I’ve been using Twitter for a while now and though one would think that a microblogging service that limits you to 140 characters could only be used for so many things, I’ve found that there are a surprising number of user profiles I see.
The Status Updater – This person follows the “___ is picking his nose” paradigm. Often, this user’s Twitter stream is mirrored under his Facebook status.
The Dozens of Times a Day Poster – This Twitter user posts dominates your Follow stream with five or six updates in a row, replying to friends, giving status updates, or making a comment about pop culture.
The Private Updater – Only approved followers can see this person’s updates. These get annoying when someone you follow replies to a Private Updater and you aren’t able to follow the conversation because you’re not approved. I think it would be funny to set up an account that does nothing but publicly re-tweet Private Updaters’ updates. Like Paul’s and Chris’.
The RSS Surrogate – Here, a web site or company will use a tool like Twitterfeed and simply feed RSS updates.
The Company Looking To Make Good On Customer Service – Here’s a little secret: complain obviously on Twitter and many companies will see it and make it right. In two cases in the last two months, I’ve commented on Twitter about how an item I was going to order had just gone up in price. Both times, the companies offered me the lower, original price as a courtesy. I suspect this use of Twitter may only be good for another year or two, until the masses catch on that Twitter is a more effective way to get problems solved than e-mails, web forms, and phone calls.
The “Trying This Out” Updater – Creates an account, posts three times in two days, and then disappears.
The Quality Over Quantity Twitterer – Only posts once or twice a day, but makes those posts worth it with either a very good link or surprisingly interesting tweet.
The Celebrity – Two sub-categories: the celebrity that posts his own updates (two sub-sub-categories: the celebrity that becomes even more interesting and personable and the celebrity that probably shouldn’t be writing his own) and the celebrity who’s PR department thought it would be very Web 2.0 to create an account and post on her behalf.
Twitter Spammers – Following: 8,739. Followed by: 3.
Feel free to add your own.
Posted in Pop Culture, Technology
COD February 9, 2009, 4:16 pm
The main reason I locked my Twitter streams is the spam followers. I don’t want to deal with them.
Dave February 10, 2009, 1:55 am
The “Trying This Out” Updater
Thats prob. going to be me…LOL
ALthough I will READ 🙂
Jeani February 10, 2009, 2:02 pm
“The “Trying This Out” Updater – Creates an account, posts three times in two days, and then disappears.”
That’s me! Same with blogging. I always think I’ll be great at it, and then my interest wanes.