WARNING: DOES TWITTER ROB YOU?
October 17th, 2009 Posted in General Domain News(THIS ARTICLE IS IN RESPONSE TO AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY JAMIE ZOCH OF DOTWEEKLY.COM)
First of all, I agree with Jamz article on Dotweekly.com.
So how does Twitter potentially rob you? Ask yourself how much your time is worth. Is it $10 an hour, $25 an hour? $100 or more? At any level of your hourly worth, Twitter might rob you of your ability to get out a comprehensive, significant profile and any details of a project you are working on, product you’re selling or promoting, and news you are announcing. I would say the 140 character limit isn’t enough to properly inform your readers of what you’re trying to say.
After careful study over a month’s time, I canceled my Twitter account. I’d reached about 300 followers and I was following almost 200 others. All the people I connected to and allowed to connect to me were supposedly domainers.
Why did I cancel my Twitter account? I canceled because I know that most *”twits” who are “Following” more than 100 people/companies are just stroking you if they’re signing up to receive your tweets. If my “Followers” were following more than 100 other Twits, it didn’t take much analysis to conclude that these followers had little time to read my tweets. * (“Twits” are people who believe that 24 hour news networks are comprehensive sources for them to feel satisfied they know what’s going on in the world, and who think Twitter is the perfect way to “communicate without commitment”.
Big Question: Will your followers who also follow 100+ other Twits who post at least one tweet a day, be able to read your tweet? Some Twits post as many as 20 tweets a day!
Come on. Really? Multiple tweets a day? Even three tweets a day may just mean the Twit can’t get everything they want to say into one tweet. How many times have you discovered this on Twitter?
So either you’re a spammer, desperate, bored, or lonely, or all of the above, if you’re putting out that many tweets daily. The only other people who legitimately (notice that word) send out that many Tweets are the Public Relations Industry, who see Twitter as a godsend for their celebrity clients. Most tweets by celebs are sent out by their PR staff, unless the celeb is “publicity hungry” and loves to physically be in the spotlight as much as possible. Those of you who think an actual celebrity, or news/entertainment company wonk, are personally tweeting out their stuff several times a day, learn the world of Public Relations and marketing and the media game. (Most of those tweeters are called “Staffers” or “P/A’s”. Remember that a “celeb” can be anyone well-known in their industry.)
Of course, a lot of celebs (in any industry) can quickly throw out a tweet if something interesting is happening, but if it’s a deluge of tweets coming from one source everyday, then depending on who is the tweeter, they fall into one or more of the categories of Twits I described above.
Additionally, I received so many tweets from people I legitimately subscribed to, that I couldn’t read them all. I read their blogs if their topic is relevant, so I can get more info elsewhere than on their tweet.
I also couldn’t discern right away between the crap tweets and the good tweets. Can you? I spent more time scrolling through the hundreds of Tweets to find something that really “mattered” to me. Problem is, if you can sum it up in 140 characters, there will be more details and a better overview somewhere else of the topic the Twit is trying to announce. (I defer to Depeche Mode’s satirical “Everything Counts [in large amounts]“).
Since I was getting this “tweet overload”, I figured it was the same thing happening to my followers regarding my tweets. Someone named “FRED” on the Dotweekly.com article actually commented that 50 million people used Twitter DAILY. Of that group, I would bet that 20% are spammers, and another 20% are people who are pushing two or more accounts on Twitter. I could be wrong.
I decided to test a mathematical theory. I posted a few domain names that were worth a minimum of $500 wholesale for only $99, *(sacrificing a domain or two for research is a great way to find answers to questions regarding the productive results of any system you’re testing where your market SHOULD respond.) Nobody responded to these basically giveaway offers. I realized that most of my “followers” didn’t see my tweet. So why use Twitter as a business source that requires comprehensive communication?
**UPDATE TO ORIGINAL POST (10/20/09)
+++++++++
HERE’S MY EQUATION TO FIGURE YOUR TWITTER PRODUCTIVITY INDEX
A=Your Followers;
B=Your Followers’ Individual Following Total;
Y=Tweets Sent By You;
C=Tweets Sent By Others To Those Twits Following You;
Z=Your Celebrity/Importance Status;
X=Tweets Read
Equation for successful Twitter productivity: (A + Z + Y) – (B + C) = X
+++++++++++
Here’s what Twitter can do, how to do it, and who would be the best Twitter “broadcasters”:
1) Broadcasting a famous person’s comments where they have an established fan base. (Shaun Morton advised me about emergency services too)
2) Select only a few followers to be allowed to read your blog, and accept only those connected to your business, hobby, or family life. KNOW THIS: People whose profiles show they are following 3,000 twits are NOT reading your tweets, unless they have staffers whose sole job is to rifle through the tweets coming in from followers.
