In regards to Twitter, you probably fit into one of two groups:

• Those that “get it”
• Those that don’t

The website and service are not new – in fact, the domain first shows up in Archive.org’s results as early as 2001.  As a social media & networking tool, however, Twitter has reached the mainstream and is one of “the” places to find info for celebrities, businesses and your friends.  Twitter is similar to the “Updates” feature in Facebook, which is where you tell everyone what you’re up to (e.g. Having a tough day. Going to the movies.)

Twitter allows nearly real-time interaction with virtually anyone on the planet.  With most users wired thru their cell phone or PDAs, you can “ping” or message almost anyone at anytime (scary isn’t it).

You still might be wondering “why Twitter” or “how is this useful to me” or “my business”.  Below, I’ll attempt to breakdown the 3 most important ways Twitter is being used – you could also consider these the 3 main motivations for “tweeters” existing.

Fun

Let’s face it – if you don’t enjoy participating on a specific website, you’re probably not going to use it very long.  Twitter feeds some people’s need for instant information; getting breaking news immediately, sometimes before television or radio are reporting on it.

These types of users like sharing information and being a part of the community or user-base.  They like to say and share strange/interesting things, while also providing real input on their emotions and state of mind at times.

Fame

For me, the “fame” motivation breaks down into two distinct groups of people:

Famous People/Celebrities

While there are many famous people using Twitter themselves, others have their PR teams updating their accounts for them.  It provides the person/business a way to speak directly to their fans/followers without the need for a big production (you only get 140 characters).  It is a cheap and effective way to keep yourself in the public eye and in the hearts of those that will help line your pockets (see Fortune below).

The bandwagon for being on Twitter has certainly surged in the past year, but you can bet that as soon as these (famous) people stop using Twitter, the general public won’t be far behind – there won’t be anyone to follow.

Me-First Attention Getters

Without putting these folks down for what they do or who they are, there is a “me, me, me” demographic that wants (& needs) you to know what they are doing.  They don’t care if they are annoying – they want to be seen/heard by as many followers as possible.  These users may find Twitter fun and they may even be seeking fortunes via its use, but their primary motivations for tweeting what they do is to be liked or get attention.

Fortune

Where there’s an audience, there’s money to be made.  For some Twitter users, their motivation is simply to maximize & monetize the audience in any way possible.  Whether they are tweeting to show themselves as an expert to garner new business or if they are touting a product they sell, many Twitter users fit into this category.

Twitter.com Audience is over 23 million Unique Visitors (per month)

Here are some examples of Twitter demographics & how they are monetizing their interactions:

• Celebrities are on Twitter to maintain their image, which in turn helps keep them relevant & busy (in their respective industries).
• Journalists, reporters & bloggers are on Twitter to help drive traffic to their articles, which in turn helps drive increases in revenue (advertisements, affiliate programs, subscriptions, etc.).
• Businesses are on Twitter to talk directly to their audience, provide technical support and/or monitor what people are saying about them (reputation management).

In Summary

All 3 motivations for using Twitter overlap and interact w/ each other at certain times, so it is difficult to label a Twitter user as a single specific type.   Knowing why people are using Twitter and their intentions (or motivating factors) can help you as a Twitter user or marketer to effectively target them to help you increase your fame & fortune.