How Twitter Contributors will add another layer of identity
If you follow @smartbrief, @SBoSM or @SBStartup on Twitter, chances are you’ve seen a tweet by me. You just didn’t know it because those accounts are tied more closely with my company’s brand than my own. In the case of @SBoSM, I’m actually sharing posting duties with Rob Birgfeld. Until now, there was no way for users to tell which one of us is behind a given message, but Twitter’s new “Contributors” feature (which is still in a closed beta) will soon allow us to establish separate identities while still sharing the same account.
What will that mean for you? Well, if you’re using Twitter for your business or you’re part of some other kind of group effort, it will mean you can consolidate followers without sacrificing the most precious commodity people can have in the social space: their voice. Seth Goldstein argues that users trump content in social media. I think that’s a glib overstatement — but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a point when he argues that identity matters more than ever. You and I can’t establish a relationship unless we can connect. And we can’t do that unless you know to find me. With contributors tags, we will all get a little closer to that goal.
Is Twitter Contributors really that big a deal? Do you think anyone cares who’s behind each individual tweet? Or is the collective identity more important?
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Posted by Amber Wallace on December 15th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I think it’s a big deal in terms of attribution and connecting — it can be powerful to know who is behind a company name, and if different opinions are coming through one stream, maybe why that is. It also let’s us see the “(wo)man behind the curtain,” which is nice, and doesn’t in any way negatively impact the content!
Posted by Kaila S | Vertical Measures on December 15th, 2009 at 11:37 am
While I can see the benefit in the ‘contributors’ addition to Twitter, I now my clients won’t utilize it. They like the fact that we both maintain their account seamlessly. They don’t want their prospects and current clients knowing that they are paying someone else to help manage their account. It all depends on who your demographic really is, and if they are quick to judge and dislike based on an external vs. internal company tweeter this feature won’t go over well with those companies.
Posted by Wilson on December 15th, 2009 at 11:41 am
More of a personal than marketing statement, I think that a corporate presence should be just that, corporate. As a customer/consumer, I expect and prize consistency more than “oh, Bob is better than Sally, glad I got him!” sorts of differentiation. In fact, I find a “personal relationship” an inhibitor in dealing with a corporate presence, as if the relationship is more personal than corporate, I don’t know if I’m getting the same level of service “anyone” would, I don’t know if the company is just a collection of self-serving individuals. I expect a high degree of uniformity of experience and unity of purpose in dealing with an organizational entity, as opposed to an individual.
However, I’m referring more in operational and sales-related dealings with a company, as opposed to advertisements or marketing enticements, where company mascots and faux personalities do matter more, so don’t mistake my statements with that angle. And of course my own preferences probably vary greatly from others, but as you asked for feedback…
Posted by Jesse Stanchak on December 15th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Wilson, that’s a really interesting take on the subject. I’ve never considered the possibility that companies might need to handle customer service/operations differently from marketing on Twitter. Where do you think something like @SBoSM (which is 95% about passing on links) falls on that spectrum?
Posted by Ted M on December 15th, 2009 at 11:53 am
This is a HUGE big deal. It enables crowd-sourced reporting on real-time events. For a clumsy but very effective version of this see @caltrain where commuters report in real time of the status of the train system. Multiple authors – one thing to follow. Think of this for queues for each ride at Disneyland (contributors would change all the time, you follow the top five rides while you’re there). It also enables temporary groups – Kids on a field trip reporting on their activities – a real-time group diary. The key “innovation” here is that the group is created by the authors instead of the reader; makes all the difference because the content can be focused and a single topic/event.
Posted by Smartblog on Social Media » How Twitter Contributors Will Add … on December 16th, 2009 at 1:12 am
[...] Seth Goldstein argues that users trump content in social media . I think that’s a glib overstatement â but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a point when he argues that identity matters more than ever. You and I can’t establish a …Continued [...]
Posted by How Twitter Contributors will add another layer of identity | The Perfect Storm Team on December 16th, 2009 at 2:07 am
[...] SmartBlog On Social Media » How Twitter Contributors will add another layer of identity. [...]
Posted by Your turn: What does Twitter’s newest feature mean for you? « FCEdge Powerful Marketing Communications on December 28th, 2009 at 5:42 am
[...] What does Twitter’s newest feature mean for you? SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Social Media Read this one Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Twitter follow lists will simplify serviceTwitter [...]
Posted by Amber Wallace on February 5th, 2010 at 2:39 am
I think it's a big deal in terms of attribution and connecting — it can be powerful to know who is behind a company name, and if different opinions are coming through one stream, maybe why that is. It also let's us see the “(wo)man behind the curtain,” which is nice, and doesn't in any way negatively impact the content!