Bye Bye Birdie?

“Facebook, yes. Twitter, no,” he said.

My oldest son, a college student, told me today he has taken some drastic measures to manage his social media use. Like, shutting down Twitter. That’s fine, I can understand that. He did so because he didn’t see the utility of the tool, and he also found it too distracting. It isn’t that he sees no value in the micro-blog/news and info burst that is Twitter. Rather, he doesn’t care to engage in reading – or sending – tweets. He has other things to do, bigger things (like big reading lists and papers, and people, too).

I thought this was interesting, since I’ve been reading some things lately that indicate Twitter is tending to be an older person’s tool (apologies to the “older” 30s readers).  There is research that younger web users are not flocking to Twitter (pardon the pun):

8% of Internet users ages 12 to 17 use Twitter, but…73% of wired American teenagers use social networking sites (like Facebook)

Anecdotal evidence from other parents affirms what my 18 year-old son has told me: Young adults “just aren’t into Twitter.” Sure, they use Facebook, but not Twitter.

I’ve yet to really figure out the reasons for this. But I’ll admit that I’ve got a little voice inside my head that tells me they might be right here. “Maybe you’re fooling yourself about all this Twitter-mania. Maybe it isn’t ‘the next big thing’ that you hoped. Maybe you’ve been an early adopter on a losing technology/tool.”

Now, I’m not ready to give Twitter up yet. And I’m not suggesting that Twitter users don’t have other things in life, and so they waste hours a day broadcasting the littlest activities and thoughts.

I tweet a fair amount myself, although I am hardly a power user.  And I think the benefits of Twitter are here to stay, much like this writer in the New York Times.  At times I do wonder, however, if there’s going to be a positive, lasting effect to the time spent on Twitter.

Now, don’t share my self-doubts with my wife, please. She already disdains much of the web’s offerings, and I don’t need to validate any of her assumptions.

I’m not ready to say, “Bye bye, Twitter.” In fact, I’ll be tweeting a link to this post! But if you have thoughts – either way – about Twitter, I’d love to hear them.

Thanks For Twitter Habit Info!

Thanks to all the folks using Twitter who responded here – and at my Facebook account- sharing your Twitter habits. Seems that the folks who follow me Tweet multiple times a day, way more than the “once-in-a-lifetime-average-tweet” cited in the post I cited.

And, as already noted in the twitterverse, congrats to contest winners @jmsierra and @wmarkwhitlock! You’ll enjoy your @jeffcaylor “Okay” album and thumbdrive!

Facebook At Work?

According to a recent study, reported in MediaPost, use of Facebook by workers is causing a measurable loss of productivity. For instance,

• Those who access Facebook at work do so for an average of 15 minutes each day
• 87% of those who access Facebook at work couldn’t define a clear business reason for using it

So, how about you? Here’s what I’d like to know:

1. Do you access Facebook, Twitter or other social media at work?
2. If so, do you visit these sites for work-related reasons?
3. What’s the average amount of time you are on social sites per day while at work?

Leave a comment — I’ll be in contact with one respondent, randomly chosen, to receive a free book.

Messaging: Using Twitter Well

Couple of things jumped out at me today regarding Twitter (and this relates to other social media tools, like Facebook). These are timely reminders that we’ve got to think through and use well our interactions in every setting, including the 140-character limitations of Twitter.

Here’s an article about a Best Buy exec – and how he could have better handled a Twitter exchange with a customer. Oops. Negative branding – without even trying. Now folks around the world are seeing this dialogue. Wouldn’t it have been better to address the complaint directly, instead of justifying and explaining?

This piece suggests that with social media, specifically Twitter, you are “always on.” A reminder on using the platform responsibly, keeping the brand always in mind. What to do if you accidentally post something that casts a negative light on your brand? Good tips here.

Remember, you are always communicating. And as political advisor and language expert Frank Luntz suggests, it isn’t what you say, it is what people HEAR that constitutes your messaging.

Someone is always happy to share your thoughts and words with others. An innocuous comment can get pinged around the social networks with blazing speed, and your brand will get praised – or dissed – by thousands.

So, what are you telling people about your company and brand?

Parents on Facebook

Here’s a site every parent with a teen or college student should check out. The Facebook phenomena is something you can and should be knowledgable about, these tips are a good starting point.

BTW, I’m on Facebook to keep up with a couple of my own children. I’ve enjoyed meeting some of their friends, and seeing some of the photos and updates they post!

FaceBook vs MySpace vs…?

Who will will the battle for user numbers? Who is number three? And are there other metrics that matter? Here’s a good piece about the growth of social networks.

Feedback requested: How would you rate the various measures in the article?

Not Who You Think

What’s the biggest social networking site? The top three sites have over half the traffic. Stats and story here.