So, here we go again… I've lost count of the accounts I've opened and abandoned since Twitter came along (when was that again, the early '90s?). I'll admit, a lot of things eventually, but firstly, I've always kinda, sorta hated Twitter. It remains the antithesis to what I believe this medium could be and runs counter to a rule of mine: "If you can't add to it, don't share it".
At times this "hatred" has taken a participatory form in which I'd actively tweet my despisal of Twitter over Twitter; for the most part I've simply, and quite likely foolishly ignored it. Please don't misinterpret this; I have never dismissed it.
Given another rule of mine, that I can't truly say I "hate" anything until I feel I truly know it inside or out… Indeed, I have opened and abandoned numerous accounts, many of my own, some for others. I'm quite aware of the magic powers of Twitter; how one can monitor, define & circle and capture an audience of the like mind. I do know how it can become the "top of the funnel" that leads to that one good engagement; and how it can keep a hot-body, warm. BUT, Over these moments, these many moments when I've used this tool or that, followed both logical and the illogic of the system… there has been great learning; with all things some positive learning, along with some very good spankings. With respect to one-way, It long ago became the back-bone of my must-read feed… But, I've yet to have that ah-ha moment with the damned thing, (admission #2).
I have many a trusted pal, and hundreds of close-to-my-heart colleagues who with bold faces have looked me in straight in the eye and told me, "its the only damned social tool worth its salt out there; couldn't live without it…" I scratch my head. I know of one friend, who abandoned all else and has focussed solely on his Twitter account for well over five years now - Where'd that land him; eh, 283,282 followers. Followers who, appear to hang on each and every most-one of his tweets. And… there in lay the rub. And a harsh rub at that.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda… spent more time on Twitter? At least kept one account going contiguously since, er, those halcyon days of the early, was it the 90s'? Sure, none of us give a rat's damn about our personal numbers, right (?) but coulda-I have one of those spinky "K's" like the ones my pals here have after their 10.2K, 20.7K, 30.5K followers? ...if I'd only paid more consistent attention? (side note… just picking up Twitter again recently has done wonders for the ol' K rating on that other service we don't give a crap about, personally)… Certainly, how can I not sometimes feel like my pants are down around my ankles, worse that I may have missed that mystic-moment when followers were everywhere to be had… oh well. It's not really about that (and I DO mean and know that).
So… here we go again. This time, here's to only hoping I get my own ah-ha moment (any help on this would be accepted most graciously). Once again, I've signed on to test some tools, paid up the folks over at hootsuite, interlocked and linked and all systems go. In the end, I'm just shaking the dust off, re-learning and staying on top of it for YOU (yes you, you wondrously loveable trusty client of mine). This time though, I hope it I'm not left with that same nagging doubt, (admission #3), that empty feeling that I always seem to get after opening and abandoning a Twitter account... that suspicion that, it may just be one big waste of time.
Stay tuned… I have no clue what Part Two will be about, this time. @GordonGower
At times this "hatred" has taken a participatory form in which I'd actively tweet my despisal of Twitter over Twitter; for the most part I've simply, and quite likely foolishly ignored it. Please don't misinterpret this; I have never dismissed it.
Given another rule of mine, that I can't truly say I "hate" anything until I feel I truly know it inside or out… Indeed, I have opened and abandoned numerous accounts, many of my own, some for others. I'm quite aware of the magic powers of Twitter; how one can monitor, define & circle and capture an audience of the like mind. I do know how it can become the "top of the funnel" that leads to that one good engagement; and how it can keep a hot-body, warm. BUT, Over these moments, these many moments when I've used this tool or that, followed both logical and the illogic of the system… there has been great learning; with all things some positive learning, along with some very good spankings. With respect to one-way, It long ago became the back-bone of my must-read feed… But, I've yet to have that ah-ha moment with the damned thing, (admission #2).
I have many a trusted pal, and hundreds of close-to-my-heart colleagues who with bold faces have looked me in straight in the eye and told me, "its the only damned social tool worth its salt out there; couldn't live without it…" I scratch my head. I know of one friend, who abandoned all else and has focussed solely on his Twitter account for well over five years now - Where'd that land him; eh, 283,282 followers. Followers who, appear to hang on each and every most-one of his tweets. And… there in lay the rub. And a harsh rub at that.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda… spent more time on Twitter? At least kept one account going contiguously since, er, those halcyon days of the early, was it the 90s'? Sure, none of us give a rat's damn about our personal numbers, right (?) but coulda-I have one of those spinky "K's" like the ones my pals here have after their 10.2K, 20.7K, 30.5K followers? ...if I'd only paid more consistent attention? (side note… just picking up Twitter again recently has done wonders for the ol' K rating on that other service we don't give a crap about, personally)… Certainly, how can I not sometimes feel like my pants are down around my ankles, worse that I may have missed that mystic-moment when followers were everywhere to be had… oh well. It's not really about that (and I DO mean and know that).
So… here we go again. This time, here's to only hoping I get my own ah-ha moment (any help on this would be accepted most graciously). Once again, I've signed on to test some tools, paid up the folks over at hootsuite, interlocked and linked and all systems go. In the end, I'm just shaking the dust off, re-learning and staying on top of it for YOU (yes you, you wondrously loveable trusty client of mine). This time though, I hope it I'm not left with that same nagging doubt, (admission #3), that empty feeling that I always seem to get after opening and abandoning a Twitter account... that suspicion that, it may just be one big waste of time.
Stay tuned… I have no clue what Part Two will be about, this time. @GordonGower
UPDATED: March 02, 2013: So... not quite part two, yet. Let's call this a wee addendum. I've decided to make a little project out of this; some of you may have noticed far more (too many) tweets from me of late. Given all projects must have a basic objective, I've set mine as follows... I'll work this until I increase my reach to 2,000 followers. While doing so, I'll log stats and record what I believe to be "meaningful" engagements (of which I have now had, one). I'll remain positive... As noted earlier, I'll conduct this as a worth while refresher :-)
Brushin' the dust off some of the old tools in the toolkit; exploring some new ones.
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