3) People who believe they have thousands of followers are those same people who approve anyone who asks to follow their tweets, including all the spammers (at least 50% of those requesting to follow are spammers). A lot of Twits think that by showing everyone they have a lot of followers will suck/seduce new followers to “join in”. Actually, the opposite will happen eventually.
4) I’ve gained a lot of clients and connected with people in my industry on a deeper social/business level on Facebook and Linkedin, where comments and intentions are easier to control and a lot more legit regarding “reaching” the people who care. Plus, you can see the faces and lives of the people who are connected to you on Facebook, and have a reasonable online social experience with them. Linkedin is purely business and they run a very tight ship to prevent spammers and wannabees mucking up the service. They are no-nonsense and if you want to say something, you better say it as if you want someone important to take the time to read it.
5) Facebook is a more professional and thorough “Twitter” experience. Facebook is already Twitter on steroids.
Bottom line: Twitter.com has a life of about 1-2 years for the majority of Twits at this current business model. However, I predict by 2012, Twitter will have evolved to become a “Pay For Use” advertising tool for those celebrities/companies who wish to send out quick notices to those who care. That doesn’t mean Twitter will die, it just means their business model will change to a paying service, and most businessmen and people wishing for someone to actually read what they post will stick with Facebook (for those who care and share).
My comment request from my readers is this: Can you honestly reveal where a Twitter post by you, or even a Twitter post read by you, actually helped your business. My forum is open for your stories, so send in your opinions. Everything will be posted.
Are you a Twit? Please help my readers and myself understand what we may be missing…
CAVEAT: This article could never have been published on Twitter. The headline and tagline maybe… but if nobody is reading, what does it matter? I put my faith more in Francois Carillo’s Domaining.com emails than Twitter.
“Twitter is akin to a woman giving a 10-minute soliloquy to her man, and he responds with “Yes, dear.” The woman is Facebook, the man is Twitter.” – © Stephen Douglas 2009 – Usage rights allowed with author credits and linkback.
8 Responses to “WARNING: DOES TWITTER ROB YOU?”
By Francois on Oct 17, 2009
You and Jammie are 100% right.
Most no longer read anything on Twitter and simply use it to post ads (to an audience that finally don’t care).
The spread of the API should quickly accelerate the fall down…
By Jason on Oct 17, 2009
It’s all in the tools you use against the service. I found -this- post from a page I created at http://truetribes.com/domainers/ Retweeted by @yofie. It’s a tweet aggregator for domainers that I chose to follow. It also shows the top URLs shared (retweeted) over given time periods.
The social graph is large, but that’s what makes it a richer social experience, but that also means you need better tools to sort it all out.
I get a -lot- of traffic from Twitter: slightly more than organic search! It’s all in how you play the ’social’ game. If you’re using it as a ‘for-sale’ board, you’ll have mixed success, b/c that’s not the message for the medium.
By Kevin M. on Oct 17, 2009
Great sumnation. I agree with you 100% on the points you make here. Should be interesting to read the pro ‘Twitter-is-It’ responses. (I wonder how many ‘important tweets’ they’ll miss as they write their replies?!!)
XXXXXX Stephen Douglas Responds:
lol — nice!
By owen frager on Oct 17, 2009
I usually agree with you, but here, based on experience, you’re wrong. It’s all a matter of the circle you create and the filters you apply via third party applications.
XXXXXX Stephen Douglas Responds:
Hi Owen,
I’m glad to know we think a like, that’s an honor for me! Anyway, the point is based only on a mathematical interpretation of productivity results from using Twitter. Of course it’s obvious third party apps can “weed” out what you don’t want to read, but the point is, how many tweets can you read and do you know if they’re worth your time?
The balance of value of Twitter is really based on how many of the Twits FOLLOWING you who actually feel your tweets are important enough to read, and whether your tweets are NOT lost in a beehive of hundreds, if not thousands, of other daily tweets YOUR FOLLOWERS are following.
In other words, it’s like getting 300 emails a day, and figuring out which are the most important to read, and if it’s a “good” email, you’re disappointed because it seems it was truncated to only 140 characters and the sender didn’t get their message across!
By Shaun on Oct 19, 2009
“So either you’re a spammer, desperate, bored, or lonely, or all of the above, if you’re putting out that many tweets daily.”
Its good to know that everyone who uses Twitter falls into one of these categories. Lord forbid that people are actually using the service for more than spamming people (ie, news, journalists, amber alerts, emergency services, etc..). Because of Twitter, I’ve met and connected with many people in my field of work, that I would haven’t never had the chance to meet otherwise. I’ve made new friends and new business connections.
