More and more it seems folks are hip to admit they don’t like Twitter.

But I’m here to say, “Stop it.” (And I’m also staying out of the realm of Twitter, politics and the policing–or not–of its users.)

There are, of course, the marketing reasons to join and keep up with Twitter (and they are many and varied, but basically, it’s best to have a robust social media platform, and Twitter is one of the big three.)

Outside of marketing, but not entirely separate from it, here are reasons why you should like the big T.

  1. Breaking News: If you’re a news junkie, or just like knowing news first, you’ll love Twitter. Follow your favorite news sources. Follow their reporters. Follow their photographers (even better if they share their photos.) Put the word “breaking” into the Twitter search engine: Boom. You’ll know what the broadcast news won’t know for at least an hour or two.
  2. Access. Twitter can give you access to folks you would never — in a million years — be able to interact with. Case in point: Nicholson Baker. The author Tweets up to 400 times a day. (Just kidding, but he does tweet A LOT and is very accessible and authentic with his “Likes.”)
  3. Information. Follow any hashtag and you’ll get more than an eyeful of data. For instance: #ConcordNH. (Think of a hashtag as a curatorial device. If Twitter is your museum, a hashtag is a way to find your way through it.) #ConcordNH will bring you folks wanting to be found, that have something (hopefully a lot!) to do with the Capital City. Cole Gardens, the Concord Chamber and Concord Cool Kids are some accounts that make great use of the #ConcordNH hashtag. We also enjoy the General Services account for the city. They need more followers, as they’re dispensing great nuggets of municipal information.
  4. Twitter lists. A Twitter list — be it public or private — is basically a list someone puts together of tweeters. Most of my lists are private (for instance, I have a list of my clients, for when I want to see what’s going on in their Twitter worlds, but I don’t necessarily want everyone else to know who my clients are. Not that I’m ashamed, but some clients are private.) One of my favorite lists is entitled First Responders. It isn’t full of firemen and paramedics, but rather those folks who actually respond to my tweets. I enjoy a little interactivity (and let’s face it, Twitter can be a lonely place). I like to see what my First Responders are up to, and, if warranted, give them a little love back.
  5. Insight. How often do you get to see what your favorite journalists are up to. Curious what they tweet about? What they might think? Who do they follow? There are oodles of ways to gain insight through Twitter that friendly Facebook and lofty LinkedIn can’t grant you. (Plus, LinkedIn alerts everyone to the fact that you’ve been peeking around.)
  6. Economy. It’s true. Some folks feel stifled by Twitter’s 140-character message count. Others feel exhilarated. There’s nothing like having a mouthful to say and only three characters left to say it in. What now? (Don’t worry: You can always start a new message.)
  7. Standing out from the field. Facebook has 2 billion monthly users versus Twitter’s 328 million. That means you’re doing something less common, narrowly niched and edgy than the norm. And let’s face it: Lots of people don’t even understand Twitter. So good for you!

So there you have it. This might not be the answer to all of your Twitter woes, but one or two points might give you a reason to visit Twitter, sleuth around, and contribute to the Twittersphere.

Bonus reading:

How to Use Twitter: Critical Tips for New Users

Why We Should All Care About the Future of Twitter