Why Facebook has crossed the canyon, changed the way we communicate…and should buy Twitter

Facebook has crossed the canyon.  If the “chasm” is the leap from early adopters to mainstream, then the “canyon” is the leap from mainstream to mass commercial appeal.  Facebook has taken that leap.  In the past few months, my dad, uncle, aunt and the mother of a high school friend have all joined Facebook.  Facebook has become, as I explained to a hold-out friend of mine last week, the most fun and efficient way to keep in touch with the people in your life.  As recently as five years ago, I reserved most Sunday nights for catching up with people by telephone.  That was the way I maintained friendships, particularly with people living in other cities, who I didn’t see face-to-face on a regular basis.  I’d call them after dinner, speak for 20-30 mins, get an update on the past few weeks (or months in some cases) and then say goodbye, until the next time we called each other.  Today, telephone conversations of this sort are passe.  Why waste time on the telephone, a communication medium limited to audio, when we can peruse each others’ photo streams, see what events our friends have been attending, and most of all, from a single page, get a snapshot of their status’.  The feature with which Facebook offers the summary view of our friends’ updates is called the News Feed.  If we really care, we can review their historical status updates to get a more complete picture of how they’re doing.  When’s the last time you received as complete of an answer to the question “How ya doin?” <insert Joey accent>.  Most industry wonks agree, the status update is Facebook’s single greatest achievement.  It allows people to keep in touch with the absolute minimal amount of effort possible.  It’s possible that Facebook makes it too easy, contributing to the loose ties effect that sociologists have been preaching, where our networks become less centered around a few close relationships and more around many looser ones.  More than any other tool in my universe though, Facebook is having a significant impact on that shift in the social landscape.  Their crowning achievement, the status update, is such a good invention that several companies have been formed around it, the most notable of which is Twitter.

Not surprisingly, Twitter’s growth trajectory has been similar to Facebook’s.  Twitter virtually launched two years ago at SXSW in Austin, when it caught fire among a captive audience.  Since then, it’s consumed the early adopter market and steadily made it’s way toward mainstream.  In the past few months, several celebrities and consumer-focused orgs have caught on and grabbed ahold of Twitter accounts to communicate with their constituents.  According to Compete.com, Twitter traffic measured by unique visitors is up 640% in the past year – though this figure doesn’t fully account for Twitter’s influence since a big chunk of their traffic flows through one of several messaging apps that feeds the platform.  Like Facebook, Twitter is having it’s own effect on social behavior.  I’ve recently noticed conversations taking place between groups and individuals that might be unlikely to converse otherwise.  One example is GazaNews who has, not surprsingly, attracted a bunch of followers recently and engaged in some compelling back and forth.  This is a good thing.  Open dialogue and discourse between people that are geographically and/or ideologically far apart can only be healthy, and for a company as nascent as Twitter to be enabling this is a huge accomplishment.  Twitter has essentially peeled off and borrowed a piece of Facebook by identifying and unleashing the full potential of this feature…not that there was anything Facebook could have done about it – it’s unlikely the status update could have been patented.  Still, Facebook should buy Twitter to reclaim ownership of the feature and own the social media landscape that they’ve helped transform.  It would re-establish them as owners of all things status update-related and give them another outlet for their ad sales activities.  Better integration with Facebook would also expand Twitter’s influence exponentially, making it a far more powerful tool than it already is.  The reality of Twitter is that it’s a feature that caught fire, but can probably only survive so long by itself.  Facebook could likely acquire them for a reasonable price right now and quickly justify it by the further growth they can help fuel on the platform.  It would also be a strong defensive move for them.  If one of their competitors – in social networking, blogging or sharing – acquired Twitter, they’d essentially be stealing a piece of Facebook and I think that may come back to haunt them down the road.

