Twitter - why a bird sound makes so much noise

As someone who describes himself as quite internet savvy, I managed to resist the urge to join Twitter until only a month ago. I thought, what's the big deal about a social network that only allows you to update 160 characters at a time? You can't even put the URL links in that you are talking about, without turning it into a TinyUrl. 

So I joined twitter with two eyes open to identify what the big deal is, after Ashton Kutcher was the first Twitter account to have 1,000,000 million followers. 

Here are some things I found interesting about twitter, which are relevant to marketing people:

1. Twitter allows you to update your customers subliminally. Every time they log on to twitter, they see your company name and your updates.

2. Twitter increases your customer loyalty. You are talking to people at a personal level with twitter, even if you are a bank. 

3. Twitter allows you to search your company name  to see what people are saying about your company. (eg Getting a lot of "steak is crap at Harry's" twitter updates.. then its time to rethink that recipe)

4. Twitter can grow your following very quickly.

5. Twitter breaks down the barrier between company and Generation Z, who don't go to a store counter or call up on the phone. 

I'm still looking so these are some things I have found.