Months ago, probably some time before Christmas, I recorded a programme on Sky called Facebook vs Twitter. Not the usual thing I tape on Sky, I’ll admit, but something about the title intrigued me. However, being the busy bee I am, and this has nothing to do with my lack of organisational skills or my need to watch The Mentalist, Supernatural, Rookie Blue or Hawaii Five-O first, I never got around to watching it. Then, this past weekend, something strange happened. I had an hour to spare. I know, me having a whole uninterrupted hour. It’s unheard of. Anyway, I decided to watch it, mainly so I could delete it and increase my 3% remaining recording time.
With a cup of tea hot in my hand, I settled myself on the sofa and pushed play on the controller. I was met with a curt message stating I had to subscribe to watch the chosen channel. (This was a channel I’d found totally by accident while rummaging the listings, and which had some obscure name I can’t even remember). So, after clicking ‘select’ a few more times just to be sure, I deleted it…..regaining one measly percent in the process.
Now I was bothered. I wanted to know which was the more popular. Twitter or Facebook? And as a member of the female population, what we want we usually get, right?
The only way I would satisfy my curiosity and find out for sure was to look at my own use of the two internet phenomenons.
Facebook:
A few years ago I succumbed internet pressure and joined Facebook. Up until that moment in time I’d been frequenting Friends Reunited, which I thought was the crème da la crème of the social networking world. I’m not embarrassed to admit that when it comes to computers, I’m the least nerdy person I know. I fumble my way through the cyber world on a daily basis and Facebook was no different. I err…, *cough cough* struggled.
BUT, and oh yes this is a big BUT…. once I’d got to grips with the site I absolutely loved it. Friends Reunited, I’m sad to say – oh okay, I’m not sad because now I find it utter rubbish – was cast aside like an ex-boyfriend. By joining Facebook, I found so many more friends and some of whom I’d long since forgotten. It was like reliving my youth all over again.
Twitter:
Then along came twitter. I’d just got to grips with Facebook and to take on another computer based task was daunting and stupid and one I first resisted. But everyone was talking about it and the name ‘twitter’ was thrown at me from every angle. Everywhere I looked I saw its name, luring and daring me to join so, and not one to back out from a challenge, I did. No one was safe from my @-ing and I followed everyone famous I could think of. I ended my fourteen day campaign with; go on guess how many followers? None. I know, I gasped too. It’s a surprise, right? I couldn’t fathom why Ricky Gervais or Eliza Dushku didn’t follow me back. I mean, me? Come on! Distraught, I blamed my laptop, called twitter a ‘loser’ and, on bended knee, grovelled my way back into the arms of Facebook where I felt happy and secure.
But I wasn’t happy. I am and not one who likes to be beaten, and especially by a website, so I revisited twitter a few weeks later. I tweeted about my running the 2010 London Marathon, I tweeted about TV’s Supernatural (don’t ask), and I tweeted about writing. Suddenly I was conversing with other tweeps.
I managed to get a few followers (no they were not all family members or offers of Viagra), these were actually legit followers, and what’s more, I was having fun. I was tweeting over the moon!
Twitter is where I first met author and social media guru Kristen Lamb and was invited to become a Warrior Writer. Then I read her book ‘We Are Not Alone – A Guide To Social Media’ and my life was transformed. Suddenly, ‘Donna Newton’ was a brand with a Facebook Fan Page and somewhere I could chat with other writers and update what I was up to.
I also met my co-writer Natalie Duggan on twitter, which led us to L.A, a TV pilot, and a manager.
Plus, twitter is fun, fast, and quick. I like to talk and I like to ramble, so twitter is perfect for me. I still get a buzz every time I see one of my tweets RT’d (retweeted).
On the other hand, Facebook allows me to talk more – something I really do like doing. 😀 I love conversing with other writers and I like being able to find links and other information easily on one page.
So, Facebook vs Twitter?
That is the million dollar question and one I don’t know the answer to. I do know that both should come with a health warning: “These sites are addictive and bad for time managing your writing.”
So, now tell me which you prefer. Give each a mark out of 10 and we will tally the ratios and see which one fairs.
My verdict is Facebook 7/10 : Twitter 8/10
I don’t *mind* Facebook, but I don’t find it user friendly at all (as far as how to do most things). I much prefer Twitter. 🙂
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Well for me it has to be facebook. I myself have cast aside friends reunited, and found facebook. I did give Twitter a go, but just could not get to grips with it and came right back to facebook……..maybe I should give it another go but for me its facebook as I have found so many friends I had lost touch with, its simple and easy to use, fun games to play alone or with others but easier to navigate than Twitter!
So here are the scores on the doors……Facebook 8/10
Twitter 5/10
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Oh yes, I forgot my scores. 🙂
Facebook 5/10 and Twitter 9/10
BTW, I like describing the choice this way: Facebook lets you connect to people you *used* to have things in common with, and Twitter lets you connect to people that you have things in common with *now*.
