More on Twitter Lists

After reading some of your comments, I thought I should map the Twitter universe some, to show how Twitter Lists change how you can use Twitter.

Twitter Vanilla

If you use the Twitter Web client — which is where all users start, and where 90% jump off again — the world is divided in two. People you follow (followees), people who follow you (followers). Your stream will be only the people you follow — you will read followers only if you also follow them, and you will no one outside your followee group. And the stream will be strictly chronological— the river of Twitter.

Twitter Tweetdeck

Tweetdeck (and other clients, such as Seesmic) let you group followees — family, friends, IABC members, deranged fans of the Grumpy Old Communicators — so you can easily follow the groups. If you follow more than 100 people  on Twitter, a grouping client is essential.

Twitter Lists

But with Twitter Lists, we break out of the "Followee" oval. Twitter Lists let you monitor anyone… without following. In the example above, I’ve taken followers, followees, mutuals and complete outsiders. I can monitor all through my list.

Seesmic

Then, add Seesmic. Seesmic pulls in all of your Twitter Lists, your @mentions, etc into one interface.

Now, how can you beat that with a stick?

Next post…. why this will change how we use Twitter.

Tagged as: twitter twitterlists tutorials