What is Twitter and what’s the point of a 140 character tweet? As Twitter continues to grow, the terms for defining it simultaneously evolve. I didn’t grasp the concept of the site until I started using it myself. When you explain Twitter to most people, they often question the purpose of it all. Regardless of the curiosity on the one hand and the puzzlement on the other, the one aspect that remains constant is the successful growth. Tons of folks out there, from marketing specialists to entrepreneurs to mommy bloggers, have their own definitions of Twitter. This is because the site really serves unique purposes for each individual user. With that said, here is an account of common answers to the ultimate question—What is Twitter?

• Twitter.com: The people who created Twitter define it as “a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answer to one simple question: What are you doing?” Although that’s 40 characters above the 140 limit, it is still a comprehensive description.
• Micro-Blogging: Majority of people agree that Twitter is a micro-blogging site that allows for quick updates of any subject as opposed to writing a 300 word blog post about it. It keeps people informed in a short and sweet manner.
• Facebook Competitor: Some tweeple view Twitter as the 140 character update that beats the Facebook status update feature. Also, instead of reconnecting with people you already know and love, Twitter lets you find new people to get to know.
• Source of Inspiration: Twitter users offer a lot of helpful insight that others find to be motivating and inspiring.
• Real-Time Result Provider: Twitter offers real-time feedback among followers, real-time search results, real-time news reporting, real-time job opportunities, real-time everything.
• Marketing Tool: Twitter has become a major tool to raise brand awareness and promote a product or service. From constant updates to a customized Twitter background, a given Twitter page can be all about hyping up a person or company. The more followers you have, the bigger your presence.
• Social Network: Twitter is vastly considered a place to build a community in order to stay current with friends, family and people in your niche. You follow people, they follow you back (or not) and vice versa. Twitter users help each other out, answer questions, provide resources and much more.
• The Next Google: Although Google is the Big Kahoona, many project that Twitter is becoming the next Google in terms of search potential.

While it has some haters and skeptics, most people find Twitter to be ultra useful. The list to defining Twitter could really go on, which points to the beauty of it all. Twitter accomplishes so many things in such simple and effective ways. What is Twitter to you?