What is Microblogging

Posted on June 2, 2009 | What at mybiginfo.com | What is Microblogging | | View all What | |

Micro-blogging is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates or micromedia such as photos or audio clips and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group which can be chosen by the user. These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messaging, instant messaging, email, digital audio or the web.

The content of a micro-blog differs from a traditional blog in that it is typically smaller in actual size and aggregate file size. A single entry could consist of a single sentence or fragment or an image or a brief, ten second video. But, still, its purpose is similar to that of a traditional blog. Users micro-blog about particular topics that can range from the simple, such as “what one is doing at a given moment,” to the thematic, such as “sports cars,” to business topics, such as particular products. Many micro-blogs provide short commentary on a person-to-person level, share news about a company’s products and services, or provide logs of the events of one’s life.

The appeal of microblogging is both its immediacy and portability. Posts are brief (typically 140 – 200 characters) and can be written or received with a variety of computing devices, including cell phones. Although most microblog broadcasts are posted as text, some microblogging services allow video or audio posts.

Microblogging is slowly moving into the mainstream. In the United States, for example, Presidential candidate Barack Obama microblogged from the campaign trail using Twitter, one of the most popular microblogging services. Traditional media organizations, including The New York Times and the BBC, have begun to send headlines and links in microblog posts. Other potential applications of microblogging include traffic and sports updates and emergency broadcast systems.

Uses of Microblogging
Like any other Internet tool, microblogging can be utilized for a number of purposes. While many are social, more pragmatic uses including business applications, also apply.

Teens can use microblogging as a social service to see what their friends are up to, scout out parties, or to simply stay linked for the fun of it while engaging in every day activities like school, shopping and studies. Student officers might also create microblogs for class committees to keep abreast of progress on project assignments.

It’s not only students who can benefit from this modernized, improved version of the telephone tree. Faculty might also find uses for microblogging. For example, when preparing for performances, band and drama teachers could use microblogs to network participating students for improved organizational efficiency. The quick nature of microblogs makes it a good management tool when the success of a project relies on many different people pulling together in a timely fashion.

Businesses can also use this tool for gathering and disseminating bullet-type information to the right parties, such as from a sales conference or client meeting. Court reporters can use microblogging to relay updates to producers and anchors in one fell swoop, and politicians can keep in touch with staff. Tour staff such as roadies, sound engineers and drivers could all benefit from being connected via a microblog that would keep everyone with the tour abreast of problems as they arise and resources at hand. By using a microblog one hand always knows what the other is doing.

Another use of microblogging involves boosting site traffic. A popular website blogger might announce updates or teasers to his or her blog through a microblog. An embedded link can take readers directly to the site.

While many question the need for yet another way to stay connected, over 100 microblog services reportedly exist as of Spring 2008, with the trend headed upward. Before subscribing to the microblog world, be sure your cell phone plan will not put you in the poor house for extended text messaging. Some plans offer monthly flat rates for unlimited texting, while others charge up to $0.15 US Dollars per message sent or received. In many cases a monthly cell phone plan comes with a limited number of “free” texting, with extra messages driving up the bill.

Microblogging - The Latest Trend

Here are the top 3 microblogging services:

* Twitter – Originally built so you can post and receive updates (or “tweets”) via SMS text message. Because it was designed to be used on mobile devies, the distinguishing feature of Twitter is its 140 character limit on each message.

* Facebook – By posting about what they’re feeling, what they’re doing, where they are, etc, Facebook users are broadcasting their “lifestream” in small increments. That’s exactly what microblogging is all about.

* Tumblr – Tumblr is blogging software designed specifically to make it easy to post small bits of the Web (or your life). When you go to create a new post, instead of a blank canvas (like you would get with WordPress or Blogger), Tumblr offers templates for posting quotes, bits of chat conversations, music, video, photos, and links. Many bloggers who already have a regular blog will use Tumblr as their “link blog”. That is, they post essay length original thoughts on their regular blog, but point to the random interesting Web stuff they find on their tumblelog.

Two other Twitter-like microblogging services worth mentioning are Plurk and Jaiku.

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