The Official Kutano Blog

I haven’t logged in to CNN in months. I haven’t tuned into the local news in weeks. I only read the newspaper for the movie times.

Yet I know more about what’s going on in the world, in more detail, from more firsthand accounts, than ever before. How? I read Twitter.

When US Airways flight 1449 crashed into the Hudson, Twitter was the first to know. The eyewitness reports were more riveting than any journalists’ account.

When the Iranian election brought unrest, tweets from citizens about the government’s abuse evoked more emotion that any professional interviewer could deliver.

Despite the edge Twitter appears to have over traditional journalism, lots of people still think of Twitter as “silly” and “dumb.”

“I don’t care what people had for breakfast.” “I don’t care what you are doing every minute.” Are the most common complaints I’ve head about Twitter.

Oddly, I’ve never read a tweet that discusses what someone had for breakfast – maybe I’m not following the right people – but I get the point.

I also have a love/hate relationship with Twitter.

As a marketer, I love new forms of communication. In past positions, I was one of the first to use podcasts to market financial services…

Live chat for customer service. Blogs to access the company CEO. Facebook for contests. Video for training.

Some of these projects were wild successes; others, well, not so much. When you are the first to use a new social media tool for marketing, it’s always a risk. Why?

Because social media is seldom developed in order to hawk goods and services. They are developed for “people’s voice to be heard” and to give everyone an equal voice. That’s great.

Unless you are trying to market something.

So while I am thrilled there’s a new communication tool, I know from experience that it will take some time before anyone knows what to do with it.

Think back six months ago. No one but tech geeks had even heard of Twitter. Then they add over 17 million users in a single month. You just never know how things are going to unfold.

And this is cool. And it’s also is frustrating. Why do over three million people (!) follow the foibles of Ashton Kutcher when they could be following and supporting their local business?

Does knowing that Ashton finds amusement in firework mishaps (with video!) really enrich your life?

More than knowing you could get 40% off your dry cleaning if you drop your clothes off with your local dry cleaner on Tuesdays?

More than knowing that you could end world hunger by participating in the charity walk announced via Twitter?

More than knowing that your college roommate, who you haven’t seen on 10 years, is sitting in the same hotel bar at the same convention as you?

People use social media for their own reasons. That’s fine. And it’s been said that Twitter is the most narcissist social media there is. That’s okay, too.

Historically, all great things – art, business, technology – resulted from someone’s narcissism.

The forces that developed Twitter and made it a phenomenon have created opportunities for individuals, companies and causes.

And regardless how you feel about Twitter today, six months from now, someone will have found a new use for Twitter.

In fact I’ll bet the next “big thing,” whatever that is, will be build off Twitter.

Speaking of building off Twitter… did I mention Kutano is launching new product features that work with Twitter?

Moving forward, not only will you be able to access and manage your Twitter account with your Kutano login, you’ll be able to read tweets side-by-side the referenced web page.

You’ll also be able to see who and how many people are tweeting about the page. And have longer conversations with like-minded people.

Will it be the next “big thing?”

We don’t know. But if you want to know about it before your friends, the media, or anyone else…follow us on Twitter.

Tina