Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Bloggers still composing a story of tweet success, 140 characters at a time

Five years ago today, Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey introduced his creation this way: "just setting up my twttr."

The first comment by Alexander Graham Bell on the telephone - "Mr. Watson, come here; I want you" - wasn't exactly profound, either.

Last month, Twitter laid claim to almost 200 million accounts.

You needn't be intimidated, though, if the ins and outs of the "micro-blogging" service remain lost on you.

According to one survey, 22.5 percent of Twitter users account for 90 percent of the activity. In other words: Even those who have signed up aren't necessarily wedded to the Twitter-verse - at least not yet.

Twitter, originally created as a social-media tool, serves more purposes than one could describe in 140 characters (the maximum for a tweet).

"People can use Twitter to build relationships with clients, get the word out about their products or connect with other Buckeye fans," said Debra Jasper, director of the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism at Ohio State University.

"I follow some of the smartest people in the social-media arena, for example, and they help me stay informed about the latest happenings in my field. It's like having a tremendously talented research team."

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