Six years after it started, people are still asking the question:
What is Twitter… really?
The answer may, in fact, shock you.

So what is it?
A cocktail party, of course. It's an excuse to have a conversation.
Twitter is not a megaphone or a platform. It's not even a channel. It's a networking event. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
Twitter is the cheapest way to send an instant message to someone interested in you. It's the easiest mode of finding breaking news that's relevant to you. It's the most effortless way to meet a celebrity.
Twitter is not the main stage. It's the backstage. What happens over coffee and face-to-face, while others are schmoozing and dropping business cards on tables.
If you are going to use this tool to make a difference in people's lives — even your own — you had better take note of these distinctions. Otherwise, what you're saying doesn't count. You're only contributing to the noise.
Signal versus noise
Social media is more about the social than the media. It always has been. Because heavens knows there are easier ways to drive traffic and attract an audience. There are a million better methods for getting your content read.
No, my friends. This is not about broadcasting. Twitter is about relationship that leads to conversation, and vice versa. In fact, most media that matters is these days.
So what are you waiting for? Stop proclaiming. Start conversing. Oh and you might benefit from these articles:
- Twitter Tips for Beginners
- Lessons Learned after 20,000 Tweets
- Can Social Media Make a Real Difference?
- 20 Essential Tips for Better Twitter Etiquette
- Is Twitter Stupid?
- Does Twitter Make You a Better Writer?
What do you think Twitter really is? Share in the comments.
*Photo credit: Andreas Eldh (Creative Commons)