Twitter & Micro-Engagement

First, watch this video:

Twitter allows users to post 140 character updates, answering the question: “What are you doing?” These posts are shared via the web to either the world or to the users’ friends. Fred Stutzman, in his “12-Minute Definitive Guide,” describes Twitter this way: Call it a microblog, a social presence tool, or whatever else you’d like--it does appear that Twitter is here to stay. As a tool with many flexible uses, it is likely that we’ll see individuals integrating Twitter with all sorts of interesting applications in the future. It is this simplicity and flexibility that makes Twitter a winner--in 140 characters or less.

Users can access Twitter messages—called Tweets—via the Web, via an RSS feed, and via text on their cellular phones or any number of third part apps. Stutzman divides uses into two areas: social updating and microblogging. Accessing a Twitter user, one might find an update on his or her day, a direct message to another Twitterer, or a bit of wit and wisdom.

Libraries are using Twitter as well as a means to update content on the Web or for alert services. Check out the examples at Tame the Web for more.

Resources:

All a Twitter: Want to Try Microblogging? Elyssa Kroski’s recent article in School Library Journal.

Learn More: Twitter from Steve Campion

Twitter & Media Landscape

Twitter for Organizations from Max Macias

ArsTechnica on Twitter

Twitter Keys -- add symbols to your tweets.

Seven Tips for New Twitter Users