All A-Twitter About, Uh, What Exactly?

On blogs and Facebook and other social network platforms you can post or tag pictures, articles, enabling followers to see a broad perspective of what's happening in your world (sometimes way too much but that's another story). 

So what's with Twitter?  I've been asking myself that for a long time.  Colleagues insisted I have a presence on there so I thought I'd try it out.  Within a few weeks I had 1800 people following me.  Who are these people?  Why would I want these nameless faces following me? How do I know what they'll do with what they read?

Are we all a-Twitter about nothing?

Like anything else social networking can become addictive.  We all know people who spend an inordinate amount of time updating, posting, adding comments, telling the world they're going to the grocery store.  Why would I want to know that, pray tell?

OK.  So you've read a ton about social networks.  Here is Donna's three cents..

1. Don't post anything you wouldn't want a personal friend or family member to know.  It's amazing how people would post things on there that they wouldn't be caught dead telling anyone.  Do you think if millions of people are reading some of these things, someone you know won't find out?  It's a very small world especially when you don't want it to be.

2.  Remember, anything that goes up on the web is accessible by all sorts of people and it's almost impossible to take it back. Read and reread what you're posting twice before you hit that Publish or Update button

3. Like anything else, choose your platform wisely.  If it's for business remember it's your professional front and will either help you fly or sink you.  If it's for personal reasons, staying in touch with people or reconnecting, great.  Be discerning as to what 'permissions' you grant the service so you choose who can read and respond to it.

4. And choose what you spend your time on.  I remember asking my blog readers what they would do if they had 15 extra minutes a day.  They had such a hard time figuring out what to do with only 15 minutes.  Well....just think.  How many spend seconds on posting 140 characters on Twitter  and HOW many times a day? Every post takes time.  What are you contributing to the world and the people in it exactly?  Are you filling time or are you respecting it for what it is...invaluable small chunks and moments of life?

I have taken my profile off Twitter.  Ahh...all of a sudden my day seems lighter.