The latest fad to take over Twitterverse is the inclusion of lists. You can now add people to a list, or a bunch of lists. The blogosphere, as well Marketing sites are abuzz on how Twitter Lists can help us.
Here's other people's take:
Measure influence: This is the one major point which people have highlighted. Influence has always been the major 'Pull' point of Twitter. Lists are being seen as the next big thing in influence measurement. So, if you figure on 1 million lists you are really influential? Or is it just going back to that old adage on Twitter: "Quality and not Quantity".
My take: The same old people will remain as influential as before. People will continue creating lists and adding people for other people to follow them. Makes no difference.
Where I think lists might make a difference are the following:
Tweep-Tweet selection: It has helped me cut the clutter, and I am now able to see Tweets from Tweeps who matter. It's not that I don't look at the other tweets, but my list almost adds as Google Reader; it allows me to read what I want
Syndicate: You can syndicate the feed from a list to your reader. This allows you to keep updated on relevant information and find good Re-Tweetable content
Suggestion: Your list can act as a good point of suggestion for new followers to add.Tweeps who you follow suggest other Tweeps all the while. Their suggestions will make more sense, than just randomly following people.
Build Personas: How about trying to build personas by looking at lists? For example: If you look at my list, research the people I like, you might be able to infer what I am interested in. Although Yahoo Mojo might confirm that I am a Concierge, Twitter Lists can help you drill down the information further.
Groups or Tribes: Godin talks about them. You can finally make them now. Technologists, family, people who spam, Awesome Ideators... anything. In the end, the choice is yours! It allows your information to flow in streams created by you. This again allows for control over that unmanageable Twitter Tweet stream.
These are some advantages I can think of. Any comments on what else?
