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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

XXXXXX Stephen Douglas Responds:

lol — nice!

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.