Have you ever noticed the Favorites link in Twitter?
What’s that you say? I never really knew what it was for? Never really noticed it.
Yesterday, Crystal Ehrlich twittered <cbehrlichHuge collection of resources re UX, Wireframes, heat-mapping, prototyping, eye-tracking, etc. —> http://is.gd/vetT> Cool! I thought, and clicked on the shortened link.
Then I was surprised, “Strange, I’ve been taken to her twitter Profile!”
But on closer inspection - I realised it it wass her Favorites tab.
Funnily, I had noticed Crystal tweeting lots of (my) tweeted links in the couple of days prior? Incessantly. Then I worked it out! She was setting up a useful resource! A whole list of cool UX and eye tracking links. Sweet!
The lack of design consideration in the Twitter site has meant that I never noticed it, never cared. All they needed to do was add a little number there telling me how many favorites are hidden behind, just like the Updates link above it. I need to know: has the Twitterarti saved Zero, lots or too many faves? Should I bother clicking?
Favourites can be very useful resource in Twitter. Particularly for experts or entities that need to share information. If you favorite tweets you end up with a list of little URLs coupled with a short summary of the article, all in one hot little location.
Now I know Faves are there, I will use them! BUT I don’t know if, when I click on another person’s Favorites link, they have actually saved any… why would I bother looking?
Anyhow, the Twitter Faves do come hitched to their own little URL <http://twitter.com/cbehrlich/favourites> ready to shorten and tweet! Just like Crystal did! That’s useful in its own right 
I live in hope.
Update (17/5/09)
I just noticed another way to use Twitter Faves!
Radian 6, a social media company, have a link on their site like this:
And when you click it you go to their favorites link and they have favorited all the positive comments people have made about their software on Twitter.
They also link to their twitter faves from their email footers. That’s where I saw it!
I discovered the twitter-fav the same way as well. It’s a pity we can make categories (or I missed it?). That surely would be a very useful tool.
I use favorites mainly as a “comeback and look at this link later” kinda thing. If Im on the bus and checking twitter on my phone, I couldn’t really be bothered to jump out of twitter, look at a site, possibly flash which wont work on the phone anyway. With faves, I just have a look at work or home. In terms of link resources, nice idea, but isn’t that what delicious is for?
Favorites are one of the most valuable features provided on Twitter. I often need to reference specific tools over and over again. This helps me find important resources quickly. And, I enjoy sharing these valuable tools with others in my community. I’m looking forward to seeing more people really leverage their Favorites.
Thanks for the inspiration Crystal!