Let’s face it: a post (or a tweet, for that matter) about the popularity of Twitter is not terribly original. Most people don’t need to be reminded how pervasive and impactful this tool has become in just six years. We are reminded of it every day, as we help our clients use Twitter to enhance their online presence and their visibility—and ultimately, their bottom line.
But we were reminded of the power of Twitter this morning as we reflected on the past week.
Superstorm Sandy made our office inaccessible for two days (and our heat inoperable for two more days). When we couldn’t reach the office, we were able to see photos of our building that someone from the neighborhood had posted on Twitter. Our lunchroom discussions were about friends in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut; we could better understand what they were going through because we knew the current conditions of their neighborhoods and had seen pictures of their communities… on Twitter.
For the past two weekends, we promoted events near Philadelphia and in New Jersey. Twitter became the quickest and most reliable way to let visitors know that the shows would be held as scheduled, and a great way for us to provide information to local media for them to spread the word.
Obviously, we are not alone in realizing how much Twitter matters. This article in the New York Times about creating community (http://nyti.ms/V9DYKA) helped prove our point.