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January 5, 2009 · Filed Under Business, Uncategorized, Web/Tech, Web2.0

Comments

  • I was planning on dumping my category listing:

    http://www.anamericanlion.com/aal/tag/twitter

    Twitter just seems like a dead concern to me now.
  • I really prefer Facebook because It is easy to understand but Twitter is really good in terms of business to business things.
  • Twitter has essentially peeled off and borrowed a piece of Facebook by identifying and unleashing the full potential of this feature…not that there was anything Facebook could have done about it – it’s unlikely the status update could have been patented.
  • well facebook has taken the social media up to the next level, well twitter might be different in many ways but i still liked the both, with its possibilities beyond i have expected taking my business to the next level as well
  • DeboraB
    I think that these kind of graphics, statements about sites and not only have an answer if only the owner of Facebook would try conference call trial , which Rupert Murdock before taking over Myspace, had. Anyway Twitter can't compare neither to Facebook or Myspace.
  • That's interesting that facebook has gone after twitter. I guess if you have enough power, might as well go for it. It probably won't be too much longer before google owns everything...

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  • In my opinion Twitter has essentially peeled off and borrowed a piece of Facebook by identifying and unleashing the full potential of this feature…not that there was anything Facebook could have done about it.It’s unlikely the status update could have been patented.
  • Twitter has essentially peeled off and borrowed a piece of Facebook by identifying and unleashing the full potential of this feature…not that there was anything Facebook could have done about it – it’s unlikely the status update could have been patented.


    Thanks and Regards
  • Musicvideos1
    FaceBook Networking site that started out strictly for college students and was available by invitation only. but now its so popular. its the first choice for communicate.
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  • Facebook is the easiest way to communicate with the friends. Everyone like it a lot.
  • In order to communicate with the old friends, one opt for social networking sites. Out of this, facebook is mostly needed. It is the easiest way to communicate. I also use this.
  • Nice post..really loved the way it was written and yea..everyone's started to flock to Facebook.. It has become something of a marketplace now!
  • Facebook is the best way to communicate with the friends. Its so easy to operate. Even a cyber illerate can tackle this.
  • I dont see any thing really appealing in the article you have posted because why should facebook do that? I dont see any reliant reason for it.


    Thanks and Regards
  • Social networking is really a great way to mingle with new friends and yes, old friends. For business minded people twitter’s influence through their traffic flows is such a great help too. Information dissemination is perfect if use in the right way.
  • Facebook has really taken the social media networking by storm. I prefer using facebook over twitter. I love the way facebook works.
  • I am big Fan of facebook. In my opinion Facebook should buy Twitter to reclaim ownership of the feature and own the social media landscape that they’ve helped transform.
  • I am also in favor of facebook. But twitter should not be bought by facebook as they will have the monopoly in social media sites.
  • They've certainly gone far, even surpassing Myspace's popularity. I just hope that the latter won't get into desperate measures like adopting into a dating site or a marriage network. Wish that they would remain true to their roots.
  • Facebook really works. I am totally satisfied with this concept.
  • Very good post & quite informative. I got many new ideas after reading this. Hope everything goes well after proper implementation.
  • this has really opened my eyes to new possibilities
  • Oh well social media is really a good way for us to communicate with others. In fact it is being used by majority.
  • Nowadays, telephone conversations of this sort are passe. Why waste time on the telephone, a communication medium limited to audio, when we can peruse each others’ photo streams, see what events our friends have been attending, and most of all, from a single page, obtain a snapshot of their status? The wonders of the advancement of technology are truly fascinating.
  • Although the hitech way to connect is already the latest and continue to flourish, still telephone conversation is the best because nothing can beat hearing the true voice of your friend. And for businesses especially in ordering food in fabulous food hampers, telephone is the first avenue and the internet follows.
  • Indeed. Very well observed buddy. You've beaten me to the punch.
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    This is quite impressive, I am pleased to read this post, keep posts like this coming, you totally rock!

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  • As I learned shortly after writing this post, Facebook is rumored to have recently made a pass at Twitter - http://bit.ly/K9AS. I am even more prescient than I realized:)
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