Twitter: bringing adult relationships to the web

An article on Mashable today shows that according to a Nielsen study, Twitter’s growth can’t be attributed to those younger than 25.  Implications of this are manifold, but the first thing that came to mind is the fact that Twitter, like “real life,” in-person relationships, is sometimes hard work.

Twitter resonates with people who are more comfortable in their position in society and  are looking for meaningful relationships through which valuable content is exchanged.  Twitter is an ongoing conversation. What’s been said is water under the bridge. The focus is on moving the conversation forward and collaborating to create value and meaning by sharing information.

By contrast, Facebook provides a way to create a static view into your life. You can carefully select quotes, interests, links, and photos that reflect exactly what you want your friends to see. You can even tailor your friend list to control exactly who you associate with and who can see your meticulously manicured online identity. When it comes down to it, Facebook becomes an exercise in creating a self that you want others to see,  rather than one of finding meaning through relationships with others.

Twitter more closely emulates real life relationships. The focus is more on content. What you say and how you say it has a lot of influence on how you fit into the social landscape. Being a professional writer, I frequently tell my colleagues and friends that Twitter is a lot of fun because every update is an exercise in careful editing as you choose which 140 characters you’ll use to convey information.

Followers and followed come and go on Twitter as we search for meaningful relationships and useful information. Facebook is a popularity contest. The more friends you have, the bigger the audience to watch as you tweak your profile into the envy of your friends.