Twitter Lists

Twitter has implemented lists. Ideas and features of Twitter lists are:

• Lists are public by default, but can be private.
• Lists are linked to Twitter profiles.
• Other Twitter users can subscribe to your lists.
• You can subscribe to other Twitter users' lists. In other words, if you see someone has an interesting list, just follow their list.
• Lists can be used to divide content by topic or divide twitter friends by personality or how they give you value. 
• I have used Tweetdeck for this, but organizing Twitter users in Twitter could be even more helpful. However, I wonder how hard it will be for me to keep the lists updated.
• Lists have the potential to serve as a discovery mechanism for finding great tweets and accounts.
• Expect APIs to support lists in new Twitter apps.

Yesterday, someone asked how I am using my lists.

I have created a few lists. At this point, my goal is to point new Twitter users to these lists.

Some of the people I work with find social media, the openness, the chaotic nature to be overwhelming. In Facebook, I use the “recommend” feature to connect new Facebook users to some friends they may not know are in Facebook.

By using the Twitter list feature, I can give Twitter newbies a little guidance by showing them my lists. The newbies can decide who to follow or just follow my one or more of my lists. After all, there is not much fun in using social media if you cannot find friends or potential friends.

Here are some of my lists:

Ag list contains the people I follow in the agriculture industry. These may be ag journalists, ag marketing professionals, agribusiness people, Cooperative Extension agents, University faculty, and farmers. (This list is very similar to the same people in my Tweetdeck Ag column.)

Cooperative Extension list contains people who work in Cooperative Extension or people who work closely with Cooperative Extension--usually the relationship is through land-grant university affiliation.

Alabama Cooperative Extension System list contains people who work with Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

If my goals were different, I might organize the lists to include some of my priorities, like my favorites, the ones who make me think, those who make me laugh, the ones who tweet interesting links, photos, and quotes, and my favorite restaurants.

Some have created lists as to indicate the top people to follow in particular areas, (i.e., top public relations people to follow). I, instead, am looking at the list feature to organize and to share—not by limiting but by giving choices.

I am still working on my lists, so give me more suggestions.

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