The Psychology Behind Twitter

The root at what has made Twitter an internet craze is not just micro-blogging. It's not JUST "that it keeps us connected" or "that I can market my business."

Twitter is big because it is instant. Twitter is hot because it allows us to be voyeurs. Twitter is changing the world because it is a platform of social equality. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, Twitter is HUGE because it has created Micro Fame.

MICRO FAME

This is what it all boils down to. The psychology of having followers. Whether this key word was thought up by a team of brainstormers or if it just popped out of someone's mind on a Thursday afternoon between bites of their tuna sandwich, the idea of having FOLLOWERS is revolutionary. These are not FRIENDS, like in Facebook (which are never really your friends, anyway) these are people who are following everything you do.

Tying in with the human instincts of selfishness and greed, the struggle for fame, significance, and individualism plays a major role in every person's daily life. But it has never been so easy to feel famous until now.

On Twitter there are people with 2,000 followers. That's 2,000 people who care about what that Twitterer might say today. Two thousand people who might respond to an insightful "tweet." Two thousand people who might TALK, BLOG, or RE-TWEET about what this one Twitterer says.

This kind of audience has allowed for Word of Mouth Marketing (read Andy Sernovitz's book and blog) to become the most powerful method of activism, advertising, and success in business.

But it doesn't take 2,000 followers to feel like you're making a difference. Even if you have 2 followers you can be heard. You can take part in the conversation of people you wouldn't normally be able to speak to in real life (i.e. people who are famous outside of Twitter). And most likely, they will speak back to you. Making you feel even more important than ever.

Even a person like myself who only has about 500 followers feels famous. At one point I caught myself "thanking my 100th follower." As if they were a fan. As if they followed me because I am important. As if what I say matters. When you see people thanking their followers for any reason it becomes clear that their mentality has been affected. They are already in the Micro Fame mode. They are already assuming that everyone who follows them is a fan of theirs (where in many cases people follow each other because one of them followed them first).

And that's okay. Because part of what makes Twitter so great is that it makes you feel good. It's okay to feel like you are famous and that what you say matters. Because it does matter. And you deserve to be heard.

It is only a matter of time before everyone gets their 100th or 500th or 2,000th follower, because in the end everyone on Twitter is connected. Yes, some people reach those numbers faster than others because of different aspects of their social life (i.e. they are on a tv show or they are a presidential candidate) but in the end it does not make anyone more important that the next person.

Twitter is not only satisfying INSTINCTIVE impulses (i.e. the selfishness of being famous, the greed of wanting instant results, the need to speak and be heard, the freedom and equality in being able to take part in a conversation no matter your economic or social status) but Twitter is making each and every person who uses the medium to feel IMPORTANT.

The power of Micro Fame has created a psychological feeling of presence on Twitter.

(And conversely it has created a feeling of dependence. Twitter is a drug. And we are slowly becoming addicted. Only difference, however, is that this drug has produced a whole lot of good and there's no stopping it now.)

Do you agree? COMMENT!