Popularity of Twitter – Learn the Lingo

With the internet, people have been used to getting information fast with a click of the mouse or a tap on the iphone. People are more connected that before and get updates about practically everything and anything going on in the world today. Twitter has grown tremendously based on this simple aspect-it’s all about getting information in less than four words.

Twitter is a micro-blogging and social network. For those who have Twitter, they would also have a MySpace account, a Facebook account or Tumblr or Multiply account-or even all of it. Twitter enables people to provide short updates to their followers from just about anything from pictures to movie and sound links.

Tweets

Tweets are basically updates that relate to the ultimate question of ‘What are you doing’ on Twitter. In less than 140 characters, you answer the question by answering in universally accepted and understood short forms of words. With Twitter, less is always more. There are 2 types of Tweets which are direct tweets and protected tweets.

Follower

Followers are people who follow your tweets in their TweetStream. The account holder of Twitter can choose to make the tweets viewable to only approved followers. This is a protected account.

ReTweet

The RT is the same as forwarding an email, and in the Twitter world, you are re-sending a tweet sent by another person. It is also courtesy to include the person’s name in the RT using @username.

TweetUp

Know what’s a meeting? Well, a TweetUp is Twitter’s version of a real-world meeting of the people who have come connected together via Twitter.

TwitterStream

This is a collection of tweets; much like a Facebook Wall which features a stream of tweets sent by everyone that you follow but may refer to the public timeline of all tweets.

Twitterati

Just like Glitterati where its filled with A list celeb twitter accounts and other celebrities and popular people.

There are some rules and regulations that need to be followed commonly known in the internet sphere are netiquette. Here are some terms for Twitter:

1. Follower – People that you approve to follow and receive your tweets. These are your circle of friends and acquaintances.
2. Following – These are the people that you want to follow and be update about. You will receive a person’s tweets each time a twit is sent much like how other people receive your twits.
3. Nudge – This is a friendly reminder to your circle, urging them to give out updates. You can nudge, and you can be nudged much like a facebook ‘Poke’.

Twitter has helped expand the world of communication ever since its breakout in July 15, 2006. It had garnered more than 3 million accounts in over just two years and has become one of the main sources of information especially in countries where social media and networking have been banned. People all over the world who want to be updated on real-time events that are happening concerning global and worldwide issues can sign up to follow a certain twitter account and gain access to what’s happening currently. These events have spanned from the Golden Globes to the Academy Awards, the Iran political crisis to the World Cup.