Difference Between Twitter and Email

July 2022 · 5 minute read

Twitter and email play an important role in this world. On the internet, people want information regarding current events across the world. Interacting with people is easy with networking options like Twitter and email.

Although these tools have some similarities, they cannot be replaced by one another. Users of Twitter read the content rapidly until something catches their interest. They acquire more information in less time.

In emails, people spend more time reading and analyzing them. If the subject line is necessary for the recipient, they read it diligently.

Twitter vs Email

The main difference between Twitter and email is that in Twitter, one can interact with anyone as it is a mass communication mode. But in an email, the recipients can only view the mail and respond to it. It is more secure and private. The brevity of the content in Twitter makes it handy. The concept of saying more in less is applied there. An email is customized according to the needs. Hence, its length, subject matter, and purpose vary.

Twitter is a famous social network on the internet. It has a short, simple, and concise structure that attracts users. It enables people to know the updates of their favourite individuals. The message broadcasted by a particular user can be seen by their followers. They can react to it publicly. Twitter is a tool for journalism as it can give the latest news within no time. The sharing options make it easier to catch attention.

An email is a tool used to improve lives by faster and cheaper communication globally. If the email address of the required recipients is known, one can send the message, and they can receive it once they are online. There are different email providers like Google, Hotmail, and Yahoo.

Comparison Table Between Twitter and Email

Parameters of ComparisonTwitterEmail
Launch20061971
CreatorJack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, Evan WilliamsRay Tomilson
Character Limit140 charactersNo such limit
AccessFollowers (for private accounts)
Anyone (for public accounts)
Recipients in the sender’s list
CommunicationMass communicationInterpersonal

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a platform that provides opportunities for microblogging and networking. The messages are called “tweets”. Registered users can read and interact with the posts. This platform was launched in 2006. It is used for connecting with people, following celebrities, receive news, and sharing opinions.

Users can customize their privacy settings. One can either make the tweets public or make them visible to their followers only. Mute and block options are available. It makes the user experience private and safe.

The Twitter website, applications, and the short message service are used for tweeting. One can subscribe to others’ tweets to become their follower. Forwarding someone’s tweet is also possible through the retweet option.

The first tweet was by the creator – Jack Dorsey, who was later sold. The year 2009 marked the event of tweeting from space. The content in Twitter is versatile. People use hashtags, usernames, retweets, or replies to interact.

The trending topics on Twitter help people understand what is going on in the world and the various opinions. Abusive and offensive content is often censored. The verified accounts system makes it easy for people to identify impersonators.

The “blue tick” next to an account suggests that it is verified and approved. The Twitter Lite app makes it easy for using social media even in low internet connectivity regions.

What is Email? 

Email is still a popular activity on the internet. People can exchange messages with individuals or multiple people. Email or e-mail is the shortened version of electronic mail. It was introduced in the 1970s as a faster method of exchanging messages.

Ray Tomilson is known as the creator of email. In 1971, he enabled users to send mail across the ARPANET. Initially, the email service was limited for the users of the same computer. Now, with time the system has advanced. There are multiple options, like hiding recipient names.

With emails, business communication can be done safely. One can check the past messages and save frequent contacts. The subject line in emails makes it easier for people to avoid spams and selectively read the important ones. Users can send documents, links, or pictures attached to the email. It is also used for newsletters.

The recipients can view, save, print, reply or forward the messages. Many corporations use emails for better communication with their employees. The users and their systems don’t have to be online always to receive a message. When they connect to the internet, the message is received.

The email contains two sections: the header and the body. In the header, subsections like From, To, CC, Subject, Date, and other information are given. The content is written in the body.

Main Differences Between Twitter and Email

  • Twitter is a service provided by a single company. People who use it are in the same group. But when it comes to email, any company or individual can implement it. Anyone can have their set-ups.
  • The limit of 140 characters on Twitter is not in email.
  • Twitter is a public platform, and the followers of each account can see the posts. In the case of email, the recipients are decided by the sender. Hence, it gives more privacy and safety.
  • Twitter is a social media that everyone has access to, and its intention is public attention. But email came as an alternative for ordinary mail. So email is quite interpersonal in its communication, but Twitter is a mass communication medium.
  • The messages in Twitter cannot have attachment files, but in email, one can attach files, documents, or pictures along with the message.
  • Conclusion

    Connecting with people or businesses is easy using Twitter or email. The social impact of these communication tools is amusing. Each has its unique possibilities to offer.

    Users can decide what they want and how they want it. Both can be used to enhance business services and increase public engagement. Several brands have marketing strategies on these platforms to level up their sales and brand awareness.

    References

  • https://www.usenix.org/legacy/event/nsdi06/tech/full_papers/garriss/garriss.pdf
  • https://www.igi-global.com/pdf.aspx?tid%3D105658%26ptid%3D71575%26ctid%3D17%26t%3Dtwitter%3A+social+communication+in+the+twitter+age
  • ncG1vNJzZmiZo6Cur8XDop2fnaKau6SxjZympmeUnrOnsdGepZydXZeytcPEnqVmrKeewbWx0WaYp5xdmrqitcto