Microblogging is defined as a form of blogging that, in comparison with  traditional blogging, is much smaller in content. A microblog could consist of just one sentence, or even a sentence fragment. Oftetimes, it answers the ever-vexing question: “What are you doing?”

Sound familiar? You might know this as Twitter …

 probably the most well-known microblogging site. When Twitter fluttered into cyberspace in 2006, web users didn’t know what hit them – but soon, an astounding portion of the population would be familiar with Twitter.  The popularity of this microblogging tool has grown exponentially over its four-year lifespan: It is estimated that, in 2007, users posted 5,000 tweets; in 2009, that number skyrocketed to 2.5 million; and this year, Twitter plays host to approximately 50 million tweets EACH DAY. That is completely mind-boggling!

OK, now that you know just how many people are using Twitter, why are they using it? The answer to that question is almost as varied as the type of people that use the Internet every day. Businesses, like Tasti D-Lite;  nonprofit organizations, like my personal favorite, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA); and government agencies are tweeting about everything from promotional giveaways and store holiday hours to severe weather alerts and sustainability tips and trends. And don’t forget about your Average Joes, like me , who use it to post far less significiant pieces of information. I mean, who other than my friends and family really care about my upcoming class presentations or Mystic Tan adventures? Maybe nobody…but that’s  the great thing about Twitter; it’s so versatile and can be molded to fit your own personal use and lifestyle. You can use to communicate funny stories, inside jokes, and complete nonsense to a close community of “followers” or use it to help another person or cause.

 The other day, a friend of mine (a follower) tweeted an Amber Alert about a child who was suspected to have been kidnapped, allowing her to spread this important message to all her followers, who could then spread it to their followers, and so on. In the vast, social mega-network that is Twitter, one tweet might seem like one star in a galaxy of millions, some of which might seem more important because of their size or apparent sparkle, but even one simple tweet by an Auburn college student cause a limitless chain reaction that could ultimately change someone’s life.