Putting everyone who uses Twitter into a certain category and calling them names (“Twits,” how original) is comparable to calling all domainers “squatters.” Both reek of ignorance.
If you don’t get these new services by now, then you never will. No matter how many Twitter/Facebook/Social Media bashing posts you make, these networks aren’t going away. Don’t diss something just because you’re incapable of understanding it.
XXXXXX Stephen Douglas Responds:
BAM! Good points, Shaun. However, don’t you think it would have been fair for you to include in your post that you have a financial stake in the success of Twitter and maybe other social networking services? Your website Microblogging.com is rated one of the better websites for social networking info. Why didn’t you state that in your comment?
I never thought about the “emergency” use of Twitter because I wasn’t aware of it. Thank you for opening my eyes to that. As far as journalists and others, I mentioned them in my blog as being those who would benefit from tweeting a lot. But if you re-read my article, I don’t bash all ’social networking services’… I’m a big fan of FB and Linkedin and say so in the article.
You’re correct in pointing out my unfair stereotyping heavy Twitter users. That probably was over the top. Good eyeballs on it, and touché on the jab! As soon as I get back from the doctor sewing up the gash in my belly you delivered with your highly polished and well-wielded Foil, I will take another look at Twitter!
By owen frager on Oct 19, 2009
If you follow the right people it’s always good input. That’s where 90% of my blog, newsletters and keeping abreast of the knowledge needed to run my business comes from. It actually makes it easier to get information.
But if your only business is talking about and selling domains, it’s probably a waste of time.
You need to look at the broader impact of social media now that it’s converged with parking. Go to my http://shoedepartment.com and look at the top right. I have seen a 30% increase in traffic and 20% increase in revenue since friends recommend my site to other friends. With Christmas approaching, and 50% of my income on this domain made in the next 12 weeks where up to 3500 visitors a day come, that’s huge.
The whole concept of direct navigation is being redefined by social media and mobile apps. Going out of your safety zone with domains is no longer an option but necessary if you plan to survive.
XXXXXX Stephen Douglas Responds:
Good points, Owen. However, the intent of my article was meant to be directed at the “overflow abuse pendulum theory” of the system. That’s my term for when a new service launches, and meets its median productivity point, then re-adjusts itself, accepts (or doesn’t) third party add-ons to assist the service functions, determines a “ceiling” of usage value, then settles down.
You’ve discussed here ways where Twitter “settles” down for good productivity in your business. Since it’s a reality for you and its working, I accept your valuation of Twitter. If you notice in my article, I speak of “celebrity” use of Twitter as being productive and that a celebrity can be in any industry/field. Since you’re well-known, and have an enviable rolodex, you won’t find problems with followers reading your tweets. Me, I’m just observing stuff, with maybe a handful of people who care what I write.
Anyway, I noticed that my equation for the mathematical theory I mentioned wasn’t in my blog. I must have cut it to move it and forgot to paste it in. I’ve updated my blog article to include it. Here it is, if you’re interested:
A=Your Followers;
B=Your Followers’ Individual Following Total;
Y=Tweets Sent By You;
C=Tweets Sent By Others To Those Twits Following You;
Z=Your Celebrity/Importance Status; X=Tweets Read
Equation for successful Twitter productivity: (A + Z + Y) – (B + C) = X
I’ve read some great responses here, and I’ve been enlightened a lot, both ways!
By Shaun on Oct 20, 2009
I didn’t mention the site because I’m currently working on it. Its a big mess right now.
My concern isn’t with Twitter or their success. My main concern is with the underlying technology (one-to-many/many-to-many realtime messaging) of Twitter and other services. It is my belief that there now exists a technology that allows you to send a free text message to potentially millions of people all at once, in real-time, is significant. Twitter could shut down tomorrow, but that communication model isn’t going anywhere.
My only purpose is to clear up misconceptions about what all of this is. Many of those misconceptions can be blamed on celebrities and how they use it. Before the Hollywood crowd arrived on the scene, the most popular people on Twitter were techies and bloggers, and it was a much different (some would argue that it was much better) environment.
I think your main criticism is with the “signal to noise” ratio that others have mentioned. I believe that this will eventually lead to more niche-based networks (for example, a twitter-like service for domainers only). This would eliminate much of the noise that you have now.
By Joe on Oct 27, 2009
Stephen,
regarding CellphoneApps.com
The fucking auctioneer sped thru CellphoneApps.com listing faster than shit coming from a pig’s butt! Nobody could keep up, the auctioneer is HORRIBLE!!!!
He is an inconsistent mumbler.
Joe
XXXXXX Stephen Douglas Responds:
No comment!