You’ve read (or at least heard) it all, about how Twitter is rapidly growing, and continues to do so. You’ve heard all about how its the next big thing, and that it may be a revolution.

There are plenty of articles and posts on why Twitter is so important, and yet many people that I have talked to still don’t get it. They have an image of people tweeting random useless chatter and cant get past that. So rather than create a list of importance, here is a quick and simple explanation of why Twitter is so important and useful.

The concept is simple, a microblogging service permitting updates (tweets) no longer than 140 characters.

Again, whats so revolutionary about it?

Its a global water cooler, where everyone gathers to talk about whatever is on their mind. And the search tools available allow anyone to listen in and join this global conversation. You can find Trending Topics, and check out what others are saying about you, your brand, products, or company.

Its the quickest way to get the latest news. People publish updates as the story happens. Its open, while it may be biased based on the views of the person who tweeted the news, its often an outlet of self expression mixed with the news story, so a diversified search will help paint a bigger picture.

In June 2009 when the election results in Iran were contested, resulting in mass riots, the oppressive regime censored many means of communications. The people of Iran turned to social media networks, mainly Twitter, to send updates into the world to see the aftermath of backlash, and to bypass such restrictions in the freedom of speech.

Think of it as a universal RSS feed. Instead of subscribing to one source of info, or subscribing to several sources, simply follow the people or organizations that interest you, and watch your twitter stream fill with quick tips and useful links from various sources.

I have only scratched the surface of why Twitter is so useful. If you haven’t already, go and create an account, search and follow your favourite people and places. Download and install applications for your phone or computer to access Twitter from. Start tweeting, and listen to others.

See for yourselves and let me know why you think Twitter is such a big deal.