"I just don't get it." [i.e. Twitter]

When I talk about Twitter to corporate audiences, a very common reaction is "I just don't get it."  Hence, the post title.

If you want to learn more about microblogging check out this report (client access only).

Our data shows that 6% of US online adults use Twitter regularly.

If you want to reach an affluent, well educated, and early adopter audience, there might not be a better communication channel out there.

BTW each line in this message is < 140 characters.

@forrester is on Twitter, as are many individual analysts like @peterkim, @jowyang, @charleneli, @birdahonk, @sureshvittal, @carriejohnson, @SFOSkyGod, and @jbernoff.

Comments

[Sheri Larsen]

I have been one of those that didn't get it, but this post was the clincher for me. Thanks for providing the last piece of the puzzle.

[Mhairi Petrovic]

I joined Twitter a few months ago and enjoyed the novelty for about a week but then lost interest. I can see a business application for Twitter functionality within an Intranet portal/corporate social network but as a stand alone app, its just another whimsical time sucker. But then again, I am not necessarily the prime audience for this.

[See-ming Lee]

There is nothing to get. IMHO, not getting Twitter is kind of like saying "I don't get Life".

Random Twitter uses:

1. News. See http://twitter.com/nyt (New York Times' twitter). I now subscribe to NYT science only because they have so much news that I don't see my friends' updates anymore

2. Record reminders for yourself (I do that)

3. Life logging (I am loggging my life right now), status update, personal broadcast, news feeds, buzz, etc. Can be fairly viral.

4. Let your friends around the world know what you're doing -- specifically things that they really ought to know but don't really warrant a blog post.

5. Twitter is a great way to blog without the overhead of writing a full essay-length post.

Cheers,
See-ming