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Twitter: important tool or dumb fad?
The endless debate over the utility of Twitter shows no signs of ending. CBS News and Vanity Fair ran a poll of 1,000 18- to 44-year-olds in late August that asked for an assessment of Twitter's utility. According to the results, just 15 percent see it as an important tool, while the most frequent response was that it's a fad. Clearly, not everyone shares this opinion, considering word that Twitter has closed a $100 million financing round at a $1 billion valuation. If Twitter does turn out to be the Pet Rock of the digital age, the investment would become a potent symbol of the excess of social-media enthusiasm. —Posted by Brian Morrissey |
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September 28, 2009 in News and Analysis | Permalink |
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At the cost of seemingly self-promoting (Oh, I am) and though this is just my opinion, check out my thoughts on (and love for) twitter on my blog. Http://www.adamwohl.com.
Posted by: Adam Wohl | Sep 28, 2009 4:09:08 PM
The biggest challenge with these types of questions is that they mix up assessments of the value of the functionality itself and the value of the business. Twitter is important not because it's Twitter, it's important because it brought a new level of instant communication between people.
It may not be that different than Netscape: Netscape was important because it established the browser as the dominant tool for browsing the Web. It wasn't that important as a business, though, based on crash landing.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Twitter playing the same role now.
Posted by: Rich Nadworny | Sep 30, 2009 8:00:48 AM
As usual, a fad may become a trend, and with luck and astute planning, become a REAL business.
Twitter's appeal may be spontaneity, or topicality, or the "blurts" of those influenced by the media space, or a glass of wine, or...or...
The point is Social Media is just that; climbing on the newest bandwagon to make it something it isn't offers real potential for killing a Golden Goose.
Think of Twitter as casual conversations in the biggest bar in the world; think of what products and services that those engaged in participating might need or want, and you've got a starting place.
Posted by: BArry Dennis | Sep 30, 2009 12:50:56 PM
