To Tweet or Not to Tweet
[Update: Click on the image at right or here to see WashingtonWatch.com's tweets.]
A couple of months ago, I signed up for a WashingtonWatch.com Twitter account. Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users’ updates (also known as “tweets”), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.
“‘Micro-blogging’?! Feh!” you might say. And you would be normal. And, if you did say that, chances are you’re over 30. I’m well over 30, but very immature, so I find myself on the fence about the whole thing.
The value I’ve seen others get from Twitter seems to be knowing what bars their friends are at on Friday and Saturday nights (and Thursday, and Wednesday, and every other day of the week).
Most of my usual hang-out friends aren’t Twittering their locations. They’re inscribing their whereabouts on little papyrus scrolls and tying them to the legs of homing pigeons . . . which only works if I’m at their houses to meet the pigeons.
But seriously, tech-business eminence Mike Masnick of TechDirt recently pointed to a New York Times article pointing out that Twitter provides value by giving users “ambient awareness” of what’s going on with others.
Anyway, two people have signed up to follow WashingtonWatch.com on Twitter even though I’ve done nothing to promote it. Which has me wondering: Is this a way to get more people more aware of what’s going on with the site, with federal legislation, and with their tax dollars? Or are some people just signing up for stuff at random? What information do you suppose people want to see about WashingtonWatch.com on Twitter – and is it something more than links to interesting bills and new blog posts? I suppose there are half-developed thoughts I have about things, but this is not a vanity site (except when it is).
So I ask you: to tweet or not to tweet? And, if so, what? I’d be happy to get ideas – either in the comments here, or via our contact page. Thanks!
Oh, and here’s a look at the latest tweets from WashingtonWatch.com – which will be continuously updated thanks to the miracle of Javascript:
WashingtonWatch.com Twitter Updates
KipEsquire
One big advantage of Twitter for “real” bloggers is that it provides a quick way of posting simple “check this out” links without having to compose an entire blogpost just to say “check this out.”
Another is that most blogging platforms allow you to automatically send Twitter tweet-links for your blogposts as they’re published, eliminating the need for a web-based aggregator.
P.S. Follow me on Twitter at user “KipEsquire”
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RaiulBaztepo
Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo