Twitter is a micro-blog that allows users to publish very short — 140 characters or less, including spaces — bits of information on the web for all to see. If you find someone or some company of interest you can choose to follow their posts. No offense to my friends that I am following, but I haven’t found any life changing “tweets” (what Twitter users call posts) on anyone’s personal Twitter page that I would consider useful. I do follow a few bloggers, authors and reporters that make interesting posts…but I quickly stop following people that tweet about what they are eating for lunch or what their new puppy pulled out of the garbage.

Until now, I’ve kind of held back my opinion on Twitter, which is maybe the hottest thing in social media today. There is a ton of people on both sides of the Twitter debate and it’s passionate. People seem to really love it or really hate it. Up to this point I have been neither pro nor con, I just want to find a good business reason for its existence. I have finally found a few businesses that are using Twitter to get information to potential customers. Their number of followers is not huge but the quality of information distributed is useful:

If you love live music in Milwaukee, follow http://twitter.com/PabstTheater

If you’re a rider, follow http://twitter.com/harleydavidson

In Wausau and don’t know what to do, follow http://twitter.com/Visit_Wausau

Maybe you are a water park enthusiast? Follow http://twitter.com/NoahsArkWaterpk

I’m sure there are many others but all these brands are using Twitter effectively for their business. So I’m still not in love with Twitter, but at least now I get it.