Ways to Use Twitter

Twitter can be a great way to get all of your information in one place. There are no right or wrong ways to use social media. These are just some of the cool ways that I have found to use the technology, and the barely scrape the surface.

1) Traffic

I didn't realize how awesome this feature was until I found myself in traffic jam so bad, that people were actually going backwards. While there are certain twitter accounts dedicated to reporting traffic updates as soon as they happen (@london_traffic), you can also search by a relevant hashtag.

The situation that I found myself in was on the 401 just before Allen Rd. The information on the radio was pretty vague, and didn't give any details on what was causing the backup, or how long it would last. By simply searching "#allenrd" on twitter, there was a full list of information from other citizens who had been stuck in the same situation.

2) Jobs

I had mentioned previously in another post, that twitter can be a great resource for jobs. Many of the major companies like Google (@googlejobs), Starbucks (@starbucksjobs), and Wal-Mart(@walmartcareers). There are also job boards that post jobs as they come up like Charity Village (@charityvillage), and Monster (@monstercareers).

I've also seen tons of jobs posted by Twitter users and businesses alike.

3) Headlines

Twitter can also act as a great way to get news updates as they happen. Last night for example was full of articles about the changes going on a RIM. If you follow National Post (@nationalpost) you would have seen.

If you follow Mashable (@mashable),

Or if you followed Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) you would have seen, 

There was a point when I used to subscribe to the paper, but it just doesn't make sense anymore. With Twitter, you can get your news for free, faster, and with more contrasting views than ever before. 

You can follow the different London News agencies @CTVLondon, @LFPress, and @themetrolondon. 

4) Citizen Journalism

During the occupy protests (#occupyldn), Twitter became the most valuable medium of gathering up to date information. Once again during the recent EMD Rally (#EMD) there were tons of tweets updating about what was going on in Victoria Park.  However, it's also important to look at everything with a grain of salt. Like the old house hippo commercial, it is important to actively question everything you read. There were reports coming back saying that the rally was anywhere from 500-15,000 people. 

5) Updates from your Favorite Websites

Sites like Fark (@fark), Devour (@devour), and Mashable (@mashable) post their new articles/videos as they are posted. 

6) Celebrity Accounts

While celebs like Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) and Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) get a lot of publicity for their crazy number of followers, there are some way better celebrities on Twitter. Are you like every other person on the planet that thinks Bootsy Collins is the funkiest of the funky? Of course you are, so follow him (@bootsy_collins). 

Other awesome accounts are Steve Martin (@stevemartintogo), Stephen Fry (@stephenfry), and Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) are all great accounts to follow. 

7) Local Business Updates

There are some really cool local businesses that are using social media in creative ways. 

The Bag Lady is quickly becoming one of my favorite breakfast places in the city. If you follow (@bagladyvariety) you can find out about daily specials, and promotions. 

Interested in Web Design? Follow (@resolutionim) for information on their latest websites, and blog posts.

8) Creative Ways to Use the Medium


The most creative use of Twitter that I have seen by far, has been @realtimewwII. This 6 year project started on August 31st, on the eve of the Polish Invasion. What this account does, is tweet updates from the war as they happened. It is currently 1940 and it tweets headlines from then, as though they were actually happening now.

(You can find me @jonathanclemens)