Twitter describes itself as a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time.

Tweets are messages you send on Twitter.

A Tweetie is your sweetie who tweets.

Tweeple are people who use twitter.

Twitter is one of the hottest Internet phenomenons. It asks, “What are you doing now?” and allows replies of up to 140 characters. All messages you send automatically appear on all your “follower’s” pages, and messages from the folks you follow appear on yours. You can send a tweet from your computer or your mobile phone. Your twitter posts can be visible to the public, or private, available only to those folks you approve.

Curious about Twitter, I created a free account. I’m not certain what I expected, but found that I’m not really interested in the fact that Ellen DeGeneres is eating a tofu tuna wrap for lunch. Or that it’s raining in Paris. Or that SuzyQ likes her coffee with skim and not whole milk. Consider that on an average day there are about 3 million tweets it boggles the mind.

The very idea that you can say anything of real value in 140 characters is absurd. However, what I did find interesting was a Tweet from my favorite author that her new book will hit the stands this month. And that Coldplay will be featured on 60 Minutes. And who David Gregory will have on Meet the Press this Sunday.

It’s called social networking, but I don’t find it a particularly meaningful way to engage in ongoing dialog. I consider it more of a micro news feed.

So why use Twitter?

• Express what you are thinking, feeling or doing and respond to what others are thinking, feeling or doing. It can provide a sort of loose support network.
• Share your expertise and establish yourself as a leader in your field or gather advice from others. Use it as a micro information-sharing tool to direct people to your latest blog posts, or business offers.
• Get breaking news from multiple news outlets in one place. Many media organizations use Twitter to publish links to news stories as they become available.
• Stay connected with the activities of friends and relatives.
• Connect with others who have the same interests. You can search Twitter members by name, e-mail address, or keyword for people who share your interests.
• Do Good with Twitter by Tweeting about important causes to help spread the word.

Use of social networking can benefit even offline businesses. The neighborhood restaurant could share their daily specials. Non-profits could promote fundraising events. Public libraries could share their new releases.

If you are going to Twitter, when you send Tweets, make them valuable and content rich. Educate people with your Tweets. Make people laugh! Don’t fill up your Twitter with lots of boring messages or too much minutia. The biggest danger of Twitter is TMI or too much information. The default Twitter setting allows the world to see what you’re Tweeting. It’s amazing what people will Tweet and share with strangers. Remember, what you Tweet is a reflection of who you are, so think twice before Tweeting!

Time will tell if Twitter is just a fad or has real substance as a communication tool. In the meantime, follow the Good News on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/Goodnewsladies