Well, the possibilities are endless. From having someone local bring you a tank of gas when you’ve run out, to shacking up with a friend on a conference excursion, here's a list of ways Twitter can save you money, time, and increase your real world social skills.
How has Twitter helped you in the real world? Share your experiences in the comments.
1. Saving You a AAA Membership
This might not work all the time, and perhaps you keep up a little better with your gas gauge than I do. But how great is it that you’re connected to so many people across the globe, on a rather personal basis? The person who you shared the viral puppy video with may be the person to answer your “I’m stuck at exit 2 on Rt 24 in RI – Anyone around to bring me gas?” tweet.
2. Getting First-Hand Reviews
So you’re at the movie theatre (or on your way) and you still haven’t decided between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or Slumdog Millionaire. Fire up your phone and your Twitter app to get recommendations from those you trust. This can work for shopping too!
3. Receiving Advanced Traffic Warnings
About to leave the house? Check those local twitter warnings to see if anything bad is going on around you. Probably not the best idea to check while driving.
4. Making Travel Buddies
This is my favorite “real life” use for Twitter. Can’t afford a hotel room for a conference? Book one with a Twitter friend (or stay at their house). Don’t have anyone to go skiing with? Ask your Twitter friends! Who said social media was for the socially-inept?
5. Getting the REAL Weather
I’ve used this little diddy from time to time since I spend a lot of time at both a friend's house in Boston and my own house in Rhode Island. As we all know, weather reports can be pretty inaccurate and a simple “How much snow in [insert town or region here]? " can determine whether you’re leaving the house or not. If you live near relatives or friends you could call instead… well lucky you!
6. Becoming a Super Stalker
If you want to be good at your trade, you need to be on Twitter. This is especially true for stalkers. I mean, imagine being a stalker without Twitter. You'd never know where your subject was at all times, what they were thinking, who they were with. How did stalkers ever survive without it?
7. Making New Gaming Friends
OK I don't know if this counts as real life in any way other than it not being on the computer. Disagreements aside, Twitter is a great way to get new XBox Live friends to play with, or if you're like me, new friends to steal fruit from in Wii Animal Crossing.
8. Receiving Better Customer Service
We all know how Frank on @comcastcares has helped people and he's been well applauded for it. But even better, he's inspired other companies to get with the program as well. Nowadays, I'm able to talk to someone from a company I deal with quicker by sending a DM than waiting on the phone. I've even gotten DMs from travel agents when I've talked about different cities I plan on going to or hope to go to. I mean, who needs Google anymore? Just kidding!
9. Becoming More Social
Yes, social media really does translate into real life. Twitter can open up many new doors, from an open invitation to a #PinkSlipParty, a spontaneous "TweetUp" for lunch, or more formal invitations like speaking gigs. I remember I once saw a tweet by @kevinrose that said he was stuck at an airport and wondered if anyone was around and wanted to get coffee. Oh how I would have loved to have been in the right place at the right time that day.
And for fun, here are a couple of ways users have shown that DON'T overlap well in real life.
Twitter is About People
So you see… unless you’re using Twitter for more than it was created, you’re not getting the full experience. I’ve met tons of new people, gotten job offers, found new friends to grab hot chocolate with and started lots of new projects by engaging on Twitter.
The obvious take-away is that Twitter is about people. It's the people you meet in life that will lead you on new adventures.
So… one last tweet I thought summed up this post the best:
But more likely...
More Twitter Resources from Mashable:
- HOW TO: Build Community on Twitter
- HOW NOT TO: Build Your Twitter Community