Facebook. Twitter. Facebook. Twitter. They’re seemingly omnipresent these days. People of all generations are now on Facebook and revolutions (#Iran) are being staged on Twitter. As 2009 seems to be the year everyone and their mother (literally) are turning onto social media, over the next few days I’ll be posting a few guidelines based on what I’ve learned/observed over the months/years and what I would like to see happening in social media culture.
Starting with a brief primer.
Facebook v. Twitter
Facebook, as I’m sure you’re well aware, started a few years back as a way for college students to post their pictures and share whatever nuggets of brilliance that popped into their heads. For example, “Party was great. Crap. Room still spinning…” Now virtually every member of my family is on Facebook, my business colleagues and clients of all ages and walks of life. Facebook differs from Twitter in that it is typically less open (most people keep their pages fairly private) and both sides have to confirm a “friendship.” Its true to its roots in that being on Facebook is like chatting with friends at a gathering.
Twitter first became popular with the alpha geeks and was then picked up as a darling by the press who have harnessed its power to receive and send information. Its role in some major news/world events this year i.e., Iranian elections and the US Air Flight landing on the Hudson River in January have also contributed to its prominence. Twitter provides good leads for upcoming stories and events in a less-restrictive environment. Its more formal than Facebook in that you’re not as likely to personally know your followers as you would your Facebook friends. Twitter is largely used as a portal for current events and sharing informative tidbits, not just what you had for lunch.
You’ve now been primed. Next post we’ll talk more Twitter.
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