Twitter did it first. The whole disruption thing. When we talk about digital transformation, we tend to think about the disruption in industries and businesses in the while- and post-covid era. The whole transformation relies heavily on online communication, and it seems most people have had little or no problems switching to digital channels.
None of it would be even remotely smooth if we haven’t been at it for years and years, polishing our announcements, remarks, polite and not-so-polite questions, and comments in online chatrooms, forums, and on various social networks. In fact, many have learned to speak their mind succinctly in 280 characters, earning their PhDs in conciseness.
Today, we’ll talk about Twitter, the social network that enables people to develop and nurture their concise expression, and it’s been doing so since 2006.
This March, Twitter turns 15. And since its founding, it hasn’t stopped having a huge impact on people’s online presence.
For those of you who don’t know, Twitter was created in 2006 as a backup plan to keep the original startup Odeo alive. The initial idea of a podcasting platform was soon doomed due to Apple’s announcement of podcasting inclusion on iTunes at the time. After multiple hackathons to see if anyone can come up with a promising idea, one of Odeo’s employees, Jack Dorsey, came up with the original concept of Twitter.
Source: Quartz
Not knowing about Twitter is basically impossible. This platform proudly holds the title of the world’s best and most famous microblogging site. Here are some of the fascinating facts:
- Since its founding, Twitter has grown to 330 million monthly active users!
- According to Forbes, on March 16, 2021, Twitter’s market cap was $55.13 billion!
- More than 500 million tweets are generated each day!
- People aged 25 to 34 are the ones who use Twitter the most.
- It’s the #1 social network in Japan!
Source: macrotrends.com — Platform’s Net Worth 2011–2020 | TWTR
What made Twitter so lovable among people? Well, one of the main reasons is freedom of speech. Twitter’s mission statement clearly says that its goal is to “give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers.”
“Twitter is an open service that’s home to a world of diverse people, perspectives, ideas, and information.” (resource: twitter.com)
Another amazing fact is that 59% of overall users get information about the latest news on Twitter! 54% of the users speculate / or question the importance of any news if they haven’t seen it on Twitter!
What turned Twitter into a social, cultural, and political phenomenon is the fact that it works as a platform that creates a culture (commonly known as Twitterverse). Users love it mostly because they can unapologetically speak their minds. It’s what the company stands for since its early beginnings — to serve the public conversation, freely and safely.
Leslie Berland, Twitter’s Chief Marketing Officer, explained that perfectly:
“We do this because Twitter and the conversations that happen here are living, breathing, and always evolving. They’re defined by the people talking, shaped by their voices, imprinted by the images and words that fill our timelines every day. The brand isn’t us, it’s all of you.”
The platform’s most valuable gem is no other than its diverse, open-minded, and communicative audience. From tweeting memes to other subjects such as events and breaking news — this is the place where it’s happening.
So, what are you tweeting about today?
What’s happening?
Tatjana Lukic, Project Assistant at Bridgewater Labs