The value of Twitter really depends on how you use it and whom you follow.
I get 3 main areas of benefit:
1) Exposure to new or alternative ideas: I follow a few people who post links to articles I don't see elsewhere and discuss ideas that haven't (yet) reached the mainstream. Of course, this could turn into an echo chamber if you follow likeminded people, but for me, it's broadening.
2) Casual updates from IRL friends & niche celebrities: I follow mostly people I actually know, and I enjoy seeing their random thoughts, links, pics, whatevs. I also follow a few people like Kent Beck, whom I've met a few times but don't really "know". In my slice of the tech world, he's a niche celebrity, and I like seeing his half-formed thoughts and observations.
3) Breaking news & immediate reactions: News often breaks first on Twitter. If something's happening, globally or locally, I usually check Twitter to see what news links people are recommending to find out more. I also check Twitter if I want to see how people in general are reacting. For example, I enjoyed last Sunday's Game of Thrones episode, and afterwards, I searched #GameOfThrones to see what others were saying, if they noticed the same things I did, etc. It was fun.
#1 & #2 can and does happen through other forms, but I like how it happens on Twitter. I think #3 is really where Twitter has a unique value and is exactly what they're saying with the tagline: "See what’s happening right now."
But part of the reason it works for me is that I'm a ruthless unfollower (or muter in Tweetbot). I'm very quick to unfollow/mute-forever if somebody just posts too damn much – or temporarily mute if they're on some jag about stuff I don't want to hear.
I get 3 main areas of benefit:
1) Exposure to new or alternative ideas: I follow a few people who post links to articles I don't see elsewhere and discuss ideas that haven't (yet) reached the mainstream. Of course, this could turn into an echo chamber if you follow likeminded people, but for me, it's broadening.
2) Casual updates from IRL friends & niche celebrities: I follow mostly people I actually know, and I enjoy seeing their random thoughts, links, pics, whatevs. I also follow a few people like Kent Beck, whom I've met a few times but don't really "know". In my slice of the tech world, he's a niche celebrity, and I like seeing his half-formed thoughts and observations.
3) Breaking news & immediate reactions: News often breaks first on Twitter. If something's happening, globally or locally, I usually check Twitter to see what news links people are recommending to find out more. I also check Twitter if I want to see how people in general are reacting. For example, I enjoyed last Sunday's Game of Thrones episode, and afterwards, I searched #GameOfThrones to see what others were saying, if they noticed the same things I did, etc. It was fun.
#1 & #2 can and does happen through other forms, but I like how it happens on Twitter. I think #3 is really where Twitter has a unique value and is exactly what they're saying with the tagline: "See what’s happening right now."
But part of the reason it works for me is that I'm a ruthless unfollower (or muter in Tweetbot). I'm very quick to unfollow/mute-forever if somebody just posts too damn much – or temporarily mute if they're on some jag about stuff I don't want to hear.