Join me and 21 other speakers for Facebook Success Summit 2010, a Webinar series with everything you need to know about Facebook for business. Sessions start October 5. Go to http://bit.ly/facebooksuccess to save 50% for a limited time.
Revenge is a dish best served via status updates.
When you look in the rearview mirror, you realize the greed and comparative savvy of the leadership of uber-successful online startups has ramifications on us all.
What if Myspace hadn’t sold to Fox? What if Yahoo had sold to Microsoft? What if Google hadn’t purchased YouTube? In each instance, the online world would be different today.
The same is true with the burgeoning fight between Facebook and Twitter. As you may remember, Facebook tried to purchase the plucky, 140-character interloper a while back for a reported $500 million. Not bad to be sure, but far less than YouTube’s $1.65 billion, or MySpace’s $580 million (in 2005 dollars). Regardless of the soundness of their perceived self-worth, Twitter rejected Facebook like a cheerleader asked to dance by the marching band tuba player.
So, like any spurned suitor, Facebook vowed revenge. Whether they actually said “I will crush you” in a thick Russian accent is immaterial. Their subsequent actions speak plenty loud.
@putyououtofbusiness
There are three recent Facebook developments that should have Twitter sweating like Dom Deluise in a full-length mink:
1. Facebook as Messaging Hub
Using third party tools like Tweet Deck and Seesmic Desktop (both excellent, by the way), you’ve been able to handily update your Facebook status from Twitter for a while now. But while Twitter does status updates and nothing more, Facebook does status updates plus an entire eco-system of applications, content, etc. Thus, having Twitter being the conduit by which people announced the details of their current circumstance must have been highly irksome to Facebook.
So, they turned the tables.
Now, fan pages (no personal usage yet) are able to automatically update their Twitter status from Facebook. This may not be an ideal approach for all companies and organizations, but it certainly can create some efficiencies for time-starved social media managers – especially for small and mid-sized players.
A key difference between Facebook and Twitter status updates of course is that Facebook doesn’t have a character limit for the most part. And, they don’t have a character counter, either. So, in an insidious move, if you create a Facebook status message that exceeds Twitter’s 140 characters, it automatically truncates and adds a link back to Facebook. Plus, the tweets are branded as coming from Facebook (per Twitter’s API).
2. Facebook as Name Dropper
The real genius of Twitter has always been the ability to name check friends and potential friends, knowing that they would most likely see your note in their “replies” or by doing searches for their Twitter handle. It’s like an extremely complex, asynchronous collective of CB Radio afficianados.
But now Facebook wants in on that action, too. They recently began facilitating the inclusion of your friends’ names, organization names, company names, etc. in Facebook status updates. The functional mechanism for this is quite nifty, as you don’t have to remember your friends’ handles (increasingly a problem on Twitter). You just have to type @ and the first couple letters of your friends’ name or the business name, and Facebook presents matches from your list of friends and pages of which you’re a fan. Slick.
When you include your friends’ names or brand names in your status updates, they are alerted to that fact via email, or through other means, depending upon how they have their Facebook communication protocols set. This is going to make Facebook a LOT more social.
I believe this will break down one of the last cultural differences between Twitter and Facebook in that people “follow” many people (thousands in my case) on Twitter whom they don’t really know at all, but most folks restrict Facebook friends to people they actually know (or used to know). That’s going to change, and name drops in status messaging (hopefully in comments soon, too) will power the transformation.
3. Lo-Cal Facebook
The recently released Facebook Lite is ostensibly targeted at developing countries where broadband access is limited. But for many folks (including me) Facebook Lite may just be the preferred version of Facebook, regardless of connection speed.
Facebook Lite is basically Twitter, with some notifications of birthdays and events. In fact, having birthdays and events at the top of the page, rather than stashed in the bottom right corner, is in itself a big advantage. (My friend Joe Manna actually created a “Move Facebook events to the top” group about this issue).
Like Coke Zero, this lite version strips Facebook down to its essential elements, leaving out the crap that just gets in the way. No snowbowl fights. No applications. No quizzes. No nonsense.
Now, if you’re a company that’s looking to activate your customers using a Facebook application, widespread adoption of Lite could be an issue for your usage. But for Twitter, widespread adoption of Lite could be bad news indeed, as it emulates Twitter’s ease-of-use, while tapping into a much larger global user base.
Arrangements Being Handled by Mashable Funeral Home
Do I think Twitter is going out of business? (if you’ve never generated any revenue, are you actually “in business”?) No, I don’t. But, the Twitter community has changed dramatically as it has grown, making it less special, less interesting, and more overrun with get-rich-quick ridiculousness. Combined with Facebook’s all-too-serious moves to emulate the best of Twitter, I’m not sure I’d want to build a social media program that’s Twitter-centric.
