May
15
Social Networking. Not Social. Not Networking.
Posted by Tim Bourquin
I’ve always thought of “social networking” as a bit of a misnomer. Sitting in front of a computer screen writing 140 character messages on Twitter or commenting on a blog or tagging photos on Facebook doesn’t feel like networking to me - and honestly, it doesn’t feel very social either. Having a beer with friends and colleagues = social. Talking shop with someone I just met at a reception = networking.
Now granted, I’m a conference organizer, so “old-fashioned” meetups with people is how I believe “real” social networking takes place. So I had to laugh today when I read a blog post that had the following line:
“Twitter has been down for about an hour - how are you spending the time?”
As if Twitter was the only way to spend time and finding other things to do was a challenge! Has it really gotten that bad for some people?
If every website and email server worldwide went down for several hours during a weekday, I might actually be wondering myself how to spend that time. Picking up the phone and making a few calls would probably be the answer. But a single site?
Twitter is either brilliant or the enemy of true human interaction (and productivity, for that matter). In the meantime, for some of you it seems that Twitter is the Blue Pill.
May 15th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I have always thought Twitter was stupid as hell.
I am reminded of Rex Booth who said that you need to “take it to reality” with all this internet crap.
It is nice to hook up cyberly but without “taking it to reality” and meeting face to face it all sucks.
I have always said to people I have met online that they are not real till I meet them in person.
So get off your ass people and meet in person as it is not just about the cyber connection it is all about face to face reality.
I say AMEN to that.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Tim,
You are just missing the point of twitter. I am not here to convert you. As an initial connection point and ongoing micro-touch networking tool it is amazing. The real relationships occur off line in person or on the phone.
But do not under estimate the power of brevity in 140. You just have to know how to listen… It is not a time waste if used properly.
Oh and what is the use case you are thinking? The use cases are many: I have documented over 20 use cases. Twitter is whatever you want it to be.
Cheers!
May 15th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Hi Rodney -
Thanks for the comment. I’m not suggesting Twitter is waste of time at all. I do use it myself and it works. But I wonder when something becomes so critical that heavy users wonder what they will do without it for a few hours - has it become a way to avoid in-person relationships altogether? I’m just not sure that’s healthy.
Tim
May 15th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Hey Tim,
It just goes to show the power of the tool. It is a new communication method and when twitter is down people’s first instinct is to twitter that the service is down. Which shows you the power of the tool and the method of communication.
People could not imagine having more than 3 TV channels 20 years ago. Now go and try to take away their cable and they will scream. Twitter is a consumption and delivery mechanism for mass and 1 to 1 communication.
Do you remember a number of years back when a satellite rotated out of orbit and peoples pager all over the US stopped working for several days. People freaked out. People get used to communication methods. Twitter is quickly becoming one of those relied upon types of communication for several million users.
The other thing about twitter is the instantaneous method of use. That is why people come to expect it to always work.
Enough of my 2 cents. Thanks for listening. Be Great!
May 15th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Blasphemy!!!
No, but really, thank you for this blog post. I couldn’t agree with you more. I post on Twitter. I like to interact with others on there, but it’s in my downtime that I might post on Twitter. Statements such as “Twitter has been down for about an hour - how are you spending the time?” are just sad. If Twitter is the focus of your day, get out of your mother’s basement and get working.
Russ
May 15th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Heh, here’s an example of how bad it’s gotten…
May 15th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
One simply needs to know how to let go. When Twitter was down yesterday, I fixed up some blog posts, did some networking, and then (get this!) went to bed. ‘course, I’m up now, 4 hours later, so go figure. :)
Barbara
May 15th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I just read what you said about Twitter… I had never even heard of it (yes I was under a rock). And being that I was escaping reality in the Second Life… a bunch of people were talking about this “Twitter” thing… I signed up and now I am TWITTERPATED! Its worse than when I first started Blogging/Podcasting (clicking the mouse to see if anyone had commented)… I missed a doctors appointment, burnt a fish and forgot to pay the water and you guessed it… Turned off. Twitter is the end of life as we know it. Some guy broke into my house and before I called the cops… I Twittered it.
