I've been on the twit for a few months now and feels it's time to go the Methadone. I think I may be ready to call it a day.
Not for any cyber-overload reason (as that is never going to wane) but have you, like me, noticed how the Twitter tone is changing. The tide is turning with some twitterers becoming just plain nasty and kind of Sid Vicious?
As anyone can ‘follow’ you on Twitter (from hereon I'm tagging it the Global Time Waster) unless you turn on the application that has you approve 'followers', and then, what’s the point of being on Twitterer to begin with?
If the GTW is about getting your 140 digits of wise words or witty repartee out to the people, you probably want as many followers as possible, so they can soak up your literary brilliance.
But as soon as you let ‘anyone’ into your Twitter-verse, this is where it all comes a little unstuck. This is when enter, stage right Looney # 1, or weirdo # 2 or freak # 3. The followers, who send ‘direct messages’ and public ones, commenting, usually pretty roughly, on something you have said or perhaps done.
I happened to make an appearance on a morning TV show the other week and got insulted, not even cleverly by seriously crudely, via a twitterer, because of my painted fingernails! We kissed and made up (well, cyber-ly, anyway) but I can't help but think it's turning into a very public email system, where fellow twitterers just bang off narkily at each other about how fabulous they are while not really giving us any kind of info that is vaguely worthwhile.
In fact the GTW, I reckon, is like some sort of mid-west American religious cult. The Jonestown of the digital world. Which, I fear will, like Jonestown did, meet a horrible ending.
At least with Facebook, the pace isn't as random, fast or furious and you can happily pick and choose who you don’t mind drawing into some parts of your world.
As a live event–driven discussion board, the GTW can be great fun and I have experienced that. Slouched on my bed, laptop (on lap) watching Eurovision while tapping out what we think are endless short, sharp grabs of hilarity with your Twitter posse.
Ditto the recent Logies. And as for the recent NRL and Matthew Jones scandal, Twitter was nearly in meltdown.
(By the way, for those who have no idea what Twitter is about, I'm not going to explain it to you. Just google it.)
But for those who do 'get' it, the camps are well and truly divided.
Twitter is probably great for those who have a ‘brand’ to sell. A celeb, or a TV or radio show that people regularly follow. Followers think they are in that celebrity’s world, and are getting a taste of how that particular half lives.
I’d love to see the statistics about how successful it is as a marketing tool. Is it drawing people to sites that are making a buck out of it?
Sure the Demi and Ashton's, the Ellen's, Stephen Fry's and Nicole Ritchie tweets may be riveting to some and credible news sites are great for turning your attention to a breaking story, but when I put the Twitter v. Facebook debate to a few fellow FB-ers, here's a sample of their reactions.
"It bored me within minutes. And I think they know that, which is why "software issues" have prevented anyone from de-activating their account since last October,'' said one.
"I am so anti-Twitter it's not funny. Useless for journos who work on exclusives. And just another excuse for people to be nasty. Twitter is for twats,'' from another.
"Twitter is only great for big stars to keep in touch with the world so the press can't write shit about them (as to what city they are in and who they are with etc) that is what it is meant for . . . to control the press and there nastiness.. It allows people to have a voice so they don't have to answer to the press. It's called taking back there lives. It is not meant for everyone Tom. Dick and Harry.''
Guess that rules most of us out of the equation.
"I pruned quite a bit over the last few days. It's good to follow an event like #rafw or #eurovision in real time. But the footy scandal brought some shockers to light . . people seem to write things they would never say to your face,'' went another.
So now, I'm kind of imagining the time when we get to the point our entire live and obituaries will be captured in just 140 digits.
"Melissa was a g8t chick. 2 b taken by killa croc after 4madable fite was devast8ting. Yr m8s will miss u. As will the fam. LOL.''
Gee, a life remembered . . . and all under the magic 140.
If the GTW is about getting your 140 digits of wise words or witty repartee out to the people, you probably want as many followers as possible, so they can soak up your literary brilliance.
But as soon as you let ‘anyone’ into your Twitter-verse, this is where it all comes a little unstuck. This is when enter, stage right Looney # 1, or weirdo # 2 or freak # 3. The followers, who send ‘direct messages’ and public ones, commenting, usually pretty roughly, on something you have said or perhaps done.
I happened to make an appearance on a morning TV show the other week and got insulted, not even cleverly by seriously crudely, via a twitterer, because of my painted fingernails! We kissed and made up (well, cyber-ly, anyway) but I can't help but think it's turning into a very public email system, where fellow twitterers just bang off narkily at each other about how fabulous they are while not really giving us any kind of info that is vaguely worthwhile.
In fact the GTW, I reckon, is like some sort of mid-west American religious cult. The Jonestown of the digital world. Which, I fear will, like Jonestown did, meet a horrible ending.
At least with Facebook, the pace isn't as random, fast or furious and you can happily pick and choose who you don’t mind drawing into some parts of your world.
As a live event–driven discussion board, the GTW can be great fun and I have experienced that. Slouched on my bed, laptop (on lap) watching Eurovision while tapping out what we think are endless short, sharp grabs of hilarity with your Twitter posse.
Ditto the recent Logies. And as for the recent NRL and Matthew Jones scandal, Twitter was nearly in meltdown.
(By the way, for those who have no idea what Twitter is about, I'm not going to explain it to you. Just google it.)
But for those who do 'get' it, the camps are well and truly divided.
