Campus groups, who make up a part of the more than seven million users of Twitter.com, recently started using Twitter to update members on activities and events.

Twitter, the fastest growing social networking Web site, saw a 1,382 percent increase in usage between February of 2008 and February of 2009, according to a Nielson News report.

KU groups that once relied on mass e-mails, phone calls and Web sites are now turning to Twitter in order to better communicate with their members and audiences. Student Senate coalitions, KU museums and The Underground are among the places that have turned to Twitter for networking.

Ellyn Angelotti, interactivity editor and adjunct faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, a journalism think-tank, said Twitter was gaining popularity because of how easy it was to use.

Although its users continue to grow, Angelotti said she didn’t think it would ever bring down Facebook.

“I don’t see Twitter filling a void that Facebook doesn’t,” Angelotti said. “I see Facebook and Twitter working in tandem.”

Student Senate on Twitter

Student Senate coalitions Envision and United Students are using Twitter to keep others up-to-date on campaign activities and Senate events.

Aaron Dollinger, Leawood sophomore and communications director for the Envision campaign, said the coalition started using Twitter after seeing how successful it was for Barack Obama in the presidential race.

The group started tweeting at the beginning of the campaign in March, but many of the coalition members had used Twitter for social networking before.

“It gives us the ability to reach a mass amount of people and keep people up-to- date,” Dollinger said.

Dollinger said the group hoped to use Twitter after elections as a way to keep the student body informed.

“This is another way to reach those people who don’t want to run or be really involved, but want to stay informed,” Dollinger said.

* * *

Mason Heilman, Lawrence junior and presidential candidate for United Students, said the coalition started using Twitter at the beginning of the campaign.

He said it was sometimes more practical than reaching students through e-mails and phone calls, but it was sometimes difficult because not everyone’s phones were able to receive messages from Twitter.

“It’s useful for just keeping people up-to-date,” Heilman said.

Heilman said both candidates and student supporters followed the coalition on Twitter.

“It was definitely a unique way to get a hold of people,” Heilman said.

He said he didn’t think the coalition would use Twitter after the election, but said Student Senate might take it up as another means of communication.

“I think we introduced a lot of people to the concept,” Heilman said.

* * *

Students of Liberty, another Senate coalition, hasn’t jumped on the Twitter bandwagon yet.

Adam Wood, Lawrence senior and Students of Liberty presidential candidate, said the group probably wouldn’t use Twitter any time soon because they relied mostly on phone calls and e-mail for communication.

“It just seems like an unnecessary step to me,” Wood said.

KU Museums on Twitter

If you want a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Spencer Museum of Art, the museum’s Twitter is the place to go.

Jessica Johnson, project coordinator for the museum, said museum staff tweeted about everything from upcoming events to gossip heard by museum guards. Updates are posted at least once a day by museum staff.

KU students and other museums across the nation are following the Spencer on Twitter.

Johnson said museum staff was still experimenting with Twitter. The museum has also used other social media tools such as Facebook and Second Life.

“Facebook is good for events, but Twitter is a good place to start some discussions about things going on,” Johnson said. “We’ve had some success with that, and hopefully it will continue to grow.”

The museum’s Twitter followers continue to increase by about three to five people each day.

“It’s growing all the time,” Johnson said.

* * *

Jen Humphrey, communications director for the KU Natural History Museum said the museum first started using Twitter in February during the 200th celebration of Charles Darwin’s birthday.

“We wanted to make it so people could participate in the celebration, whether they were here in the museum or not,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey said she thought a lot of people were still mystified by Twitter.

“For some audiences, it’s a little slow to catch on, but I definitely see it as growing in popularity,” Humphrey said.

Humprey said the museum hadn’t dedicated enough staff to keeping up with Twitter, but said she thought the museum would eventually get more involved in twittering.

“The micro-blogging trend is one I don’t see going away,” Humphrey said. “And I hope to see the museum tap into that.”

The Underground on Twitter

Regular visitors of The Underground can check out its Twitter for daily specials and menu updates.

Jason Arnett, marketing manager for KU Dining Services, said The Underground started experimenting with Twitter in the middle of the fall semester.

“We want to update our customers more frequently and we thought Twitter could do that,” Arnett said.

Arnett said he thought it had the potential to change the way advertisers in general reached their customers.

“I think it’s an important tool because it allows you to hear straight from the person’s mouth about what’s going on,” Arnett said.

The Underground has fewer than 20 followers, but Arnett said he was optimistic that more people would begin following as Twitter gained ground in popularity.

“It’s a great tool to have in our arsenal to keep our guests updated,” Arnett said.

— — Edited by Carly Halvorson