*Sigh*
Keeme has spoken
May 16th, 2008 at 3:52 am
I have to hang with my long time online friend Rodney on this one. Rod was one of my first guests on the Marketing Edge podcast a long time ago when he did a white paper on podcasting. Like who would listen to some nobody talking about something nobody ever heard of? I am being sarcastic here, but I’m making the connection from podcasting something new a few years ago, experienced by one person usually from one person, which is a more unsocial act than Twitter. But we all know that podcasting is a hugely social medium that helps connect people.
Tim I am surprised, a successful conference producer, joiner of wonderful people who appreciate new media knocking Twitter addicts. I know people that can’t live without their FIR or Tiki Bar.
Let’s see where did Twitter get its huge boost, oh yes South by Southwest last year. I’m not jumping your case too hard there big fella it just happens to be a great line. When I attended the second Podcast Expo in CA, the number of people who recognized me from the Marketing Edge podcast proved the medium was a hit. Same thing with Twitter when it’s not there, they miss it.
Twitter is the medium that nearly eliminates good byes. For example, at your show a bunch of people will learn of each other because they listened to podcasts and then “meet up” in person. When they depart from the conference, they will check their twitter to find that another conference attendee who is already at the airport, reports the security lines are really long. The Twitter types will inform each other and adjust their plans. The point in the conference center where they said good bye is just a formal physical gesture, they are always in touch with tools like Twitter.
Lastly, I guarantee you during the New Media Expo, if Twitter goes down you will hear complaints, maybe almost as much as when the bar closes during a reception. Be well and have a great conference.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:25 am
I just read about new tech for mobile phones in particular the iPhone which is like twitter but it locks in on your geo position. So say you are at a great restaurant in Seattle. This social tool will let you choose from the geospot based on other reviews. So like twitter you can say I’m at “Frank’s Bar an Grill which is all done in nautical style”. The interesting part is you don’t actually have to use your own review of the place you can select from others geo tagging and reviews to explain your thought.
One more step in the devolution or evolution of self-expression. I think the scary part is not the use of twitter and social networks but where we are headed. I talked to several students lately and they all had less interest in books and more interest in electronic texting.
I see the point of twitter, and it’s cool, usefull and all that. I would not call it as engrossing as VR like SL. That is a game changer for many people. Twitter is a communication tool and not a mind altering technology.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:35 am
At first I didn’t understand twitter at all. But the more I look at it, the more it makes sense to me. I see it is getting caught while passing a note in homeroom. You publish something short and you want others to read it. Hopefully it will be put in the right hands and boom you have won yourself a little promotion. On the other hand be very careful about what you do publish. Because once it goes live it is hard to take back.
May 16th, 2008 at 5:01 am
I’m with you Tim. There is a definitely a point at which you need to log off and shut down. With attention spans for a lot of people now at about an average of 3 seconds, I can understand the value and attraction of Twitter. At the same time, there are relationships to be fostered and work to be done, both of which can be accomplished without Twitter. I’m curious to see if Twitter will grow or fizzle out as time goes by and also to see if it becomes more of a mainstream online activity. We’ll have to wait and see!
May 16th, 2008 at 5:09 am
Tim,
I must admit I was a little irritated and miffed at Twitter being down for an evening. At one time I would have been embarrassed to say that, but I find a lot of value in Twitter. You are absolutely correct about the fact that being in front of a computer screen isn’t social or networking. But what we do with Twitter, at least for me, supports my social and networking efforts. There are folks I am far removed from geographically and others that I just rarely ever see face-to-face that follow my Tweets. When I do see these folks f-t-f, we are able to engage in deeper conversation and communication immediately as opposed to doing the old, “So tell me what’s been going on…” they already know what’s been going on. So, from my perspective, things like Twitter and Facebook really support and enhance my real Social Networking that happens f-t-f.
