Do You Tweet – Or is Twitter Just a Passing Fad?
Do you tweet? I don’t. I don’t have a reason why I don’t tweet; I just haven’t found a reason to tweet. I did a little looking around on who tweets and this is what I found.
Approximately 64% of those who tweet are between 25 and 54 years of age. 20% are 55 and up; only 16% are under 25 years old. Now I was always under the impression that young people (teenagers) started this type of fad. I viewed twitter as a type of social networking. I don’t think that is necessarily the case. Teenagers use Facebook, MySpace, etc, for social networking. To them social networking is keeping up with the most important aspect of their lives, their friends. They want to interact, share photos, personal characteristics, and leave comments. Twitter is less about socializing and more about an overall conversation and allowing the ‘public’ to follow along. Teenagers really don’t have anything to say on twitter. They primarily use twitter to follow celebrities.
So, who uses twitter? A large part of those using twitter are businesses; be it individuals or a company, it is being driven by business with the intent of promoting their business, products or services. In other words, twitter is more of an on-gong commercial than anything else. Even those teenagers using twitter to follow celebrities is nothing more than a commercial promoting the celebrities business. As it is said, “any promotion is good promotion.” Keep yourself in front of the customer.
Now really, who do you know wants to follow someone tweeting things like, “I am going to the grocery store to pick up some bread.” No one is going to follow that for very long. Everybody wants something. They want to know what company is having a sale, what celebrity is making an appearance; they want to know something about what they are interested in. And if someone is interested, someone is going to figure a way to promote and profit.
So, if we TIVO television shows so we can skip the commercials, how long are we going to invite commercials onto our phones and PDAs? To me twitter is more of a promotional tool than social media. The retention rate of twitter users is bouncing between 30% to 40% over the last few months. That trend will not sustain twitter. Twitter will need to find a better use beyond promotion. Just my opinion.
Let me know yours. Do you tweet, or is twitter just a passing fad?
—Marty Hudson
Marty, I think you are on to something here, but I disagree that Twitter will pass on… well, at least not in the near future (everything is temporary, right? – especially technology.)
Twitter is rapidly changing. At first, it was cool for a bunch of friends to get an update telling them that Friend Z just walked in to Urban Outfitters or that her meeting with Company X went very well. As time wears on and followers / friends are collected, tweeters are faced with the decision of “Do I really want Friend Z to know what I’m doing right now?” Usually the answer is – “No, probably not.”
The novelty of instantly knowing what one’s friends just did or telling them what you did is simply wearing off.
Twitter is morphing, however. It’s emerging as a place for the savvy online-shopper to get the latest and greatest or to get it the cheapest, often for a very limited time. It is where we go to find the latest news on Celebrity Y or Company X — and right from the source instead of garnished with the typical news-outlet spin. And mostly, It has become an instant mini publishing platform for those worthy of being followed and I think it will continue this path.
You’re spot on to say that Twitter is moving away from social networking, and I think it’s a good thing. I predict that we’ll see more and more comedians, pastors, philosophers, doctors, writers, etc. Tweeting. There is no barrier to entry and it is simply easier than writing a book, blogging on their own website, etc. but still carries the potential to reach as many ‘followers’ as they can collect.
I don’t Tweet, but I do Follow.
I like gadgets, the internet, and innovation. I especially appreciate the flexibility today’s technology brings to my life. Even so, I don’t follow any tweeters, and couldn’t imagine anyone following me if I tweeted.
Marty, I think you’re right on; tweeting is simply a way of promoting something or someone, but certainly not a social networking media.
Corey, you said it too in your reply, which read, “I predict that we’ll see more and more comedians, pastors, philosophers, doctors, writers, etc. Tweeting”.
Tweeting is simply a means of promotion.
Will tweeting stay around for a long time? I doubt it, but I really I can’t say for sure. Here’s why I’m not sure. What if…? What if tweeting found a way to be financially viable as a business model? For example, what if an innovative up-and-coming cell service gave away cell service and as a way to sustain the “free” cell service business model, commercial tweets were sold to the highest bidder. Of course the person using the “free” service would not have the option to turn-off the tweeting unless they turned off their cell phone. A business model similar to commercial TV and radio.
In today’s rapidly changing technology landscape tweeting will quickly give way to the next new trend or fad; or perhaps it finds some way to create an adequate profit and stay around for awhile. Either way, it is today’s technology that makes either scenario possible. That’s why I like gadgets, the internet, and innovation.
I was reading something else about this on another blog. Interesting. Your perspective on it is diametrically opposed to what I read earlier. I am still reflecting over the various points of view, but I’m tipped to a great extent toward yours. And irrespective, that’s what is so good about advanced democracy and the marketplace of thoughts on-line.
I think that without a doubt social media is changing the landscape for advertisers. Twitter, facebook, blogs, video, etc is a way to speak to consumers and not just at them.
Hi, Great blog you have here. I wanted to let you all know that I think Twitter is going to be one of the better networks because of the fact that it is supported by so many industries. I also think when Twitter reveals some of it’s new functions, returning traffic will increase to show the real growth of the network.
Anyway, I created a website that gives away great resources for Twitter that are 100% free, so come and visit and don’t be a stranger.
Keep up the great work!
[...] In a blog several weeks ago I talked about Twitter sustaining itself as it currently exists. My opinion is it needs to evolve into something else. (http://www.medicalgpsblog.com/?p=77) [...]