Twitter -- what is it good for? Absolutely Something!

What is Twitter? If you were standing in a bar and a person asked you that question, what would be your response? How would you describe this tool so that a non-geek/nerd/tech can understand. For this discussion let's leave out the API piece.

Here is what Twitter says Twitter is:

Twitter is a community of friends and strangers from around the world sending updates about moments in their lives.  Friends near or far can use Twitter to remain somewhat close while far away.  Curious people can make friends.  Bloggers can use it as a mini-blogging tool. Developers can use the API to make Twitter tools of their own. Possibilities are endless!

Scoble and his buddies filmed a "What is Twitter" session over lunch. Here is a partial transcript:

Twitter is a microblogging tool where I can only write 140 characters. Each month a few more people I knew joined it. I felt like in November I needed to join it. Your first reaction is that this is really lame. Why would anyone do this. I know a good 40% on my Twitter list. Jeff Pulver says it is adding to the landscape of the web. Amit Shafrir says that he knows everytime that Scoble has a bowel movement. Scoble: Twitter rule #1: don't tell us too much.

When I first came in contact with Twitter at SXSW earlier this year, most people were using Twitter to tell friends where the party was, how much they just barfed, and other random personal information.

Today's Twitter seems very different. I have come down hard on the app before and while I still don't see this as the next coming of (enter figure here), it could create a new marketing point of entry. (side note: I still wish threading was an option!). I have randomly selected a few examples below.

Some use it as a way to tell people precisely what they are doing (I still say no one gives a sh**). This style seems to work for those with "fans":

• fredwilson Late (1pm) breakfast overlooking the black beach in kamari
• noahkagan i love waking up on atish's couch

Some use it as a "release" tool:

• rycaut Pet peeve of restaurants besides bad coffee letting my water glass empty and taking forever for the bill
• factoryjoe ruh roh... Filesystem corruption on my MBP. Not booting! Crap!

And some use it as a business tool:

• mashable FLICKR TOOLBOX: 100 Tools For Flickr Addicts (link)
• UstreamTV Barack Obama LIVE on Ustream.TV - 3pm - Got a Question For Him? Ask Him Yourself From Our Chat!!! (link)
• JasonCalacanis TC20 popping off with demo pit...  (link)

What I find so far is that people who are using in the first way are taking away time from being off-line. This frustrates me. Sometimes it's nice to turn it off. It's harder and harder to do that and now it looks like Twitter is cutting into those few precious minutes as well. In Philadelphia I watched many attendees using Twitter as if it was crack. Can't chat with you and look at you because I may miss that Joe just took a piss and Betty just ran out of mascara. Twitter won't succeed if this route continues.

This is exactly why Pownce is doing so well. Because it came out of the gate as a business networking/utility tool. Twitter is slowly moving in this direction as well. Steve Rubel is packing up part of his blog and moving it to Twitter. Jeremiah is discussing micromedia in general and (i think) he sees this as a powerful medium.

For me I use Twitter as a business relationship and marketing vehicle. When I write something on CN that I think is interesting, I post it on Twitter. I see a few visitors each time (I can only guess that Jason and Robert probably see many more with over 10k Twitter-friends). So from that perspective, I think it works.

Here are two uses for Twitter (or another micromedia tool) that could be huge:

• Tech/business support - first we used message boards for help, then 1-1 instant messaging, now let's use these friend-media tools for support as well. Say you are stuck with a PHP issue, post it on the micromedia tool and have your friends/followers provide assistance.
• Corporate marketing - imagine Pepsi, Walmart or the Gap providing specials, new merchandise announcements, etc. This could be very powerful for marketing. Imagine a Gap group where you could send a message each time you purchase a new item and send a code to a friend who could then scan their phone at the Gap to activate the discount. This has massive potential and I can only guess that the VC firms who funded Twitter last week are thinking the same thing. Rubel says micromedia could "reincarnate the 30 second spot" and he is right. I am guessing he is using/learning Twitter to help his clients at Edelman understand this medium to help sell it in.

So what do you think? What is Twitter to you and where do you see "micromedia" moving in the next year? Will it have mass appeal?