Comments on: Is the New Twitter Homepage a Mistake? http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/ The Bivings Report (TBR) is a source of news, insight, research and analysis on the web-based communications industry. TBR content is posted, created and managed by internet strategists, media/communications analysts, web developers, designers and programmers, all of whom are employees of The Bivings Group. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:12:40 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Todd Zeigler http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297725 Todd Zeigler Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:08:30 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297725 @Ryan Roberts - I really think the lack of retention has more to do with the design of the site once users logged in, not the non-logged in page. @Mark Nutter - I'm less worried about spam than having too many people focused on becoming trending topics instead of just tweeting more naturally. Of course, the easy solution to that is to simply unfollow people using Twitter overtly for marketing. @Ryan Roberts – I really think the lack of retention has more to do with the design of the site once users logged in, not the non-logged in page.

@Mark Nutter – I’m less worried about spam than having too many people focused on becoming trending topics instead of just tweeting more naturally. Of course, the easy solution to that is to simply unfollow people using Twitter overtly for marketing.

]]> By: jeff http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297724 jeff Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:06:42 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297724 twitter is lame and boring. there i said it. twitter is lame and boring. there i said it.

]]> By: Mark Nutter http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297723 Mark Nutter Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:04:20 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297723 I don't think it's a mistake at all. They understand where the true value of Twitter lies, and that's in search. Just because it will encourage spammers to game the system isn't a reason not to try to figure out how to leverage search. Google has to deal with more spammers and gamers than any other service out there but that hasn't stopped them from becoming a huge company based on search. Twitter really has a tiger by the tail here: a stream of the public consciousness which provides them better data about what's currently popular than google could ever hope to. The trick is going to be providing the right tools to parse this data so people can consume it in useful ways. I don’t think it’s a mistake at all. They understand where the true value of Twitter lies, and that’s in search. Just because it will encourage spammers to game the system isn’t a reason not to try to figure out how to leverage search. Google has to deal with more spammers and gamers than any other service out there but that hasn’t stopped them from becoming a huge company based on search.

Twitter really has a tiger by the tail here: a stream of the public consciousness which provides them better data about what’s currently popular than google could ever hope to. The trick is going to be providing the right tools to parse this data so people can consume it in useful ways.

]]> By: Internet Marketing, Strategy & Technology Links – July 31, 2009 « Sazbean http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297722 Internet Marketing, Strategy & Technology Links – July 31, 2009 « Sazbean Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:07:34 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297722 [...] Is the New Twitter Homepage a Mistake? (The Bivings Report) [...] [...] Is the New Twitter Homepage a Mistake? (The Bivings Report) [...]

]]> By: links for 2009-07-31 « A little Jack with that? http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297721 links for 2009-07-31 « A little Jack with that? Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:38:20 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297721 [...] Is the New Twitter Homepage a Mistake? >> The Bivings Report [...] [...] Is the New Twitter Homepage a Mistake? >> The Bivings Report [...]

]]> By: Ryan Roberts http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297718 Ryan Roberts Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:10:03 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297718 I don't think it's a mistake. Isn't it something like 60% of people signing up to Twitter never come back? It's a very high figure whatever it is. The problem Twitter face is convincing people to stay and build up their profile, until they start following people and getting followers it's next to useless and this probably puts off many people. By using the homepage to show the vast scale of conversation and trend discussion happening on Twitter they reveal to new visitors what they could be involved with and exactly what is going on. I don't think this was clear enough before. I don’t think it’s a mistake. Isn’t it something like 60% of people signing up to Twitter never come back? It’s a very high figure whatever it is.

The problem Twitter face is convincing people to stay and build up their profile, until they start following people and getting followers it’s next to useless and this probably puts off many people.

By using the homepage to show the vast scale of conversation and trend discussion happening on Twitter they reveal to new visitors what they could be involved with and exactly what is going on. I don’t think this was clear enough before.

]]> By: Sarah Worsham http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297712 Sarah Worsham Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:08:41 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297712 I run into people all the time that don't understand Twitter - what it is or how to use it. Their homepage should focus on that instead of what's trending (which would be more important once a visitor has actually signed up). Focusing on what's important to new users first seems like basic usability stuff. I run into people all the time that don’t understand Twitter – what it is or how to use it. Their homepage should focus on that instead of what’s trending (which would be more important once a visitor has actually signed up). Focusing on what’s important to new users first seems like basic usability stuff.

]]> By: Bill http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297711 Bill Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:29:01 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297711 I think this is hubris. It shows that the Twitter folks think they are already a full on platform that everyone knows about and needs to search as opposed to a service. That may be where they get but I don't think they are there yet. I think this is hubris. It shows that the Twitter folks think they are already a full on platform that everyone knows about and needs to search as opposed to a service. That may be where they get but I don’t think they are there yet.

]]> By: Carl http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/comment-page-1/#comment-297704 Carl Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:32:42 +0000 http://www.bivingsreport.com/2009/is-the-new-twitter-homepage-a-mistake/#comment-297704 We debated ths yesterday and had some of the exact same thoughts. Undoubtedly a way to show people into the stream before they have signed up for a profile. But it doesn't explain what twitter does as it's core prop or why it's good for me. Interesting live test maybe? We debated ths yesterday and had some of the exact same thoughts.

Undoubtedly a way to show people into the stream before they have signed up for a profile. But it doesn’t explain what twitter does as it’s core prop or why it’s good for me.

Interesting live test maybe?

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