New Twitter Users Beware!

It didn't take long after signing up for a twitter account to realize how it would change so many things in our society. Not just the way we do business and the way we interact socially, but the way we think, the way we share information and even our language.

• The Hashtag, # (better known in The Hughes household as 'pound') is now something of great relevance. Prior to being a twitter user # meant the symbol for numbers....not any more. Now this seemingly useless and archaic icon represents thought patterns, behavioral patterns, irony, and categorization. For example, if the thought crosses my mind, "what should we eat for lunch?" it is quickly followed by #paleo #chipotle
  
  The # sign can also represent the tone or feeling of a tweet. Example: Saw my high school arch-nemesis tonight at my HS Reunion #ZombiesAreCoolerThanYou
  

But in all seriousness the hastag is now so relevant to our society that it has the potential and the power to bring down national and international companies. Two months ago Wired magazine published an article demonstrating this fact. Unhappy AT&T customers used 8 characters to vent their frustration with the company --> #attfail Over the course of 6 months 5,000 people used this hashtag.....and it's still going. THIS is powerful! Now, more than ever before the consumer has a voice and the chances of that voice being heard are astronomically greater through the use of Twitter

• The @ Symbol - now entire articles (especially ones referencing Twitter) use people's twitter handle instead of or along with their full name.

Web Smith once told me that Twitter is the new press release. He is 100% correct - Twitter is the quickest way to share news, stories, and content with people who share similar interests as you.