After months of deliberating whether I should twitter or not - I’ve taken the plunge. Just over a week in - and the experience has been interesting. I’m following folk and miraculously have accumulated some followers too. However, the really useful aspect is instant access to information and views.

I can see the appeal. However, twitter has its critics. And rightly so. You need to dedicate real time to twittering. Keep up with news and views. Contribute meaningfully to the conversation. And, acquire and look after your followers. There is a whole new etiquette to be learnt.

According to The Nielson Company, we’re spending more and more time on sites such as twitter and facebook. The average user spent five and a half hours on social networking sites in December 2009. In December 2008 that figure was three hours a month. An 82% increase.

The UK has over 29 million unique users, spending over six hours per month on social networking sites. France, Germany and Switzerland are lagging behind at around four hours per month. Australians, on the other hand, with around 10 million users, spend nearly seven hours a month on social networking sites.

Twitter is the fastest growing social networking site, with a 579 percent increase in unique users in the US - in comparison with December 2008. Source:cnet news

Judging from the activity online, its apparent that businesses need to get actively involved in social networking, or risk being left behind. It is the new way to search, find and connect with the world. The new way to be found. However, there are caveats …