I just don’t understand…what is Twitter anyway? That’s the question that seems to fall from the lips from most people anytime they hear the term Twitter being used to describe social networking and/or microblogging.

And when trying to explain Twitter basics, people often ask, “Why on earth would anyone ever use it?” Frankly, that’s a pretty good question. And one would probably get dozens of answers. So I will try to explain my way.

For starters, Twitter is miniature blog or micro-blog. Its basis is the ability to quickly update a post with a very limited amount of characters - no more than 140 characters to be exact.

You are able to update your status, no matter where you are, no matter what you are doing. Directory on the Twitter site itself, via a few services now on the net, or even your cell phone.

Here’s one way  to think about it…Twitter is for those who want to blog, but really don’t want to blog. You know that blogs are created to keep others informed about you and your life, for business or to inform others of what you find interesting. And blogging every day takes time, especially if you have to blog quite a bit by posting more than once per day.

For example, you may simply want your spouse to know…”going to grocery store, need milk” or from a marketing standpoint, you could give quick tips and tricks to your followers in your niche. By far, Twitter is one of  the best places for updating people on what you are up to without spending a lot of time writing entire posts on your blog.

With Twitter, just simply say what you want to say and leave it at that!

Consider this, Twitter can be seen as a cross between blogging and instant messaging.

As a member, you have the ability to follow anyone you want, and in turn people can follow you. With the power of technology, Twitter tools even allow you track your tweets via your cell phone.

Simply put, if you need to communicate a message to a large group of people fast, Twitter is the way to go.

Surprisingly enough, the question “What is Twitter?” can even be answered as news reporting. Yes, you read that right! You can catch up on national news, or even find out about festivals and concerts that may be in your area.

Twitter basics are faster and more immediate than blogs with utilities such as Twitterfeed, where you can easily convert RSS feeds into Twitter updates.

Seriously, how can you beat that?

Furthermore, Twitter marketing has taken selling products and services online to a whole new level. It is the perfect way to find a targeted group of people interested in what you are promoting.

So, what is Twitter? Well, it’s different things to different people. For some it’s a way to keep in touch; for others it’s a way to increase sales and build lists; for others it’s a way to keep up with the news. But the real question is what does it mean to you?

Are you on Twitter now? If so, feel free to follow me, Iowadawg, at http://twitter.com/iowadawg

And if not yet on twitter, what is holding you back? Join soon and join in the fun (yes, it can be so much fun if you make it so).