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Oooo, go Jami! Great (and accurate) snark!!
I like Twitter better and here’s why: Time.
I have the ability to easily see big picture of Twitter from my phone (and it is not a Smartphone – you can just use regular text: http://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/twitter-phone-home/).
I can schedule my tweets a few days out on the weeks when I’m at a conference, on vacation or really busy at work. This lets me stay connected, even while I’m unplugged.
Twitter is fun. Twitter is quick.
Facebook is also fun but it just doesn’t engage me the same way. I was hooked and had 100 Followers inside of a month.
That’s my $0.02.
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Jenny, thank you for sharing this comparison. Your comments expressed my intent. I agree and you saved me from repetitious duplication. Thanks!
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I don’t recall how long ago I began to use Facebook but being a retired member of University staff I do know it was then still in its early stages when I received an invite.
One of my teenage grandsons discovered that I was a user and I can still remember his comment “Cor Nan you are cool … I found you on Facebook”. What he didn’t know was that I had been using it for about 18 months by then and had been communicating with new friends all over the world. My grandchildren are now beginning to tire of Facebook but have not moved on to Twitter. I find the program useful for keeping in touch with their lives and seeing photographs taken by their friends which I would not normally see. Having become addicted to some of the games my intention is to wean myself off most of these in order to spend my time more productively.
Twitter is still fairly new to me but I am finding my way into using it as other friends are moving over to Twitter. I find that I want to know more as I feel a little blinkered right now. Hopefully my tweets will improve as I manage to find ways to condense what I have to say. I intend to keep trying as it is good to move out of your comfort zone and try something new.
I can see that I will continue using both for some time as they both have their uses for me.
So here are my current ratings
Facebook 8/10 for my contact with the younger generation
Twitter 8/10 for contact with a more adult population
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I’ve grown very comfortable with Facebook through several years of use. However, I find that I primarily keep up with friends and acquaintances rather than using it as a platform-building tool as a writer.
Despite urging from my BFF Kristen Lamb, I resisted Twitter until very recently, because it didn’t make much sense to me. I can’t really say that it does yet, but I do recognize it’s potential for platform-building and networking with other writers, and I’m getting a little more used to it. I find that my conversational reticence comes through on Twitter. Just can’t think of that much to say. I think that’s me and not Twitter, though.
Facebook 9/10 – Twitter 7/10
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When my mother, the person that still won’t buy anything online because she’s afraid someone will steal all her life information, got a Facebook page I knew I had missed the boat. So here I went, and the next thing I know I’m closing in on 100 FB friends that I either went to school with or worked with at some point. I loved it.
I made fun of people that said they were on Twitter. I didn’t get it. How the hell can you say anything in 140 characters? Stop laughing Donna. You too Jami. Okay, I still can’t do it in 140 characters, but I can do it in 140 characters 12 times. 🙂 Regardless, I tweet much more now than I FB.
I think Jami’s correct that they really serve different purposes and I like Twitter better.
Twitter 9/10 Facebook 7/10
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I started with Fb before I even knew what an author platform was – I was keeping tabs on my teenager. Then I met other moms tracking their teenagers, then old HS friends, and so on. I really like it, and enjoy sharing pics, too.
Now that I’m supposed to be developing a “platform,” I tried to do a fan page, and just don’t understand it, so it’s languishing with half a dozen followers. I’m letting it figure itself out for the moment.
Twitter seemed weird – how can anyone meaningfully correspond in bursts of 140 characters or fewer? But after reading Kristen’s WANA book, I decided to give it a go. As far as the writing community goes, it is THE go-to place for me now, and then Fb sort of catches up. When I’m writing, I don’t feel so isolated. People are so supportive and sweet! I feel really lucky to have found such a wonderful, quirky community.
Twitter 9/10; Facebook 7/10
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I tried Facebook 3 different times and ended up deleting my account each time. Something . . everything about Facebook just irritates me. Twitter can be irritating too, but what system is perfect? Facebook 1/10 – Twitter 7.5/10
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I have been using Twitter for ages and find it the best form of communication. It’s nice to see the list of ‘mentions’ and it’s nice to see my tweets retweeted. It shows people are engaging with you. It’s effortless. Perfect for my requirements.
Facebook is slightly more long winded. It will only send messages to your friends. Twitter sends it to the universe and you pick it up via search boxes. Facebook is better visually for posting photos, amd for my work it is useful to have albums to hand.
I know this is brief, but I am on the train amd nearly at my stop.
Overall, Twitter is the main app for me.
Ratings, Facebook 7/10 and Twitter 9.5/10
I thank you.
You cam follow me @lewismalka Make sure you do!!!
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Great post. I resisted joining both for a long time. I dared to do Facebook first, and had to be dragged kicking and screaming to Twitter, me thinking “bloody waste of time”
How wrong I was…
Really love Twitter, it’s just so much fun and I’m practically addicted to it. I do like Facebook as well. Think they’re both good tools. Some people don’t do Twitter, so you can reach them via Facebook, and the other way around.
and of course, I got to this post via your Tweet about it 🙂
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Brilliant as usual Donna!
and to me spot on, agree with the ease of waffling on Twitter and that it can be a good source of contacts and info besides what people have had for breakfast etc etc.
