Why Use Twitter? Ways for Beginners to Get Started

"What is Twitter?" and "Why should I use it?" are among the most popular questions the unconverted have about the social networking site. With text messaging, various social networking sites, and blog spots, why is Twitter useful?

There are several excellent business uses for Twitter, like sending out news briefs or advertising the latest job opening. Still, there are even more personal benefits of Twitter.

Start a Microblog

Many people forget Twitter's original use as a micro-blogging platform. And it is still one of the best benefits. It's easy to make a quick tweet telling the world what you are doing, how good your morning coffee tastes, or how bad your lunch went.

Get Quick Answers

The idea of crowdsourcing has never been so quick! You can ask all sorts of questions to the Twitter universe, from Alaska's capital to opinions of a particular brand of baby food. And the more friends you have, the more detailed answers you will receive.

There are web services set up to take advantage of this feature, so if you don't have many followers, don't worry. You can still get your question answered by tweeting to @answers.

Find a Job

Whether you got laid off or are sick of your current job, Twitter can help you get a new job. You can announce to the world that you are looking for employment, and many companies post job openings on Twitter. 

Keep up With the News

From newspapers to magazines to TV stations and cable news, it seems everyone is adopting Twitter as the coolest thing since sliced bread. The coolest part is that Twitter is a great way to keep track of the news.

Want to keep up with the news but don't want to clutter up Twitter? Use a Twitter client like TweetDeck.

Arrange a Lunch With Friends

Twitter can be handy for arranging a time and place to get together. It's like a conference call with text messaging. So, if you have a regular lunch date with a group of people or want to arrange a get-together, Twitter can be a great way to arrange a time and place that works for everyone.

Like following the news, it can be handy to organize your friends into a list if you have many followers.

Let It out 

We've all had one of those days. Whether it was someone pulling in front of us in traffic or getting served the wrong type of coffee, these little things can sometimes put us in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

The sage advice is to let it out, but to whom? It's probably not smart to vent to your boss. That's where Twitter can be beneficial because it lets you rage to millions of people. And you might get some sympathy tweets out of it too.

Just remember to watch the language.

Keep up With Your Favorite Team 

Twitter's search feature can be a great way to track trends or keep up with a particular subject. And if you are a fan of sports, it can be a great way to connect with the team. There are many sports players on Twitter, and you have the media and millions of fans to keep you updated on the latest and greatest.

Find out What People Think About the Latest Movie

Like keeping up with your favorite team, you can also use the search feature to check out what the buzz is on the latest release at the theaters. Sure, you could check what the critics have to say, but their opinion isn't always in line with what most people think of the film.

Twitter can be a great way to determine if a movie is a bomb or a hit, so you don't have to waste your money on a real dud.

Get Involved In Politics

President Trump became known for using Twitter, and other politicians are increasingly turning to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Twitter provides a way for politicians to get the word out and stay connected to their constituents. What better way to tell your senator what you think about a critical vote than to send them a tweet?

Politics on Twitter goes beyond following politicians. The #metoo movement on Twitter spread virally in late 2017 as a movement against sexual harassment and assault. Before that, political movements like the 2009 Iran election crisis showed what a political force Twitter could be. It allowed Iranian citizens to break through the walls Iran hoped to keep up throughout the events and let people worldwide show their support by turning their profile pictures green.