Understanding Twitter – Why do so many people fail to?
Twitter is the latest in-thing. YouTube, Facebook, blogging and the like have already been on the tips of everyone’s tongues whether they use it or not. This is exactly where Twitter is right now. The user base is growing at an incredible rate and the usefulness of the service is growing as a result. There’s just one problem – lots of people still don’t understand Twitter.
Not one of my real-life friends is using Twitter right now, and very few of them have ever mentioned it to me so they may not even know of its existence. This is in stark contrast to Facebook, which is used by the vast majority of my acquaintances, family, and RL friends.
So it’s easy to see that Twitter hasn’t yet reached the mainstream, despite having been around for a couple of years now. The main reason seems to be that non-users, those who haven’t yet taken the plunge, don’t fully understand Twitter.
I’ve read numerous comments from people on articles related to Twitter stating they don’t understand what it is, what it does, or how to use it. And I don’t understand why this is the case. In it’s most basic form, Twitter is one of the simplest Web apps I have ever used.
Anyone who is putting off trying Twitter out should just take the plunge. Create an account, send your first tweet – a message of 140 characters or less, and then let nature take its course. And I guarantee it will do.
Twitter can be used in a variety of different ways. At its most basic level, it allows you to keep people updated as to what you’ve been up to. Social networking etiquette will tell you to avoid telling your followers (people who choose to keep track of what you’re saying) about your toilet habits. But rules are there to be broken. The main thing is to start conversations and add something to the ones that are already taking place.
The service has evolved over time to become more than it was intended. Twitter can now be used as a news source, by following your favorite Web sites. Celebrities are also rife on Twitter, so if you love gossip and up-to-the-minute news direct from the mouths of the famous, Twitter can replace your weekly magazines.
The point is, nothing about Twitter is complicated or hard to understand. Some of the language that has evolved can be strange to new users but it quickly becomes second nature. By watching how others act, what they say, and the methods they use to communicate, Twitter can be easy as pie.
As with every new innovation, trying it out for yourself is the only way to truly discover what it can do for you. So if you’re still not sure, here’s where you sign up. And feel free to follow me if you’d like to hear inane ramblings at all times of the day and night.
March 13th, 2009
Great article. And no, we’re not related, but I do see Dave Parrack’s posts on Twitter, because I follow him, and enjoy his tweets.
There are a variety of characters using Twitter to get their message out, ranging from John McCain to Neil Diamond (I tweet, therefore I am).
Most of us don’t have a consistent message, just a few rambling thoughts. But we have fun!
–Wayne (AKA 6pence)
March 13th, 2009
I use Twitter and have over a 1000 followers and still don’t understand how to use it. http://twitter.com/mrbill15
March 13th, 2009
How can you say that Twitter is easy to understand. For you, yes. For me, yes. But not for everybody. You are right that it is best to jump right in, but I wouldn’t judge other people’s ability to understand stuff. Everybody is different. Your article sounds condescending to me.
March 13th, 2009
The name has something to do with it. twitter sounds like “witter”, “litter” ,”trivia”,it sounds like it offers nothing,and is easily ridiculed.
Whereas “Facebook”,and “Myspace” have clear,literally “spelt-out” identifiable provenance for social networking.
However,it’s the name we are stuck with,and i cant really see a “re-branding” having any real worth…and as 6pence says,it’s fun,which the name reflects..
Coming back to your thoughts,Dave..Of course the fact that “Twitter” Is still out of the “mainstream” only adds to it’s cache,(for the “Twitterati”)and i think,the nature of the level of discourse it can facilitate will NEVER enter that “Mainstream”. Maybe It’s just too apparently ephemeral for the “mainstream” “Facebook”/ “Myspace” user to bother with. There’s nothing wrong with retaining a bit of elitism i’d say.
March 13th, 2009
I suspect the Twitter divide may have something to do with working from home vs working in an office. For those who work alone, Twitter can replace the buzz of chat you get from colleagues at an office.
I think a lot of people also come to it with the social networking mindset and see it as fairly limitless/pointless compared with Facebook. To me the distinction is useful as I use Facebook to keep track of people I know in ‘real life’, whereas Twitter is for my online-only contacts.
March 13th, 2009
Well, the thing is… you missed the point of what people are confused about.
When someone says they don’t understand Twitter, they are not saying that can’t figure out how to technically use it. Everyone gets that it sends updates to your followers about whatever it is you want to talk about. That is immediately understood by everyone.
What they mean when they say, “I don’t get it” is “Who cares? Who cares what I am doing at any given moment. I don’t get it! The utility of bothering to send my random status out to random people escapes me.”
The Twitter adopters are mostly the marketing type crowd or celebrities who have a vested interest in communicating in an easy and meaningful way with a volume of people.
For someone like my brother, for instance… he has 200 friends and family on Facebook, and he happily communicates with all of them. He sees no use whatsoever in following techie news updates, and even less use in posting his current status to random followers.
And I suspect he represents the majority of people out there.
February 16th, 2010
What I don’t understand when using Twitter is all the @ and # symbols… can anyone explain that please?
Thanks
September 11th, 2010
Two points.
1 Twitter has minimal practical utility. It’s popular, but it’s just a gimmick.
2 Tweats have a syntax of their own. Potential users need a glossary, not a “try it, get used to it” lecture.
October 12th, 2010
I absolutely understand what Twitter is. It’s a ‘micro-blogging’ site. It’s for sending concise and constant updates, and somewhat for communication. What I don’t understand is Why. Why would I want to keep a constant update of what I’m doing? Who would be interested in those updates? Why should I be interested in any others? And, if I want to socialise, MSN or Skype are apt, superior choices.