But maybe it’s just me. What do you think? Is it curtains for Twitter?
I think Twitter and FB still serve two different purposes, and both will always be what you make of them. All this imitation on FB has me NOT checking my page, actually. This is the first I’ve heard of FB Lite, so maybe I would try that. But I can’t see FB as a substitute for Twitter.
For me, they are two different communities. My personal friends, former students, and such are my FB friends. but on Twitter, I am able to find random interesting people from whom I can learn, and with whom I can develop new friendships. I don’t see that as something I can effectively do on FB.
So I wouldn’t toll the bells for Twitter just yet.
Hi Sue. Thanks so much for the comment. I agree that the two communities are different for now. But the Twitter community arose based on the unique (and stripped down) functionality of Twitter. Facebook can (and is) emulating that. Given Facebook’s much larger audience, wouldn’t you be able to find even more interesting people there?
I absolutely agree with Sue Densmore, word for word here: “My personal friends, former students, and such are my FB friends. but on Twitter, I am able to find random interesting people from whom I can learn, and with whom I can develop new friendships.”
Twitter is way more random and interesting than facebook. Facebook is way more intimate and familiar than Twitter.
Twitter Comment
Use your blog to base your campaigns. The social media wheels will turn RT @jaybaer Facebook turns its guns on Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT: @jaybaer: Imitation & obsolescence – Facebook turns its guns on Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Interesting & entertaining reading: Imitation & obsolescence – Facebook turns its guns on Twitter [link to post] (via @jaybaer)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Imitation & obsolescence – Facebook turns its guns on Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
@jaybaer: [link to post] imho Twitter is more effective than FB for a good social media strategy, most companies aren’t fit for FB yet
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
intriguing article about facebook potentially crushing twitter: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
File this under “it’s just me,” but I still use Twitter and FB differently enough that I don’t want to see one turn into the other.
I’m with Jeff…I use them differently, and Facebook will never become Twitter for me.
I do like the @friend mentioning that FB put in…mostly because it amuses me, not for any other reason.
I’m not sure I want them to turn into each other either, but I’m not sure that’s our decision to make.
I think the biggest mistake Facebook can make is trying to challenge an inferior opponent.
It’s a losing battle. Facebook already has more capabilities and a niche (and a HUGE one at that) that is in no danger of being usurped.
It’s a tougher sell for businesses to integrate with Facebook then Twitter. Because often Twitter takes less commitment and it is more acceptable to engage with potential customers.
.-= Stuart Foster´s last blog ..Imagination =-.
I wouldn’t even say Facebook has a niche. With more than 300 million members, that’s a big niche. That’s why they are trying to take Twitter’s candy. With that size, they can take EVERYONE’s candy if they want to.
Twitter Comment
Imitation and Obsolescence – Facebook Guns for Twitter | Social … [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @tweetmeme Imitation and Obsolescence – Facebook Guns for Twitter | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Consult… [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @tweetmeme Facebook Guns for Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer Facebook Guns for Twitter [link to post] (strong moves..but no curtains for #twitter..yet)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I think it certainly is “curtains for Twitter” although I’m not sure it will happen anytime soon (there are still lots of devoted Twitter fans out there – including me!) nor if it will be a direct result of the three Facebook moves mentioned above.
Although Facebook is certainly using some of the best features of Twitter — it will only serve to enhance the Facebook interface, rather than dragging fans of Twitter away. I think Twitter’s eventual demise will probably hinge on something entirely different (that Facebook, along with some others, happens to do much better): localization. For the average Twitter user, it simply takes too much time to find a “niche”, or a localized market, (be it events/people relating to their particular city, or events/people related to their particular special interest) with which to interact. Facebook, and platforms like Yelp, foursquare, etc do this very, very well.
Devoted Twitter fans will continue to spend the time to find/make their local niche –Twitter isn’t leaving anytime soon– but for many people, there are plenty of better options.
Anna – Excellent point about location and its ability to create instant connections. Twitter is getting serious about location. We’ll see if that keeps the wolves away for a while. Great comment. Thank you.
Twitter Comment
RT @tweetmeme Imitation and Obsolescence – Facebook Guns for Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @JayBaer – Imitation & obsolescence – Facebook turns its guns on Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Twitter: pay attention…Facebook is on ur ass! [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I don’t know, I’m not liking Twitter much these days. It is just full of get rich quick posts or headline retweets. I sometimes scour the posts looking for someone saying something interesting or something I can comment on. Facebook is becoming a lot more social and I’m coming back to it more frequently these days.
.-= Shelly Cone/Beach Betty Public Relations’´s last blog ..Why You Shouldn’t Count on Millennials =-.
