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by Amanda Miller on 11.8.2011 in Company News, Interactive Marketing 3

Why won’t Twitter go away? I have a username, I follow 22 people, and 18 people follow me. I’m not sure who the four holdouts are, but if I actually spent the time to cross-reference and figure it out I would probably unfollow them, and de-friend them on Facebook. I’m an account manager for Brighton and I have to stay on trend, but it’s hard sometimes. First off, I’m not just an account manager for a number of clients. I’m a mom, I’m a student, I’m a friend and I have a life. Well, kind of.

I already spend way too much time on Facebook, and I’ve been tempted on a number of occasions to just close my account and get my life back. I have friends who don’t have accounts, believe it or not. It’s like not having a smartphone—I don’t know how you would get through an hour, let alone a day. That thought is what keeps me checking my status and not calling it quits.

Recently my brother sent me a Google+ invite. I signed up and found myself thinking, what is this? It’s like a cross between Twitter and Facebook. Do they really think this is going to work? I added some people to some circles and some people added me, again with a couple of holdouts that I should “uncircle” (or whatever it will be called). Then I got to thinking about these circles and how you are essentially labeling everyone you know. I reached a questionable point when I created a circle labeled, “people who are blah” and “people I kinda know.” And, well, that’s just sad. What’s the point of staying connected to people who are blah, or people I just kind of know?!? If they are blah or I just kind of know them, I won’t care what they or their kids are doing. When it comes to the people I care about, I talk to them or see them all the time, so I don’t need to be “friends” with them or “circle” them really.

What does all of this have to do with Twitter? Well, what’s the point of it? I actually saw Twitter creator Jack Dorsey speak at Webster. He was a good presenter, and while I believe Twitter is changing the world, I’m just not sure they have fully reached their potential. I mainly feel this way because they haven’t reached me! And because I have access to early adopters (Brighton’s Online Marketing Team), I see that you can simultaneously tweet and update your Facebook status. What’s the point of that? If you aren’t tweeting differently than what you’re posting on Facebook, then why have both? And if people are following you that aren’t your “friends,” why do you care if they know what you’re saying anyway?

I guess Twitter has its place, just not a place with me—unless I want to promote my company, get the word out about a product, or start a revolution! I have to say that our Online Marketing Team has taught me a lot, and they seem to have the social networking forte that just might keep me from de-friending, uncircling and de-following.

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