Who would have ever thought that Twitter would become such a powerful platform for communication?
Although it’s only been around since 2007, Twitter – the social media platform known for its bite-sized character limits – has amassed 284 million monthly active users, many of whom are prominent businesspeople, journalists, politicians, and lawyers. It seems like just about everyone and their mother is on Twitter these days, from Taylor Swift to Barack Obama, and everyone in between. It’s difficult to trace the exact moment when Twitter became a platform for sharing important ideas and starting conversations, but one thing is for certain: Twitter is only becoming a more important asset to industry leaders globally.
“It will become clearer that social media is an essential part of doing business today,” notes Forbes contributor Drew Hendricks, of the ways in which Twitter has created an astounding amount of opportunities for businesses and individuals in a relatively short amount of time. In 2013, Business Insider’s Alyson Shontell predicted that Twitter would soon become the most valuable social network in existence. “I’m of the strong opinion that Twitter is the most important consumer-facing company to go public since Google,” she asserted. “I also see it outlasting Facebook,” she said.
While the social media behemoth that is Facebook doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, it’s worth noting that its function as a business and news tool is definitely being outshined by Twitter. In a Business Insider article titled “54 Smart Thinkers Everyone Should Follow on Twitter,” the authors explain that “everyone is getting their news and information from Twitter,” of how the social media platform has become a place where people go to find information, to engage in social dialogue through the use of #hashtags, and to get a pulse on what is culturally relevant.
Want to know what President Obama is up to today? Go check out his Twitter feed!
Twitter is appealing to people in every industry; it’s not an exclusive space whatsoever, which is perhaps what adds to its value. Entertainers, businesspeople, news outlets, and even lawyers benefit from the social media platform. In fact, according to an article from the Touro Law Review, “attorneys have found that professionally-focused social media sites are valuable networking tools, and few big companies or law firms would ignore the marketing potential of websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube.” These days, you can find individual lawyers like Kendall Coffey and Ron Coleman, the American Bar, Bloomberg Law, the National Law Review, and even the United States Supreme Court on Twitter. With such prominent figures and legal organizations represented on Twitter, it has become an invaluable resource for law students, journalists, and anyone who works in law.
Another thing that makes Twitter so appealing to industry leaders and consumers alike is the fact that it exists as a space to share endless amounts of content and information. Interested in what’s happening at the White House? Go check out its Twitter handle. Want to read up on current events in NYC? Simply follow The New York Times on Twitter for an endless stream of news headlines.
Essentially, to stay relevant in any industry nowadays, being connected to ones customers, fan base, audience, and peers through social media is vital. As Twitter becomes an even more sought-after resource for leaders in all industries, it will be fascinating to monitor how the social platform evolves to fit the needs of its users.
Do you have a Twitter account? What do you love or find limiting about it?