Twitter is probably great for those who have a ‘brand’ to sell. A celeb, or a TV or radio show that people regularly follow. Followers think they are in that celebrity’s world, and are getting a taste of how that particular half lives.
I’d love to see the statistics about how successful it is as a marketing tool. Is it drawing people to sites that are making a buck out of it?
Sure the Demi and Ashton's, the Ellen's, Stephen Fry's and Nicole Ritchie tweets may be riveting to some and credible news sites are great for turning your attention to a breaking story, but when I put the Twitter v. Facebook debate to a few fellow FB-ers, here's a sample of their reactions.
"It bored me within minutes. And I think they know that, which is why "software issues" have prevented anyone from de-activating their account since last October,'' said one.
"I am so anti-Twitter it's not funny. Useless for journos who work on exclusives. And just another excuse for people to be nasty. Twitter is for twats,'' from another.
"Twitter is only great for big stars to keep in touch with the world so the press can't write shit about them (as to what city they are in and who they are with etc) that is what it is meant for . . . to control the press and there nastiness.. It allows people to have a voice so they don't have to answer to the press. It's called taking back there lives. It is not meant for everyone Tom. Dick and Harry.''
Guess that rules most of us out of the equation.
"I pruned quite a bit over the last few days. It's good to follow an event like #rafw or #eurovision in real time. But the footy scandal brought some shockers to light . . people seem to write things they would never say to your face,'' went another.
So now, I'm kind of imagining the time when we get to the point our entire live and obituaries will be captured in just 140 digits.
"Melissa was a g8t chick. 2 b taken by killa croc after 4madable fite was devast8ting. Yr m8s will miss u. As will the fam. LOL.''
Gee, a life remembered . . . and all under the magic 140.
Would love to hear your thoughts . .
4 comments:
Hi Melissa,
To paraphrase Yoda “Twitter or do not Twitter, there is no ‘’Facebook”.
Thanks for the post – it’s great. I'm not much with the writing skills, but let me try.
(1) There are freaks/weirdos (let’s not forget spammers) on twitter :: Yes. Block them. Unfortunately (as you have discovered) they’re everywhere in life.
(2) Will twitter be here in 6 months? :: Yes. So will be the next big social media ‘it’.
(3) Will it still be a celebrity filled universe in 6 months? :: No. When Oprah endorses anything it has gone global, truly jumped the shark. Celebrities will go where the adulation is and unfortunately Twitter has a habit of outing narcissistic, monosyllabic, celebrities faster than you can say ‘’chicken of the sea’’. So my vote is within 6 months Oprah and that dude married to Demi Moore will be long gone.
(4) Twitter is random, fast and furious? :: Twitter is a quick f*ck while Facebook is love in the slow lane.
(5) Twitter is great for those that have a ‘brand’ to sell?
A: Perhaps for a brief moment. Most of these will once again be gone in 6 months – onto the next big *it* of social media.
Last but not least Twitter was created by geeks and we all know they will inherit the earth.
Nup - just a fad. Letsface it - who wants to be followed (which is a lot like stalking" by a bunch of money head trying to sell you a used toxic asset?
I think Twitter is a great tool to grow your brand and communicate with your readers/customers.
Like any two way conversation, you will get negative and posititive feedback, especially if you do things in the public eye (like yourself Melissa). No doubt the Aston Kutcher's and Demi Moore's on Twitter would get negative feedback too, and even Louis Vuitton US (who just joined Twitter last week). You just have to take the knock and keep rolling, taking the negative feedback on board and growing with it.
Surely Sarah Murdoch who's on Twitter must get a kick from the feedback she is getting from the Twitter world about Australia's Next Top Model. Their viewers would be on Twitter and for a show that can be edited up till a few days before airing, it is an interesting tool for them to gage what some of the public is thinking and feeling.
Twitter isn't going anywhere for a while, and no one is forcing people to be on it. But it is a great way to talk to Gen Y and younger if you have a brand. People connect to a brand with thoughts and feelings and don't like to be told to buy things in advertising any more. If your customers and readers are on Twitter, you should be talking to them in the medium they are on. If you're customers and readers are not, then don't worry about it.
Hey Melissa - I've been on twitter for a year now and it took me a while to understand how to use it 'properly' and figure out the benefits.
I've used it to personally fill in the gaps of working from home on my own as well as from a business perspective, connecting with other like-minded individuals who have been amazing in their support and advice when I'm 'stuck' or providing their feedback on new artwork, reading my blog, I've even had twitterers purchase from my online store. I’ve learnt about so many different things from twitter and connected with peeps that I wouldn’t normally during the usual course of my daily life. I've especially loved meeting up with local peeps I've e-met on twitter. At the end of the day everyone on a social media platform is here to 'sell' something but I've found it to be a great connection tool for me and my brand and it’s provided a much needed laugh during a busy day.
We are always going to come across narky people in our lives but I try not to give them the time of day. And I've been lucky I've only encountered a couple of them and I immediately unfollow. But for you, I guess you are higher profile and you are paid for your opinions so may be people think they have the right to personally attack you. I think that’s rude and unnecessary but as you say there are a lot of weirdos out there. And it does astound me what people post sometimes, I think they are caught up in their own twitter bubble and don’t think about how public their comment really is.
Apparently the twitter user is an older demographic of people in their 30's and 40's and they are more business oriented. So for me it’s a balance of social and business connections and I do enjoy it and I’ve found that balance of when to tweet and when to work.
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