I have hardly been on Face book since you pointed me towards Twitter and must say I dont miss it so much, prefer the short sharp witterings of Twittering…
Thank you for changing my life lol! 😉 x
David
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[…] also read a post yesterday by Donna Newton that discussed the popularity of Facebook vs. Twitter. One of the comments brought me a tiny, brief, gasping moment of clarity…”Facebook […]
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Love it! Probably much more interesting than the original programme. “The Mentalist”, eh? Shame we ditched cable before they showed Season Three….
Where was I? Oh yeah. I hooked up to FaceBook back in the UK, but Mrs Dim wasn’t at all interested until we got over here (Canada) Suddenly she could keep up with folks back over the pond without sending mass emails, and we could put up pix of the weasels without overloading inboxes. That’s what Fb is for us – a communication tool. because of that, it’s not my author platform (I can just see Kristen shaking her head and putting her face in her hands…Sorry!). Twitter hasn’t grabbed me the same way. I feel like a stalker follwing Eliza Dushku (you have such good taste – Mentalist AND Eliza!) but maybe I should ditch the dirty overcoat…It’s now become my new notification system for new blog posts, plus a way to highlight friend’s blogs and posts. Retweeting is the way to go.
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Oh, you are really missing something. The Mentalist’s third season is mind blowing *stir stir* ……this overcoat of yours. Does it make you look like Columbo? :p
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I see FB and Twitter as apples and oranges. I know at least half of my 200 FB friends, and I’m enjoying getting to know the rest. However, I like the fast pace of Twitter and the ability to carry on numerous conversations at one time.
As far as how well they each function, they are equally irritating to me. FB often does very strange things with comments and status updates. Twitter jams up all the time, and I still don’t feel very proficient at it. Overall, though, if I had to choose, I would take Twitter and a telephone over FB. (The phone is to keep in touch with the people I was already keeping in touch with before FB.)
Ratings: Facebook 6/10 and Twitter 7/10
Thanks for a great post, Donna.
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[…] your chance to vote in this modern era “Ginger or Mary Ann” Contest. . . . Facebook Vs. Twitter? Donna Newton will tally the […]
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Fun post! (And I too know the seduction of the Mentalist, Supernatural (though not as much season 6 :(, and Hawaii 5-0)
Since I’m at work, the question on whether to use Facebook or Twitter becomes more complex.
At first I was using TechHit to send Tweets as email to Outlook (easier to sneak with) but I’ve now broken down and also have Facebook up as well. I try to throw glances in at one or the other during print jobs or between projects.
As I ignore all the games and badges and a lot of the other things people can do on Facebook, I mostly only look at the updates. In that regard it makes it a lot like Twitter. Except these can be longer and don’t always zoom by as fast as Tweets. Also, since I don’t have up software to follow twitter # conversations, they tend to happen more robustly for me on Facebook.
So at the moment, with how I have to use them, I’d call them about even on score. 8/10 and 8/10.
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I am so with you on SPN Season 6. You can tell Eric Krippe is no longer head writer. I was amazed to hear it’s been picked up for a seventh season! Thanks for the reply x
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Donna
How did I not know you had a blog? I know why… I use facebook for personal, I literally just go on look at some pictures (your US trips leave me drolling with jealousy) I might go on couple times a month. So didnt notice you had a blog or was writing….
But twitter? I’m on every day, for me that is business, chatting to my fellow wedding industry peeps. I love twitter, I think its great. I’ve met so many connections and brilliant suppliers I didnt know existed.
Yes I do have a business facebook page but I admit it is half hearted, I only really have time for my blog & twitter and of course working!
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Whey-hey! How you doing girlie? Oh yes, much has changed over the last year or so….we’ll have to have lunch and i’ll fill you in 🙂
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I am not a fan of either but I have them. FB is more personal to me. I use it soley for family and friends and author contacts. Twitter is a complete enigma to me. I like to be long winded so figuring how to capture short blurbs and sound cool is very difficult. Mostly I use it to tell people of what is happening on my blog and to follow others in the industry and see what is trending right now. Imostly retweet tweets that I think are informative and intelligent.
So I tweeted your article;)
FB 8/10 Tweet 5/10
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LOL, thanks for retweeting! I find twitter a challenge. I also like to talk, but sometimes there just aren’t enough letters available on twitter. 😀
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They’re so different it’s hard to compare the two. I know I can’t have Twitter going or I’ll get NO writing done. I think I follow almost 700 people so there are about 100 new tweets every 20-30 minutes, which is daunting to keep up with. Still, it’s a great way to check in briefly with people. I tend to talk to real life friends on Facebook and cyber friends on Twitter. I give Facebook 8/10 and Twitter 8/10 as well.
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