What is TWITTER ?

Twitter began in 2006 and has gained notability and popularity worldwide. Twitter is ranked as one of the top 50 websites on Alexa's web traffic analysis. The number of daily users vary, but in March of previous year. Nielsen.com ranked Twitter as the fastest growing site in the Members Communities category. eMarketer estimates that there were over 6 million+ registered Twitter users. Their research also projected that by the end of year that number will double.

Twitter is a free micro-blogging tool that allows you to post short "blogging" messages in 140 characters or less. You can post these messages using Twitter on your computer or your mobile device.

Twitter is one of the easiest social networks to pick up and start using. The Home tab will show you a feed of constantly updating tweets from people you follow. When you sign in, you'll need a nickname that begins with the @ sign. This tag will be used in other subscribers' tweets if they tweet directly to you. The Connect tab filters through the busy feed and show you interactions and mentions. This feature allows you to see when people reference your Twitter account and gives you a list of new followers.

Twitter provides a way for individuals to share information with one another in real-time. They can share news stories, reviews, complaints and even special deals.

We call these short 140 character messages "tweets" or "tweeting." These messages are broadcast to other Twitter users that follow you and shown on your Twitter profile page.

You can also use private messages through Twitter to your followers, this is called a direct message or a DM.

Twitter is meant to be used on the go. The typical Twitter user tweets from a smartphone rather than a personal computer. Thankfully, the mobile app for this social media service is even easier to use than the Twitter site. The advantage of using Twitter on a smartphone is that you can update your Twitter account immediately. When you take a quick picture with your phone, for instance, you can upload it instantly and add a comment to complete the tweet.

You cannot add personal videos to your Twitter feed. However, that problem is easily resolved. You can add any link that fits the 140 character requirement, from links to YouTube to personal websites and news feeds. Local businesses looking for a way to increase their reach can also take advantage of quick updates, creating loyalty in their followers and rewarding them with coupon links and promotional codes through their tweets.

Profiles                          9.4/10

The profile page for each user is so simple that it appears to be a weakness for this social network, but it actually works in its favor. For a site that emphasizes simplicity in all things, we'd be surprised if there were a complex profile page. Everything that Twitter members see about you is located in two small windows. First, users will see a profile picture that sits within a larger header photo that acts as a custom profile skin. The second screen allows you to input your location, website and short bio. Each of the items in a Twitter profile is optional. Twitter provides premade themes to use as your Twitter background, or you can create your own.

Search  Compare            8.8/10

The Discover tab is what sets Twitter apart in a positive and negative way. Your Discover feed shows you news stories that have either been tailored to your interests or stories that were tweeted by those you follow. If you are looking to be well versed in pop culture and current issues, you can find the Trends feed. This feed shows both keywords that have been used recently in Twitter and hashtag keywords, and follow the conversation regarding the most popular news stories. Twitter has literally taken the # sign and claimed it as its own. The downside of searching for friends on this social media site is that most users, other than celebrities, use nicknames that closely resemble their names, so it's difficult to find and connect with friends unless you know their @ names.

Security                          10/10

Twitter has a surprising number of security features. If you choose to add your email address to your notification settings, you have the option to allow others to find you by that email address. We noticed that several Twitter accounts are locked and no information can be retrieved. You can see how many tweets they have been written, how many users they follow and how many users follow them, but nothing else. When you select this option, you have to approve every tweeter who asks to follow you.

It's very easy to reset your password at any time. In what should be standard with every social media account, Twitter allows you to associate a mobile phone number with your login and password. This greatly reduces the chance of Twitter hacking.

Twitter Summary:            9.4/10

Twitter is one of the easiest-to-use social network sites you can experience. The mobile app gives you instant and constantly updated information. In a matter of seconds, you will know exactly what the rest of the world is interested in, and you can always join the conversation. A minor disappointment we have with the site lies in the difficulty associated with searching for friends. Unless they're famous or their Twitter handle is their first and last name, it's complicated to find people. Regardless, Twitter is an incredibly easy-to-use social media service, and there is a reason it's one of the top social networking sites.

Twitter is often used in campaigning, education, emergencies, protest and politics, legal proceedings, and public relations. Businesses can use Twitter to promote their products and services as well as provide customer services and listen to be being said about their companies.