Twitter is now 2 and half years old and is probably one of the most popular Internet start-ups in recent years. Despite its constant down-time, America loves the micro-blogging platform and nothing seems set to topple it (yet). Personally, I can’t get into it (I have tried). In theory, I love the idea of it, but in practice it doesn’t work for me.
Everything I do on Twitter is done better through Facebook as this is where my largest network of people is. The key to Twitter is mass use. Why would I use Twitter to see the odd comment from friends/colleagues when Facebook is full of status updates and news from the people I am interested in. Earlier this year Twitter enabled users to receive free SMS tweets in the UK, but now this service has stopped, only those using the Internet on their mobiles are able to use Twitter to its full potential. Even if you did follow hundreds of people that potentially may tweet something that interests you, how do you sift through the rubbish and find what is important. If you tried to do that, surely you wouldn’t have time for a life?
Despite my bleak outlook on Twitter, I have found information on the web that makes me think perhaps I’m completely wrong. Chinwag posted that “During the past twelve months, UK traffic to the site has increased by 63% and predicted growth for the coming year sits at 435%”. Ok ok, so the increase is probably due to no one using in 2007. But hold on, there’s more.
“Twitter is still more popular with UK users than American; 70% more people in the UK use Twitter than in the states. Like all social network sites Twitter is at it’s most engaging when people first join as it sells off the newness factor.”
What? That took me by surprise, but thinking about it (being stubborn) I would still say it isn’t popular here. The increased growth in 2008 will be all those that sign-up to Twitter, use it twice and don’t touch it again. I’ve seen it happen to a lot of my colleagues, who in my opinion should be embracing new online platforms like Twitter due to the industry we work in.
I also found out that Twitter isn’t as ‘mainstream’ in America as I thought, although it certainly seems like it will be next year. Currently only 1.3% of Internet users have adopted Twitter. But then, Britney Spears has her own Twitter account, and surely that’s as mainstream as it gets?
Rohit Bhargava made me chuckle when I read his 5 Stages Of Twitter Acceptance post. I think I’m between stage 2 and 3. Check out his other post on the 9 Ways To Make Twitter More Useful For You which inspired me to develop my use of Twitter and hopefully see the greater good.
One of my new years resolutions is going to be to make more use of Twitter. I hope that it does find the mainstream in 2009 so I’m not just using it to connect with the web/tech savvy and American news. I also hope that more companies acknowledge its power and are open to the possibilities of using Twitter to track consumer opinions and feedback, especially if negative. I’d love to see a little more fear in the eyes of businesses that don’t offer the sort of service/quality that you expect as a consumer. But that’s another story.
Feel free to follow me @discomoore.