You’re a decade old and like many pre-teens, you’re experiencing some growing pains. You’re a bit indecisive (140 characters or 10,000 characters?). You have pimples (abusive accounts remain active after people have begged you to silence harmful trolls). Like in junior high and high school, bullies abound. The Internet as a whole has made people with small brains feel big, but some of these people can be dangerous and must be kicked off of Twitter for good. 
Despite any blemishes (we all have them), I think you’re still the best!
My wish for you on this 10th birthday is to grow smarter, not wealthier, at least for the short term. I know Twitter investors may frown upon that, but there’s a method to that madness. With smart and productive growth, which includes listening to the needs of your longtime, frequent users who will long tout your value to others, the money will come. And face it, nothing in the rumor mill to date has suggested an easier way for newbies to use Twitter or better market its business partners than it does now.
Traditional media is all-in with Twitter
If you doubt Twitter’s value as a medium, turn on your television, log onto any online news site or even open a print publication. Twitter mentions, names, posts and hashtags dominate sports, entertainment and political media. When news breaks, many of us learn of it first on Twitter. Even news outlets quote others’ Twitter posts before they’ve had a chance to gather details when something big breaks (not always the smart thing to do, but it happens). Just like our smartphones, we didn’t realize we needed Twitter, but we needed Twitter.
My hangout
Twitter has been my primary social media outlet of choice, even as new platforms have popped onto the scene and others have added features. It’s easy to learn, and I find it the best way to get to know and engage with others. There may be some mundane (what-she’s-having-for-dinner) mentions and as previously written, there are trolls. But compared to the likes of Facebook, you’ll find fewer obligatory photo comments, drawn out political rants and just blah-blah-blah. I find valuable information shared and exchanged on Twitter, and when you engage civilly and productively, it’s a super way to meet people in your profession or related. Hey, we even have fun there! (Come watch a big event with us, sometime.)
Value for a publicist and most any other business
As a publicist I’ve connected with media to share thoughts and stories or simply discuss what’s on our minds. Where else in the virtual world can you drop into the hospitality room any time of year to watch a game or discover great ideas by chatting business or life?
Better exposure for your work
I’ve also been able to read and view more peers’ and media’s work because they share links, which I may not have seen otherwise. Criticize news aggregators if you’d like, but they’re gateways to up-to-date media worldwide.
So Happy Birthday, Twitter, and best wishes for many more informative and engaged ones.
©Gail Sideman; publiside.com
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