There probably weren’t that many people who’d even heard of Twitter at the start of 2008 — now that’s certainly all changed. Microblogging has given its long-form big brother a run for its money, filling a bit of a gap between stream of consciousness and full length writing. It’s a new kind of social network which can connect you with other people (and brands) without you even realising it.

So what better way to end the year here on DGM with news of the Twitter Panto “TwitPanto” which is in full swing this afternoon.

Being social media it’s a collaborative effort with all the audience participation you’d expect. You can even heckle to your heart’s content. Genius.

From news organisations to corporates – millions of people are discovering that Twitter is a way to keep in touch with your audience/customers and engage them directly in real time. Social media is no longer niche, it’s mainstream; digital communication is not just for early adopters, it’s for everyone.

All this brings me back to panto. My first job after leaving university was in panto– Jack and the Beanstalk in York, if you must know. Many of the audience told me that they didn’t go to the theatre during the year but always went to the panto. Why? Because it was social, populist and they could get involved. Crucially they enjoyed the show and told their friends about it– retweeted, if you like.

Could it be that the panto spirit sums up what two-way communication (ie the social bit) is all about?