Mr Tweet Blog: The 5 Stages Of Twitter Acceptance. Where are YOU at? | Blog of Mr. Tweet
The Virtual Meeting Coach
· 11 months ago
I love this way of breaking down the process of getting into Twitter! Thanks so much for sharing it. In less than 2 weeks, after really resisting Twitter for over a year, I have come to see just what you're saying here.
"Microblogging" is a really inadequate label for what's going on inside Twitter. It's really a 24-7 always-on-always-open meeting room where people can learn from each other in real-time. Such an exciting new way to be together both live and online!
If you agree, please follow me @MeriWalker. If you disagree, please also follow me @MeriWalker and tell me how you disagree This is a conversation I'm really passionate about!
Lumrunner
· 11 months ago
Stage 4
pawandclawdesigns
· 11 months ago
oh, i'm stage 5..all the way...can not live without my tweets :D
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
hmmm... can your followers live without YOUR tweets? =)
pawandclawdesigns
· 11 months ago
sadly..more than likely ;)
Bhavishya Kanjhan
· 11 months ago
Spot on Rohit! I'd like to think I'm at Stage 5 but that's for my followers to decide. If not I'm definitely on Stage 4 atleast.
murdaFSM
· 11 months ago
mos def on stage 5 - microblogging baby, WE GROW WITH THE KNOWLEDGE !!!
@murdamw
Angie
· 11 months ago
Ah, yes, I remember stages 1 and 2 well. I'm now somewhere between 3 & 4. I post my stuff, but I'm trying to get more involved with individuals, not just expect everyone to read what I wrote. Look out... 5 is just around the corner! Then I'll be all grown up! lol!
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
haha, nice that you consider stage (5) to be "grown up!" =) I think it is an important leap when you move from "expecting people to read my stuff" M
PT
· 11 months ago
About #4 :p
Thayan
· 11 months ago
Simwhere between 4 and 5
DavidFeng
· 11 months ago
Stage 5. (Stage 4 depending on if you find the info useful or not.)
(Life without Twitter? No thank you!)
Kevin Lim
· 11 months ago
@rohitbhargava: I'd say I'm at Stage 5: Microblogging. However, just as you experienced, thousands of tweets later and I'm still trying to figure out the best strategy for using twitter. It's as open-ended as "traditional" blogging, yet as fast paced and directly reciprocal as playing a multiplayer game. I believe that the trick isn't to overthink the process of using twitter, but to simply get a feel of your utility from your followers. At the end of the day, the modes of twittering is a varied as the modes of blogging.
Edmund
· 11 months ago
Somewhere between 3 and 4, I guess. Although I DO think that my blog posts do have useful info for people to read, so isn't that no. 5 too? :D
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
an interesting observation of mine is that people start paying attention to me ONLY after i start paying attention to them. so that might be a hint on how to grow your base. =)
jlpeebles
· 11 months ago
I've noticed that, too: If you wonder how to get more followers, follow some folks, and a pretty good share of them will follow you back. I'm with a new news Web site in Houston, and I do a lot of our social media networking. It took a couple of months for me to figure out that we really needed to follow more people, and since we have done that, we've gotten a lot more people following us.
I would hope that, on the scale of Twitter acceptance, I'm between a 4 and a 5. (It's taken me more than a year to get there, and Stage 1 is the one that took the longest time to get over.) Personally, I enjoy following people who actually converse at least a little in their tweets more than I enjoy following people who only send out one-way communications that are links to their latest blog posts. - Jennifer Peebles http://www.texaswatchdog.org (we're texaswatchdog on Twitter, so follow us!)
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
ask your followers! Normally they will be pretty truthful. ;)
Cheryl Doig
· 11 months ago
I was in 1 before I knew about twitter. Stayed in 2 a month or so then the aha was when I as at the ULearn08 conference and was surrounded by twitter. I think 3-5 are a little linked for me. I try not to dump but do link to my blogposts and it is mostly useful. I can't see the sense in telling people its a lovely sunset, I am more towards 5 but except I don't have a lot of 1x1 conversations at all. Several of the people I follow have great stuff to share so I try to model their behaviour - they are definitely microblogging.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
Thanks for the great comment! Linking to your blog postings is a great idea. Just remember to respond and listen to others as well, very important too in building real relationships M
jaypiddy
· 11 months ago
I am at stage 5 for sure. I broke through that stage a few months ago!