I hear you Shelly. Twitter is getting a little nuts. Seems like Facebook has a better signal to noise ratio for many people, but that’s mostly because folks seem to be more selective in terms of their Facebook connections.
Twitter Comment
My response http://is.gd/3Bsst to great post by @jaybaer Imitation & obsolescence – Facebook turns its guns on Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @MarchiP: Facebook Guns for Twitter…. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I can’t lie – this is the post I have been waiting for you to write for a long time now. Bravo!
.-= William Smith´s last blog ..How the terrorists won =-.
Writes the Facebook lover….I’m not saying I prefer Facebook. In some ways I do, in others I don’t. But from a purely business standpoint, I think Twitter has a tough road ahead.
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: How Facebook plans to kill Twitter. Are you an accomplice? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Article: “Imitation and Obsolescence – Facebook Guns for Twitter” [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I use Seesmic and it also provides the dropdown list of friends names as you type @ and the first couple of letters.
.-= Sasha´s last blog ..Yellow Pages – Get Your Work Noticed – clever marketing =-.
Excellent Sasha. Thanks for that tip. I haven’t logged in on Seesmic for a while. I’ll check it out.
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: How Facebook plans to kill Twitter. [link to post] And we all reap the benefits….
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Great post by @jbaer Limitation and Obsolescence – Facebook Guns for Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
@jaybaer I hope so. Would love to see facebook kill Twitter.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Facebook attacks Twitter. And these are the weapons [link to post] via @jaybaer
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Is FB making Twitter sweat like Dom Deluise in a full-length mink? via @jaybaer [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Great post Jason. Personally, I’m a little tired of feeling like I’m watching a tennis match between the two.
Twitter Comment
RT @cmozilo: RT @jaybaer: How Facebook plans to kill Twitter. Are you an accomplice? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
@jbaer may be on to something here … Great story about Facebook coming hard at Twitter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
I wonder what the twittosphere thinks…twitter vs facebook [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @elizabethsosnow Is FB making Twitter sweat like Dom Deluise in a full-length mink? via @jaybaer [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Is FB making Twitter sweat like Dom Deluise in a full-length mink? via @jaybaer http://chilp.it/?96e568
RT @elizabethsosnow Is FB making Twitter sweat like Dom Deluise in a full-length mink? via @jaybaer http://chilp.it/?96e568
who cares? this is about as boring as “news” gets.
Twitter Comment
RT @Twitter_Tips Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post] –Share: http://bit.ly/vpngj
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @Twitter_Tips: Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post] –Share: http://bit.ly/Uq0BF
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post] — via @Twitter_Tips
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
@Lanny_S “Twitter community has changed dramatically as it has grown, making it less special…” — time for Jay Baer to weed his garden.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Too bad Facebook is still a buggy piece of shit. RT @Twitter_Tips: Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post] –Share: http://bit.ly/Uq0BF: Facebook to Twitter—We wi.. http://bit.ly/m5kC4
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @Twitter_Tips Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post] –Share: http://bit.ly/Uq0BF
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I doubt it’s curtains for anyone. This is no different than any competitive dynamic in the market place. The only undoing for Twitter will be if they fail to discover and understand their critical point of differentiation evolving to capitalize on it.
I’m not sure it’s Twitter needing to figure out their differentiator. They already found it. Facebook is now trying to make it less of a differentiator. Twitter needs a new trick. Maybe it will be geo-location?
Twitter Comment
Can’t we all get along? RT @Randy_Gage: RT @Twitter_Tips: Facebook to Twitter–We will crush you: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Reading: [link to post] Interesting article on how Facebook is becoming more Twittery.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @Twitter_Tips: Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post] (No, I don’t think so!)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I have to say that my FB is just for people I actually know in life – I don’t tend to accept friend requests from people I don’t know well and if I do they are on limited status. Twitter on the other hand is for professional development. While I do use FB to some degree for business purposes I create groups and fanpages for that. I don’t think either will die out – they are different and the purposes they serve are different for most people.
.-= Danielle´s last blog ..Alert! You Should Get Alerted On Industry Topics =-.
Danielle – I agree. I use the two the same way. I have very few Facebook friends I haven’t met. Conversely, I’ve met very few of my Twitter followers. To me, that remains the most critical difference between the two, because Facebook is certainly closing the functionality gap every day.
I agree with you both on the critical difference, and for that reason, I don’t see twitter going any where. With FB, you’re limited to people you know, and you may not always know the right people. It’s a mindset that I don’t see changing any time soon.
Twitter Comment
RT @Randy_Gage: RT @Twitter_Tips: Facebook to Twitter—We will crush you: [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @ Twitter_Tips Facebook para Twitter-Vamos esmagá-lo: [link to post] – Share: http://bit.ly/vpngj
– Posted using Chat Catcher