Improving the Twitter Experience

This week, various publications from Media Post to The Wall Street Journal have been discussing the results of a May 2009 survey launched by the Participatory Marketing Network, which indicated that only 22% of the Millennial Generation (18- to 24-year-olds) are using Twitter, the popular micro-blogging site. Of those who did use Twitter, 85% followed personal friends.

It has the entire social media world in an uproar, wondering if Twitter is going to be "so yesterday" (insert rolled eyes and dramatic sigh here) and scrambling to weigh in on the survey's meaning.

Personally, I don't think the use or non-use of Twitter among Millennials is the biggest factor in my latest disenchantment with Twitter. It has to do with the fact that there is just simply too much clutter to be useful or even entertaining. During my recent time without access to life online due to a laptop virus, I realized how little useful information I actually garner from Twitter. I primarily follow those involved in two arenas: social media (my job) and food (my passion). There are a handful of really useful, engaging Twitterers, but mostly, Twitter seems to have become a 140-character rotating billboard at the bottom of my laptop screen - one which comes with more than its fair share of technical glitches.

More often than not lately Twitter seems to be full of incessant retweets, status updates and headlines - clutter. And I'm rarely log on Fridays, when my Tweet stream is full of #followfriday recommendations ad nauseum.

So, today, I offer my opinion on what might re-kindle my passion for Twitter:

If you Tweet - whether personally or professionally:

Have a profile and a picture that is something representative of you/your brand.
Engage. Respond. Have a conversation. Don't just push 140-character advertisements, blog updates or repeat headlines over and over.
A single #followfriday tweet on Fridays is enough, thank you.
Resist the temptation to tweet every little thing going on in your life.
Share fabulous information and your opinion. Be original.
If you are a brand - have a personality (I love @SouthwestAir for that very reason).
Don't make it all about you - introduce your followers to other great minds, brands and insights - in more than just #followfriday fashion. Tell your followers why.

To be fair, I still think Twitter is a highly useful tool, particularly in a business sense. I still glean tidbits of useful or interesting information, and it has proved invaluable in having conversations with people and brands I will probably never meet regarding subjects about which I'm interested.

I'm not throwing in the towel yet - merely hoping as users we'll collectively refine the experience. Then maybe those Millennials will see what they've been missing all along. Something tells me refining the user experience might do more good than spending days wondering if one should jump ship and move on to the next social media tool of the moment in order to be trendy.

That said - if you have recommendations on those to follow who provide thoughtful, insightful information or are great conversationalists - let me know. I can be found @sarabanut.

Sara Brueck Nichols is the Director of New Media Communications for Operation Kids, where she develops strategic marketing, messaging and social media campaigns for OK and its nonprofit partners. She loves food and warm weather and can be found on Twitter @sarabanut.