Microblogging – Little tool, big power
When people first hear about microblogging, there are two common reactions: “Why would anyone want to know what I’m doing right now?” and “It’s fun on 
, but how could it possibly be part of my personal success story?”
Like many other new web tools, however, the more you microblog, the more uses you can find for it. It’s the little tool that could and part of the next wave of online products that could really change the way we do things.
What exactly is microblogging?
Here’s how microblogging works:
- write a text messages (less than 140 characters)
- post it online through a microblogging tool like
or 
.
The program makes your message available for viewing through subscription, 
, cell phone texting (SMS), or instant messaging. Your “followers” sign up to receive your posts and keep up with your activities, thoughts, messages, whatever.
You can also sign up to see posts from others, your friends or complete strangers, like Barak Obama or Wil Wheaton.
lets you search on key words in postings (known as “tweets”), has a “ public timeline ”.
If you have an account on , you’ll probably already have used microblogging – the “What’s on your mind?” application is a microblog. However, to get the most out of microblogging, you have to be creative.
Here are some ideas:
- Working on a group project? Update your team with tweets.
- Want to keep track of progress on your term paper? Tweet links, short notes, accomplishments and tasks completed.
- Thinking of trying to curb that smoking/drinking/overeating habit? Consider setting up a special “consumption” account (the Bridget Jones microblog?) and post every cigarette, every drink, every food item.
As The Microblogger says, “The power of a microblog is only limited by your imagination and your own abilities.”
Now that you have all these microblogs on the go, you’ll need to get yourself an account manager. 
is a free, downloadable desktop application that lets you register multiple accounts, cross-post between major microblogging tools, and host of other tasks.
- Go to the home page.
- Look at the list of today’s popular twitter subjects at the top of the page. Click the one that interests you and read some postings.
- Go back to the home page. Think about what kind of microblog would me most helpful to you right now. What do you need to keep track of? Or maybe you know people who microblog and just want to join the chorus?
- Set up an account. Choose a user name that reflects the purpose of the account. (e.g. Amy’s Snack Attack for your bad eating habits microblog or Shane88_English for your term paper account).
“THINK BEFORE YOU INK” MOMENTRemember that everything you post is PUBLIC and available to be read by anybody and everybody. - Make your first post. In 140 characters or less, introduce yourself and your purpose for microblogging.
- Remember the Digital Tattoo mantra: Think before you Ink.
http://www.slackermanager.com/2007/03/the-several-habits-of-wildly-successful-twitter-users.html
http://www.themicroblogger.com/ – a blog about microblogs!