The social media progress charts : A 2010 refresh

Facebook vs Twitter

Facebook continues to draw huge crowds in 2010 crossing 3 billion visits in April 2010, while Twitter managed 147 million visitors from 21 million users. However as we tweeted, most discussions on the winnability and success of Facebook and Titter were dominated by Twitter as the platform, while the answers leaned towards the heavy usage of facebook. Apparently the tale is divided by the very fact that no one wants to discuss anything meaningful on Facebook, managing their dominant usage of facebook for the personal sphere of influence and not really as a social site for business. A simpler answer for Facebook’s continued success would thus be a simple advertisr friendly approach that the platform has propagated and that brands have lapped up by the score.

The question is whether Twitter can convert this tirade of meaningful social discussions ( including 3 out of 4 reactions to facebook) that happen on Twitter and except on facebook happen to be mostly about Twitter. While paid subscription models and even paid blogs have failed to take off thus ending the high ideals of those who wanted a paying internet / digital proposition, the advertising based models seem to have been jettisond to early by us cognoscenti on Twitter. Promoted Tweets is not the answer in terms of reach but facebook ads meaning to propagate brands and social causes are a necessary hit.

Nevertheless, as most of the talk is about twitter, there would seem to be some basis to this continued banter about Twitter's innovative reach and effectiveness for business. Stock analysts also find it to be a continuing draw, instant opinion being quite a hit in this volatile world and unless you want to discuss a movie with all your bev y of friends, saying it on Twitter seems to get it done.