to tweet or not to tweet?

I think I am a bit slow when it comes to new trends. I am very cautious about the things I invest my time in, especially when it comes to the internet.

In high school everyone joined myspace. I didn’t understand the appeal. I saw the same people every day in class. I could call or email them if I really needed to talk to them. Why did I need another form of communication? I was months behind the crowd. When I finally joined, the fact that it was something to distract me from my homework was enough to get me hooked.

My freshman year of college, people began talking about a website called facebook, which was even better than myspace. I did not join for quite some time, but finally decided I should break down and follow the trend. It was better than myspace. I could see what people I had forgotten about were doing. I could spend hours looking at pictures of people I hadn’t spoken to in years. I could talk to my brother in Florida every day without getting annoyed at him for never returning text messages. Facebook is the answer to all my guilt about not keeping in touch with people, and I still don’t have to put forth much effort.

I understand how both facebook and myspace can be great marketing tools. If you build up enough of a network, you can have people get the word out about books or events with great ease.

When twitter started, I really didn’t understand how it could possibly catch on. I have blocked half the people on my facebook status update news feed because I get tired of reading things like: “today I am going to work then going to the store then cooking a delicious meatloaf and watching lost and going to bed!” The idea of a site totally devoted to updates like this seemed silly.

But, the more I think about it, it makes the most sense in terms of marketing. You don’t have to beat around the bush with a detailed profile. You can just say what you want people to know, get the word out, and be done with it.

I have decided to join twitter. I am going to see just how much I will gain from following others and see how many people end up following me. So far, I have zero followers. I follow two twitter accounts: Publishers Weekly and Stephen Colbert. I am not overly impressed, but I do see how it could very much help someone who already had a name established market something.