It took a over a month for me to get the hang of it and grow to level 5. Guy Kawasaki provided some great coaching, but John Battelle was the person who convinced me that Twitter was a worthwhile time investment.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
hmmm...Do you remember why you were influenced by John? Was it something he wrote?
Tom_Nocera
· 11 months ago
Thanks for asking. It was many things John Battelle wrote at www.battellemedia.com about his positive experiences with Twitter over a period of months. The key, for me, is that Twitter is a time investment. Time is our most precious commodity. I can (and do) send Tweets while watching TV, like tonight, during commercials. And, I get much of my news now, from those I follow on Twitter. One last point. I really feel that Twitter's formula of 140 characters is almost magical. It compels conciseness. Makes people better communicators. I strive to use hit the 140 character mark on the nose. That makes it a bit of a mental challenge for me.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
1) Thanks for that. I agree that 140 char is a great exercise in saying as much information as possible in as little noise as possible 2) As a news source, dun you feel that there is too much noise in twitter today?
Tom_Nocera
· 11 months ago
Re: 2 - I concur with Clay Shirky's observation regarding "filter failure" as the better way to frame the argument about too much information ("information overload" and "too much noise" being essentially the same.
jeniliaa
· 5 months ago
Nice..i am in US i using the AT&T broadband connection.My connection is very very fast speed usually.I use the site IP-Address Details for testing my Internet connection speed.
Mary the Disturbed Stick Woman
· 11 months ago
I'm at stage 1, and likely to remain there, at least until I read a cogent argument in favor of it written by someone who doesn't think that "it's" is a possessive pronoun".
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
haha, that is a great term - "possessive pronoun" mind elaborating a little?
Gwen
· 11 months ago
She means that the gentleman who wrote this guest post used it's (the contraction of "it is" when he meant to use its (the possessive pronoun).
Garrison
· 11 months ago
Stage 4, but working towards stage 5
Jason
· 11 months ago
I'm at stage six: Hatred of self-proclaimed Twitter experts. Do I get a prize?
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
no prize, but a big congrats for saying what we are all pretty sick of "twitter experts" do we give the impression that we think we are?
EJWilliams
· 11 months ago
I am at a 5 now, it took me maybe a week to get there. All because I like to communicate to people, that's my mantra. At first I placed links to my blog and eBay listings, then I said, "Hey there are some pretty cool people on here, I want to mingle a bit!" I like to reciprocate, compliment, comment and complain in a funny way. Life can be pretty darn hard and I like to make cracks about it, it loosens people up. Look at your followers like you would look around in a large party, you need to converse, strike up a subject, tell someone they are fabulous looking, then the party starts rolling! Soon, everyone is laughing, sharing stories, jokes and intellectual info.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
fascinating - how are the links to your ebay listings doing? Do twitter really bring you any business to your ebay listings? and i totally agree - just start conversing a little, loosen it up, and maintain a (nice) personality
Tom_Nocera
· 11 months ago
Good point, Twitter is like a party, only better.
kfialkowski
· 11 months ago
Let's try this again. I am new and didnt quite get the hang of this ... posted without finishing the thought..." am new to Twitter. Using it, though, so that makes me pass Stage 1. But this concept. Better than a party? That I do not get. Does it mean I am destined to stay at this low stage? I mean, party, c'mon. There are live people really laffing out loud. Doesnt anyone miss the real sound of laughter that can't be replaced with an LOL?"
Owlex
· 11 months ago
Step four, I think. For sure.
I'd like to think that I post useful information, but the truth is %90 of the time, it's not. I try to compensate for that by making my tweets interesting, or clever. Just so's that they have some sort of value. I link to my blog posts sometimes, but not always. Only if it's a post that I particularly like.
I got to this stage within two weeks or so, of actively using twitter. My account was sitting dormant for almost a month when I decided to give it another go. Glad I did. :D
I know far too many people at step one, though. :(
jhapik
· 11 months ago
I'm between stage 4 and 5. This year I'll create a twitter related site, i'm a big fan. ;)
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
nice! what site would it be? M
karllong
· 11 months ago
Rohit, great post. Right now I'd say Twitter is my most important source of information about everything i'm interested in right now, it's better than digg, techmeme, everyone's blog in my google reader. So, yeah, i'm converted.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
dun you think there is a little too much noise right now to serve as a concrete source of information? Hmmm...
karllong
· 11 months ago
No I really don't, if you build your network on Twitter carefully, find people that you can learn from and put content out there that people might learn from, you will build an amazing filter for information. I agree with Clay Shirky on this one, information overload means your filter is broken http://lifehacker.com/5052851/information-overl...