Thanks for drawing the line on this, if folks understand how Twitter, FB, and such can benefit them then we’ll all relate better to one another.
May 16th, 2008 at 5:34 am
@ Albert Maruggi: Good comments Albert - don’t think I’m bashing twitter addicts though - that’s not the case. But I do sometimes wonder where the diminishing returns begin when folks are following 10,000 people and seem unable to now communicate without it. Can you really follow 10,000 people? I follow about 350 people and find it difficult to keep up. But I understand those folks are not trying to “keep up” with 10,000 - they pick up things here and there as the conversation streams by.
@ Jerrod Skegs: Now this is a great reason to use twitter: “When I do see these folks f-t-f, we are able to engage in deeper conversation and communication immediately as opposed to doing the old, “So tell me what’s been going on…” they already know what’s been going on.” That’s great stuff and reason alone to use the service - if it means picking up the conversation quickly and getting deeper into subjects because you can dismiss with the small talk - THAT truly is powerful.
May 16th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Kids are looking at social networking sites in a big way. How can this all be turned into something positive? It is very difficult to get kids to pay attention, and to talk to adults. We are looking for creative ideas for helping kids in afterschool programs. Is there something about social networking on the Internet we should be considering.
We call ourselves the Super Subs and we go into schools to help teachers by taking over their classes so that teachers have more time for planning.
What are your thoughts?
May 16th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I have met dozens of interesting people all over the world. I find Twitter a wonderful “short-form” for keeping up with them on a daily basis until I have a chance to see them again in person. Which for many, maybe years. It is quick and can be as personal or general as it need it to be. I certainly agree with Jerrod, it does wonders for enhancing conversations. I also find it a very valuable tool for sharing a link immediately with a small group of people that I directly interact with regularly. Also, in general I try not to put parameters on “real” and “virtual” socialization. I think the more we use both to serve our honest desires for interaction, the more positively technology will be able to effect our evolution as a species.
May 16th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Isn’t the larger issue not whether twiiter is the way to social network but that tools like twitter, as well as others (some not even developed yet) are changing the way we define how we interconnect privately, professionally and socially. There once was a time when all baseball fans went to the morning paper for last nights scores, that’s a think of the past. We now interact with sports information in new and evolving ways. You can embrace twitter - or not - but overall you will look at it, and many other products, and evolve. It’s only a step along the way to a new way to communicate with others. For me, it’s a new development - for my son it will be a pre-existing fact.
May 16th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Tim,
While I use Twitter and Facebook, I agree with you that meeting people in person is much closer to my idea of “social.” As a podcaster, I have made a few good contacts on Facebook, but I find attending events like NME to be much more rewarding and productive.
Of course, I also appreciate all the tools that allow me to “meet” listeners from around the world. But on the whole I think that the time and effort I put into answering listener emails and keeping up with my podcast’s Discussion Forum feels more “social” than Twitter.
Ginger Campbell, MD
Brain Science Podcast
SCIENCEPODCASTERS.ORG
May 16th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Tim -
I agree that Twitter is a tool, not a way of life. As with most tools, it can easily be misused - I know people who send dozens of tweets every day, each of which beeps, chimes or pings to distract me. On the other hand, I am interested in what they say, and I don’t try to follow the world - just a few selected individuals. I would agree with you, however, and with most of the posters here: Twitter may be a useful way to keep in touch, and useful for learning more about potential friends and colleagues - but real networking still happens face-to-face. I would say that when Twitter facilitates that, it’s a good thing.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Hi Tim,
You have a point. I am down for a beer with you and any unTwittered.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Tim -
Great post. Would love to have a beer and chat some time. Twitter me when you’re available. Or, just send me a message on Facebook. Or, MySpace. Or, my Ning community thing. Are we linked together on LinkedIn? We really should be. Send me an invite to be friends on LinkedIn, cause if you don’t I’m gonna look like an idiot. Seriously. Tell you what, I’ll write on your SuperWall and maybe we can IM each other about the results of our Facebook “Movie Compatibility Quiz.” Cool? Awesome…
Thanks for saying it.
