Will You Be Left Behind Because

You Don't Use Twitter?

by Jack Speer, BizWatchOnline.com Publisher
follow me on Twitter @JackaRooAusTx, or if you're a megalomaniac like me, I'll follow you, jack@jackspeer.com.

Twitter--It's an Explosion as a Social Trend, but It's not the New Email--Not Even Close

The general explosion of the Twitter brand and its use in business and personal communication is one of the fastest growing phenomena I have ever witnessed.  In a few months, world wide, everyone and everything Twitters.  But what is the significance to you and me as people who work for and within organizations?

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I've read in many media that Twitter is the next email or Fax.  The media is telling me it's true, and some of the BizWatch community say the same.  Yet 28.3% of the BizWatch readers and advisors actually are on Twitter, while 75.4% use Facebook, and a hefty 65.9% are involved in LinkedIn.  My experience, along with what you tell me, says to me that social networking may be a wave of the future that will change all our lives, but I doubt that Twitter will be the prime vehicle.

BizWatchOnline.com Assessment of Twitter What is the significance of Twitter?  What does it mean to people like you and me? Globally, it was the information link between the world and the protests in Iran .  Unlike Andy Griffith in conversing at the local barbershop in Mayberry, Twitter connects you with people all over the planet with immediate, realtime news.   How much value is that? There's the debate.  But it is like the proverbial elephant in the room that can't be ignored.  It depends on what you're looking for.
Who Benefits Most From Twitter?  People who need huge numbers of contacts with limited depth.  Do the math.  There are 1440 minutes in a day. You have over 1000 followers?  That means you have a little more than a minute each of your followers.  Twitter often works well for corporate recruiters, movie stars, authors, politicians, TV personalities, and those who need wide response from people.	Find Out Who is Really on Twitter.  I've found out that many people who say they're on Twitter--aren't.   There's a search function, and many who say they Twitter don't come up.   Larry King uses Twitter, but someone else really  tweets for Larry.  I really can't see our top senior executive clients spending time on Twitter.  Their direct reports don't even get time with them.   On the other hand,  Warren Buffet Twitters.
What I Find Valuable about Twitter  I find that intelligent people give me interest, energy and meaning, and there are many on Twitter.  At first you are barraged by a bizarre  post of words that have no meaning.  It's like being a kid in a new school.  Then someone says something that makes sense. You find an interesting link.  You like someone in the crowd.   For me it's a new world of a global grapevine.  I've met a couple of people who are great. Twitter is addictive.  You get pulled into it.	Decide What is On Twitter that is Worth Your time  According to the Regan Report, "Twitter’s nearly 3 billion impressions last month generated $48 million worth of media attention, a new report says. Also, the study finds link between social media and financial reward."  At the end of the day each professional decides if the kind of attention that is generated will benefit you and your organization.  Twitter may be an investment for which we can't immediately see the benefit, but will nonetheless be hugely valuable at some point.

1. If you're selling books or launching a movie career, Twitter might help.  But Twitter does not have an obvious day-to-day application to people in general.  Some recruiters tell me it gets them prospective employees.  Those I've seen use it to build a brand found it slow and tedious.  People I meet are tough to interest immediately.  People ask me over and over again, "What is it for?"

2.  Twitter is not an effective general day-to-day communication tool. You may get bits of important information from the discordant messages on your page, but people are not generally talking to each other.  It is truly like a group of people in the same cyber-space saying things to no one in particular. 

3. Twitter is top-down communication, from those who are followed to those who follow.  Twitter seems to violate the principle we've taught in organizations for years--open, direct communication about real subjects. Communication up stream is difficult and clumsy at best.   

4.  Twitter creates a cyber caste system of followers. Twitter is about who you can or can't communicate with.  You follow or you are followed.  If someone else is following you, you can send them a direct message that they will personally receive. 

Otherwise, you can kind of contact them by sending an @Larry King and they might theoretically sort through thousands more of those messages and see what you're telling them.  You present yourself as a follower with a click and you may be accepted or not. 

The person you follow is most often trying to increase his ratio of followers to followed.  So for the person who wants to make it big in Twitter, it's important not to follow everyone.  The main goal is not to communicate, but to maintain the downline.  It turns human relationships into a checker game/frat house initiation process.

5.  Twitter creates a hilariously disconnected communication sequence--better than a late night comedian.  One very nice lady tweeted just a few minutes ago, "This is quite possibly the best business day I've ever had."  Followed by the next tweet on the same page, "Woo-hoo! You're in good hands & so is he! Good luck w/ the show 2night. Let me know how it goes. Will u b at SAPCA 2morrow?:  Followed by the tweet, "Shecky, how are you doing today?  These tweets are organized by an intricate relationship of interlocking followed/followers, with random comments on a page.

6.  Twitter is more about competition than collaborative.  People meet each other and collaborate, but the general dynamic of the tool is a competitive, "who's who" on Twitter.  The rules of what has become a new type of society are emerging. 

The funniest advice I found was how to find the best avatar (you know, a little funny creature to represent you) in order to make the best impression.  I said, "Well there you have it.  In the 80s we tried to find the "power tie" for the "power suit," and now the rule is "put you best avatar forward."  Hello, progress! 

Yes, I'll stay on Twitter and Keep Twittering

I'll stay on Twitter.  I've "met" people who are very interesting, and I would never have had contact with them otherwise. There are too many people pursuing this social media network not to be a part of it.  I've found one very good friend and colleague, but we quickly switched to conventional email. 

If you like "drive by" communication, lots of short messages with no time or space to develop the message, Twitter is a huge world that you will enjoy.  If you are into building community, Facebook or LinkedIn could be much more to your liking.  We'll talk about them later. 

Quotes from the BizWatch Online Survey

"As a tool for business it is too time consuming for the value (or lack thereof) to a busy executive. There are other less time consuming ways to keep up with changes important to your business. It is kinda' like the days of 4 tracks, 8 tracks and cassettes (oh Lord, I did NOT just say that did I). One will prevail, but which of the social networking medias will it be?"

"The ones that are clearly related to business, such as Linked In and InHouston, I find very helpful. Things like Twitter seem to me to be a complete waste of time. Why would someone want to waste their time following a celebrity, they don't know, as opposed to spending time with a real human being they can actually connect with! Can you guess I am a Feeling person?!"

"I don't like short bursts of useless information social sites are better such as Linkedin b/c they allow for meatier content."

"Can become a sinkhole for time if not used judiciously. Twitter has the advantage that being verbose is impossible."