March 10th, 2011
“The main thing is to start conversations and add something to the ones that are already taking place.” Seriously, twitter is the most awful IM platform ever.
“Twitter can replace your weekly magazines”. That is just such an absurd claim. I’d like to see twitter replace my weekly one hour long science podcast. Oh, perhaps your idea of a magazine is Cosmo or something of that magnitude.
“nothing about Twitter is complicated or hard to understand.” I still don’t understand what it is for – I already get status updates in FB, I cant imagine anyone who need another stream of updates? And the FB status updates are already mostly a waste of time – more or less, you know who you are :)
March 16th, 2011
I’m not trying to be mean or anything but I don’t think you should be a writer. This is a a very poorly written article. Of course if you practice twitter you’re gonna get it. So many people fail because the @ stuff and other people on your facebook and whether its the tweeter or the person tagged in the comment or what. and that’s where I’m confused. Thats the kind of stuff you need to be writing about. Not telling people that if they practice twitter and let nature run its course to learn it. durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, thats just common sense. the people that dont understand it are the ones who don’t really get as into it as you apparently. It’s not as appealing for me to get updates all of the time about what’s going on or what people are doing
June 14th, 2011
Twitter is MSN messenger (a chat program) without the extra bells and whistles. That’s the conclusion I came just now. And no one told me that. I had to think very hard and fo a long time to come to this conclusion. Many haven’t figured it out yet, reason why they’re not on twitter yet. Now I can start to use twitter (again) for I have left it collecting dust since I signed up, because I did not understand it, even after I googled “what is twitter”. Lol (yes I read all the comments and twitter is used to update people about your doings or what’s happening)
September 22nd, 2011
Im sorry but the article title is “understanding twitter” and funny enough i read the whole article and i still don’t know more than i knew before + you gave the feeling that im kind of stupid! maybe im too smart to understand twitter! least now i know if i want to gossip or read more like SMS messages i should go for twitter. not my thing, i can spend that time reading something useful!
September 24th, 2011
I have to agree with several of the above comments.
I joined Twitter years ago but still don’t comprehend what it’s about or how to use it.
I watch F1 and I hear commentators saying that someone tweeted them but, when I follow and try to see those tweets in my attempts to understand what’s going on, I see nothing that relates to the mentions on the TV.
Is Twitter more for superficial gossip and helping in world affairs such as the Japan tsunami and the Arab Spring, or is it also relevant for serious computer users like me?
If so, how? Maybe there’s a really good guide out there that someone can refer me to?
October 18th, 2011
I just don’t understand how to post an answer in a topic. I’m using a phone but I can’t put the Twitter app up because its not my phone.
October 18th, 2011
I just don’t understand how to post an answer in a topic. I’m using a phone but I can’t put the Twitter app up because its not my phone. Anybody know how to?
October 28th, 2011
Dave Parrack says in his article to take the plunge, jump in, create an account, send a tweet, and nature will take its course. I did! DUH?!?!?! nothing! Absolutely nothing! what the hell is he talking about. I didn’t understand it before, and I still don’t. I’m obviously not the only one, and I wonder what it is that makes people get so excited about an irrelevant, empty experience, which goes nowhere, and does nothing. it looks like a hoax that has fooled a lot of people into thinking that something is there that isn’t. i think they don’t understand either, but don’t want to admit it. And comparing it to Facebook is like comparing plain yogurt to fine Italian pastry.
November 5th, 2011
I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND TWITTER THE CONCEPT IS BAFFLING
WHO AM I TALKING TO WHEN I SEND A TWEET WHAT IS A RETWEET
HOW DO I USE TWITTER, SO CONFUSING, THE LAUNGUAGE AND TERMS USED ARE AS CLEAR AS MUD UNLESS I WAS UNDER THE AGE OF 14 THEN I WILL NEVER GET TWITTER EVER
November 7th, 2011
Why would would anyone need Twitter to follow a favorite website? Is he kidding? Dave Parrack’s article above explains nothing. I have no idea how one would follow a website, and have no idea how to find out how – but on the face of it, it seems ridiculous! Why would I need an intermediary, anyway? I can just go to the website. Twitter appears to be the biggest hoax on the internet, and a lot of people have fallen for it.
December 26th, 2011
Haven’t you all worked this out, this is for celebs to draw you sheep in, so you can see what an amazing time their having on your money, BAAAAAAA…..BAAAAAA like a lot of sheep
April 24th, 2012
If you ask a Twitter devotee what the point of Twitter is, don’t expect some kind of analysis, but surely expect words like “revolutionary.”
Don’t understand it? Don’t get the point? Just try it…”let nature take its course…. You just need to try it.”
What else can you say that about besides illicit drug use?
November 10th, 2012
That’s great – okay, you’re a genius because you understand it and we’re stupid. But that still doesn’t tell me anything about how to use it.
All I want to know is how to send a message to somebody and who can see it when I do, and nothing on any site tells me how to do that
December 20th, 2012
I also am totally puzzled as to the ‘point’ of twitter.
And MUCH internet searching has not come up with an explanation I can in any way understand.
I was a very early adopter of internet / email [1993] so I am far from hostile to the idea of some new communications phenomenon.
But I just don’t see why any ordinary person would find it useful.
Yes if you like being a fan of a celebrity you can receive their tweets – but how is that better than just checking out the celeb’s website whenever it’s convenient for YOU to spend time doing that ?
Why would anyone, instead, want to be walking around or on a train and constantly have their ‘phone buzzing with text messages not specifically addressed to himself/ herself ?
It seems so popular I have lingering feeling there is something I’ve just not understood – so I really would appreciate a well-written article explaing at last twitter’s ‘POINT’ ……….