Twitter Experiment

Last weekend, our class conducted a 48-hour Twitter experiment. From Thursday to Saturday, each person in my class of 13 people posted to Twitter a minimum of five times. The micro-blogs accumulated, and our public relations class was highly connected for 48 hours. We all knew the published details of everyone else.

From this experiment, we were supposed to learn the real-time value of Twitter. As a micro-blog of 140 characters, Twitter is constantly updated and personal. I learned when people went to bed, what homework they worked one, and which movies they watched. Some classmates would update every few hours; others, like me, updated two or three times per day.

I remain unconvinced that Twitter will work for me. First of all, I have to want to read about the details of everyone else’s lives; I need to care. I try to be connected with my friends in the digital world; however, I strive to be not too connected.

Granted, sometimes the micro-blogs warranted my response. They truly sparked my interest. However, I wonder how much time I would accrue “Twittering” if I became attached to the social site.

Nonetheless, I see the potential of Twitter for the use of companies and public organizations. It provides organizations with an instant message that is viewable by all of its “followers.” The followers can then reply to the organization immediately, which is instant feedback for companies. Additionally, the organization’s publics receive an inside-look at the company. Thus, Twitter is more personal than a corporate Web site or email update. This fact gives companies an advantage when building brand identity or consumer credibility.