By @brad_cummings

Social Networking and Social Media have quickly become pop culture phrases. Since the advent of Facebook and Twitter several years after that, these sites have evolved. Facebook has moved from a niche destination for 20-somethings and younger to beacons of society where those in their Golden Years are now navigating on a regular basis. Full of eye-pleasing graphics and user-friendly interactivity, the brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg (now famously chronicled in the award-winning movie The Social Network) has become what social networking is all about for the majority of Americans. But from a news consumption standpoint, we want to make sure our readers understand the advantages of adding Twitter to their daily read.

Twitter on its face is simpler and yet somehow more confusing. Even as a web publisher, I was reluctant to dive into the Twitterverse. While I am not of the older generations (you know, people like Ray), as a GenXer I also cannot relate to the idea of computers in every classroom. I even remember having a bag phone that charged about $5 a minute which I was instructed to only use in emergencies. I still call my smart phone a car phone from time to time.

I give this background not to reminisce about the 1980’s and 1990’s (although I suddenly have a desire to track down a HyperColor t-shirt) but instead to drive home the fact that even someone who spends their entire professional existence online can be intimidated by social media and more specifically Twitter. But it’s truly an asset for those of us who want to consume daily news.

Sign up for an account by going to Twitter.com. It’s easy and of course free. You’ll get to create a Twitter name which will look something like @johndoe. (They love the @ symbol in the Twitterverse!)

From the consumer standpoint, Twitter allows you to read the top offerings of your favorite subject matters (Thoroughbred racing) news organizations (the Paulick Report for instance) and personalities (how about a guy named @raypaulick?). Seriously though, there are many racing publications and personalities out there that have taken to Twitter and while we should be one of the folks you “follow” (sort of like friending someone on Facebook)…

Rather than have us give you a list of people to follow, there are some very sophisticated Tweeters (@SidFernando, for example, uses Twitter to publish The International Daily newsfeed) we’d like invite to use the comment section below to suggest people from around the horse world to follow.

From the publication perspective, Twitter is a great asset in spreading our product to consumers all over the globe. While we do utilize our email system for top stories and regular features, a large email list is not the place to send out important but non-breaking news and opinion. This is the best use of Twitter from our perspective. And if our “followers” like the content we’ve “tweeted”, they can send it around to their friends by “retweeting” the story. This is often how big stories become viral.

Of course, like anything, Twitter needs to be used effectively or it becomes a distraction that eventually becomes useless. Don’t follow too many people or your Twitter feed will become nothing short of 1,000 different people talking about the new jeans they bought. You’ll get turned off quickly and wonder why anyone cares about this platform. But used effectively, Twitter can be a great asset to those who want to stay in the know.

And be sure to download the Twitter app for your car pho…er…I mean smart phone. It makes news consumption a breeze on the go.