November 3, 2009 Lists feature renews Twitters networking power Play video

(NECN: Ted McEnroe) - I have been checking out Twitter lists for a few days now - and come to at least one conclusion. Lists bring Twitter the massive unwieldy land of millions back to a manageable level, and makes it possible for people to once again use Twitter to discover new items and new people, something which had gotten lost in the spammy, massive Twittersphere.

In short, it may save the service from self-destruction. At least for me.

Why do I say this? It goes back to the early days of Twitter. Back then (when Twitter had fewer than a million users), if I was interested in a topic on Twitter, I could find someone there who shared that interest, go through their few hundred followers, and almost certainly be able to find some other people who were also worth my time. My wife described it then as a cocktail party where maybe you only knew one person when you arrived, but through them you got to meet other interesting people. Today, the mass of Twitter is more like Gillette Stadium. You might find your friend there, but being able to connect with other people is almost impossible.

Lists brings that smaller feel back.

With Twitter Lists, users can create lists of people they follow on Twitter, usually defined by topic. So now, if you go to the Twitter page of someone you know, you can scan their lists and find out who

they think are worthwhile followers in a given area. It turns the Gillette Stadium back into the cocktail party. Subscribe to their list, the people they think are truly worthwhile, and build your own following list from there.

Lists also remove a massive barrier for people who are either new or lapsed Twitter users - who can find it almost impossible to get those first few people to follow. Now all you need is one person on Twitter you know and trust - and from there, you can start building. Building a list or following a list is easy - but so is unfollowing a list you don't find valuable. It just takes a single click.

The Lists feature is already making its way into new and interesting places, too - organizations are building dozens of lists, Twitter has rolled out a Lists widget, which allows you to embed a List in your website or blog, and Seesmic Desktop promises to be the first of what will soon be many desktop clients to allow you to monitor lists of your choosing alongside your accounts. That new version could be out as soon as today.

Bottom line - if you have wandered away from Twitter, the lists feature could make it more relevant for you again.