In some circles, Twitter is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The shortform social network has fans ranging from Martha Stewart to CNN, from Shaquille O’Neal to Andy Bumatai. But to the less tech savvy, Twitter can seem confusing, or even ridiculous.

Twitter is, for all intents and purposes, a “micro blog.”  Where a conventional blog might serve as an online journal in which you can publish as much content as you want, Twitter limits you to just 140 characters — just enough for a quick update.  Referred to as “tweets,” these short updates range from personal to professional and everywhere in between, and are posted on your profile and shared with the people who are “following” you.

You, meanwhile, choose who you “follow,” deciding whose updates you want to read.  Your network can include family and friends, other professionals in your industry, your favorite news sources or celebrities.  It’s a nearly spam free platform, since you choose who you receive messages from.  Follow enough people, and you have a constant stream of short updates that allow you to keep in touch and keep up to date.

You can send and receive tweets via the website, or via text messaging on your cell phone.  Because Twitter updates are short and quick, it’s a nearly real-time way to stay plugged into your network, wherever you are.  And with thousands of tweets flowing through the system every minute, a quick search across Twitter can turn up hot trends and breaking news faster than nearly any other medium.

For all its potential, there are some downsides to Twitter. For one, as with any online platform, be careful what you say.  My mom once said you should never write down anything that you don’t ever want someone to see, and this is doubly true online. You never know who will see it – prospective/current employers, friends, or family.  Even though Twitter lets you make your updates “private,” don’t let that give you a false sense of security.

Also, be cautious about sharing too much about your personal life.  Twitter is great for sharing where you’re having lunch, or when you’re out seeing a movie, but if someone constantly knows where you are going to be or what you are doing, there is the potential for you to be targeted by a burglar, or followed by a stalker.

But as long as you’re careful and build your network conscientiously, Twitter can be a lot of fun, and indeed, a great tool.  Indeed, real estate professionals are just a few of the groups that have flocked to Twitter as a way to build contacts and share information.

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