There are some misconceptions going around about social networking such as twitter. The recent report which does not rate a link suggesting that teenagers don't use twitter, for instance is mistaken.

If you want some idea of the potential of twitter and text based messaging - yes - they are one and the same...

Get it?

Anyone out there with kids who aren't using text? If they can (afford it)?

SMS is the most popular messaging system in use and has already exceeded the total number of old fashioned mail letters sent in all of history.

SMS (short message service) = TXT(Text messaging) = Twitter = IM = Chat

While some of your children may not do SMS, generally only those who can't don't.

Even most of the ones who can afford to talk to their friends any time they like.

Twitter doesn't care if you can or can't. You can twitter back and forth on your phone using SMS, or web, or an app.

If you are out of SMS's you can still send text messages to your friends mobiles using twitter - if they have the ability to receive SMS's under their mobile plan (and be paying for them - either SMS's or data).

Put yourself back to the time when you were young. I bet you didn't manage your budget too well? Imagine trying to keep track of your phone plan and stay connected for the whole month, through raging romances, hormonal swings, growth spurts and all the rest.

As of June 31% of twitter users were aged 15-19yrs.

No-one can afford to ignore the fastest growing communications mediums on the planet.

No business can afford not to utilise every communication channel open to their customers. Especially banks. No-one opens their other communications and even their snail mail is doomed.

Exactly how you use it is up to you.

Of course I have my own ideas which are probably very different to yours, but it doesn't need debate about as to whether you do it, only perhaps how you use it.

And yes it is a hot favourite with would be citizen journalists, writers, and of course marketers but they are the first to grasp it's usefulness. There are a lot more uses and users to come. Prey tell me why it won't be ubiquitous - not necessarily twitter, but short messaging in all it's forms being adopted by everyone in some form?

I've a feeling you'll be wanting to know which 'channel' your customers are listening to.

Plain language is a great way to communicate.

I chose this Sysomos.com study which was limited to users who disclose their age. I probably lied about mine (sorry - for security), as I do on every social networking site, but young people are more likely to disclose their rough age.(I'm sure there is an algorithm to describe it like: boys 15-19 add 2, girls 14-16 add 2, girls 16-19 add 3, all boys over 18 in the US claim they are 21, etc.) They have some more twitter stuff here.

If you have no idea of Twitter here is a great explanation of how to use it from Emily Carpenter on youtube.