In the beginning, there was MySpace. Back in 2005, I created a MySpace page for my buddy Custom because they had a music player and all the bands had pages. MySpace was (and is) a cesspool of poor design, trolls and annoying teens. I never created a MySpace account for myself.
Then, after a great deal of resistance, I succumbed and got myself a Facebook account in the summer of 2007. I was in a running group that started scheduling runs via a Facebook group, so I really had to play the game or step aside.
Facebook was kind of neat for a week or so, but quickly became stale. I figured my lack of passion for Facebook had something to do with the fact I already had a web presence where I could share notes, pictures and links. Still, Facebook was a great deal more pleasurable than MySpace, and many of my friends were passionate users.
Just last year, I started to tweet via Twitter. It's been about five months, and I'm enjoying this social networking tool more today than ever. It's micro-blogging with a mobile slant, an ideal complement to my blog. The real-time buzz detection via those select few I follow enriches the content over here, and keeps my ear to the ground. I enjoy Twitter about ten times as much as I enjoyed Facebook. I now find myself recruiting Facebook friends to the Twitter fold.
I find there are three types of people in the Social Networking kingdom. The Facebook Fiends, the Twitter Followers and the Twitbook Teeter-Totters.
Facebook Fiends - You know these guys... They embraced Facebook in 2006 or 2007 and haven't looked back. As die-hard Facebook fiends, this community hogs the bulk of their online life and they wouldn't consider leaving. They're too invested in Facebook to switch to Twitter.
Twitter Followers - These are people like me, who tried Facebook but prefer Twitter. The promotional potential of Twitter brought us over, but the value-add of those we follow keep us there. We've essentially said goodbye to Facebook and are now loyal Tweeters in the Twitter kingdom.
Twitbook Teeter-Totters - These are Facebook fans who get the attraction of Twitter. Twitbook Teeter-Totters haven't switched but maintain both. How many people do you know that dupe their Tweets as Facebook status messages? That's who I'm referring to here. They couldn't pick a community, so they manage both.
Which one are you?
