Twitter Appreciation Post

Twitter has been a constant in my life since August 2008. I started my account early enough to be followed by President Barack Obama — and yes, I just checked, he still follows me. That could easily be my claim to fame on the platform, but through the years, my interactions with celebrities and influence makers do not compare to the friendships I’ve forged and the networks I’ve gained through the “bird app'“. Most importantly, I was able to learn the ins and outs of an online community, how to create and nurture, and how to sustain them through the years.

As an example, in 2017, I stumbled upon a bunch of hashtags that were trending one November evening in anticipation of a South Korean music group’s debut performance on U.S. national TV at the American Music Awards. This group turned out to be the group called “BTS” which, is arguably, the biggest group in the world at the moment. Their fan online community propelled them on that stage through their steady support and social media advocacy.

Fast forward to 2023, my dissertation will explore the online community they cultivated, their fandom, and their influence through social media and digital storytelling. Twitter helped me discover their genius, artistry, and phenomenon which piqued my interest as a social media/digital marketer. Not bad for a social networking app!