- dK
ps: Don’t give up on MySpace. There are LOADS of hot girls on there that want to be my friend and talk to me about their streaming cam site. You should check it out.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Hi Tim,
At last years PNME I had just started using twitter. I am incredible shy and the only people I really felt comfortable approaching were the ones I had established a relationship with via twitter.
I forced myself to approach and interview many others but was nervous and unhappy with the interview results.
This year I’m feeling much more bold and confidant. The seed of many relationships have been planted on twitter and I look forward to meeting these people in person and seeing which ones grow into friendships and/or collaboration partners.
Megan
May 16th, 2008 at 11:39 am
This article from Steve Baker @stevebaker of Business Week just came out yesterday about Why Twitter Matters http://tinyurl.com/5×5cxz
Tim I agree with the 10,000 followers concept. A guy named Miles Comer aka @tankilo used a metaphor of twitter during a social media breakfast in Phoenix. He said he treats Twitter like a river. Sometime you just look at it from a bridge and sometimes you go down to the shore and put your hands in, and sometimes you swim in it. That would be a way get the most value out of following thousdands of people.
All the best,
May 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Mr. Bourquin,
I have some issues with your post and I’ve blogged about it. http://tinyurl.com/4wv4p8
May 16th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I like reading my news from Twitter. Other than that I think it’s pretty pointless, but a fun waste of time. I see people trying to make friends on Twitter, which is sad. People can’t use social networking (or whatever you want to call it) as an excuse for having real relationships with people.
I think Twitter is also for the lazy bloggers, can’t write a real blog — only 140 words.
May 16th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
MySpace - a/k/a: The Sewer of the Internet - is so much worse.
May 18th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I have no interest in Twitter. I’m on Pownce and I barely use that. It’s a waste of time. Just call someone, email them or visit them in person. Why bother with another “social networking” site?
May 20th, 2008 at 11:45 am
As a conference organizer, have you ever though about using a social network for registration and conference communication purposes? Instead of your standard website registration process, you can use a social network and in place of the typical registration (payment process aside) attendees create a profile instead. That community is then used for 1) conference attendees to visually identify individuals because the profile will contain a name and picture and have the opportunity to get to know them before the conference begins, 2) use the community during the conference for individuals to communicate and collaborate about the day’s events (a good tool for conference organizers to retrieve feedback too by the way) and for organizers to communicate any updates or changes to the attendees in real-time, 3) a place for attendees to continue interacting after the conference is closed - better than trying to locate those lost business cards. This to me is Social and is Networking outside of the conference - it doesn’t have to be one or the other, it can be both. Some whitelabel social networking solutions make it so easy to set a community up - even within your own conference or event website. Check out in2community to see what I mean.
May 25th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I’d prefer the question “What are you THINKING?” on Twitter because you can always Think about Doing something! I heard Leo Laporte mention during his AM radio show that Twitter was down, I didn’t know as I was behind the wheel delivering Express Mail in The LBC
As a matter of fact, I learned the Father of LSD died via Twitter (Leo’s post) before I heard it on the mainstream news. I log onto Twitter if I have something to say to the LOCAL followers: I posted a bulletin a slasher o nthe loose, a missing child in the area, and the crash on Catalina. But I’m the person who uses myspace bulletins to find out what REALLY happened to what I left at the bar/restaurant and to notify peeps last minute where they can pick a FREE Xmas tree. I imagine my “connections” could come in handy if I’m ever in a local emergency!
Anyway,that quote I’m responding to DOES sound like someone’s “twitching” without Twitter. Was it Leo that said that? ha!
June 18th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
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July 12th, 2008 at 4:13 am
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November 13th, 2008 at 3:39 am
Great post. I agree with you..
Thanks for this post..
Regards,
SBL – Video tagging