll be directing them to this post and the Elliot Jay Stocks post as well. Uptake among my friends and family has been zero until a couple of mates signed on in the last few weeks (only one is actually using it though and he’s got an account for his employer – a media organisation – as well as a personal account)
I’m impressed with the thought process that came up with the idea to set up tweets for watering the plants! Very funny. But also an interesting application of twitter that I hadn’t thought of before: setting up your own personal reminder system.
Twitter, gee mention that to my friends or colleagues and they throw things at me. Personally I love it, especially when @Schofe started chatting to me, now I’m hooked. I’d say it will be mainstream once my mother starts tweeting… heaven forbid
What are your thoughts?
