If you know me, you are probably aware of my enthusiasm for Twitter. In fact, many of you reading this know me only because of my enthusiasm for Twitter. I am extremely optimistic about this free microblogging platform that has taken the world by storm, but recently I had a revelation.
“It’s not about Twitter, stupid,” I muttered to myself.
Twitter is an amazing tool that can amplify one’s message, and add efficiency and effectiveness to one’s communication efforts. But it’s just a tool. It still comes down to the message – knowing what it is one wants to communicate, and to whom one wants to communicate that message.
Most of the succesful Twitter users I have come into contact with would have been successful if Twitter did not even exist. Twitter is just giving them another avenue with which to reach their audience.
As you use Twitter, remember that the content you produce will determine the type of audience you attract. Just as in other forms of social media, like blogs or Facebook, people choose to “follow” because they perceive value in the content you’re providing.
Twitter can be used to encourage us to distill our experiences into short summaries – in this case 140 characters or less. What results is a journal of all the things we thought were important enough to Tweet over a given period of time. A look back at that timeline from time reveals quite a lot about our priorities, accomplishments and values. Not a bad exercise in any medium.
Just remember, Twitter is only a tool. And remember that when a carpenter builds a piece of fine furniture, it’s rare that the hammer gets the accolades. But the hammer sure does make carpentry a whole lot easier.