I think too many people on twitter chase popularity or follow back out of politeness and that will weaken your filter. I know Jeremiah Owyang complains of twitter info overload, but he follows everyone back. Don't do it!
Agreed. the big hoohaa about "elites" who do not follow you back are silly. Guy Kawasaki follows everyone back, but i bet my bottom line he listens to no one M
joycloete
· 11 months ago
Kawasaki listens and interacts. He's one of the few humble social media elites.
Tom_Nocera
· 11 months ago
Amen to your observation and recommendation, Karl. Listen to Karl. And Clay Shirky was once again precisely on target with his astute observation regarding information overload.
karllong
· 11 months ago
LOL, I heard a long time ago that when it comes to the internet Shirky is right about EVERYTHING. My problem is he fails to connect it to business, he is a one man McKinsey for the internet if marketed right :)
Tom_Nocera
· 11 months ago
LOL Thinking that Somebody just had to be the McKinsey for the Internet. Battelle and Kawasaki connect it to business for me better than anyone else. They are both keen observers, good at distilling and communicating information, and both been on top of it from the git go from the high tech Silicon Valley observation post.
Igniter
· 11 months ago
great - i think there is a 6th stage - collaborative. what happened with #hohoto in Toronto is a great example. twitter won't displace other other tools but rather will augment them and change the way we use them. the next phase is around the corner... or so I believe :-).
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
Michael - i completely agree. great point, the 6th stage is when you make true collaboration happen!
Tom_Nocera
· 11 months ago
The concept of the 6th stage just earned you another follower on Twitter. Thanks for thinking and stimulating my thought processes this evening.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
adding the 6th stage into the blog posting soon
Igniter
· 11 months ago
the trick is how that collaboration happens - think that is the difficult part. there is no control of action in twitter - cant even control simple things like hash tags - the community takes things and makes things or it doesn't. this will not be something to apply to every organization - it's somewhat antithetical to the mindset and constructs of most organizations. much fun...
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
completely agree. You just cannot control it. The problem with this "mob" approach is that sexy ideas get snapped up. Issue is that most great ideas are not sexy
Igniter
· 11 months ago
default to public and 140 characters are key in all of this - that's the basis that makes it work. we're being very careful about tweaking to far or adding too much on top. so hard for people not to think of all kinds of great features that will just more likely get in the way. love that twitter is here to stay and all the feature ideas will come and go... will be so interesting to watch what takes hold and how usage changes how people interact and collaborate. if anyone thinks they've got it figured out - they're deluded. we're just at the beginning of what's gion on with this.
fun times... and thanks for this post - the convo - and using disqus to make it easy...
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
you do have astute observations! If you wanna chat, drop me an email at mingyeow@gmail.com? Share some upcoming MrTweet plans with ya
ajpape
· 11 months ago
Rohit - Nice simple model and it maps to my experience. I'd say I'm between 4 & 5, with my first bits of Stage 6.
6. Community "I have significant real world relationships (business or social) that grew out of my conversations on Twitter."
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
hey Pape, great point! I am pointing this to Rohit directly, to make sure he sees it. =)
Neil
· 11 months ago
Jeepers, I guess I'm at stage 4. I just don't really have that much to say, and I'm not "scouring the web" for useful info to share; I rarely come across any (I usually get it from twitter in the 1st place). The 1x1's are very cool, no doubt. But it's still early for me...
TGWShark
· 11 months ago
I'd say I'm primarily at 3, the dumping stage. I make it a point to tweet, and have occasional conversations, but don't thing I've made it all the way to 4 or 5 yet.
ProgGrrl
· 11 months ago
Hmm...while I definitely can see how these stages would work for a lot of bloggers/writers, this didn't happen for me. I was reading the twitter feed of several bloggers who were travelling to events (conventions/etc) and found the content very satisfying. I myself went to an event and decided to try twittering while there...that led pretty quickly to stages 4-5.
Macky Franklin
· 11 months ago
Wish I could say that I was a level 5, but I think I'm at 4 right now. Great post, makes me realize what I need to do! ps. I got a kick out of reading #1 because that exactly describes my girlfriend. She even said that it me WORD-FOR-WORD. Brilliant!
kikimiserychic
· 11 months ago
Sadly, I went through all the stages in about a week.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
haha, i guess there was no "childhood days" for you. =) Stage 1-3 was at least 4 months for me. :)
kikimiserychic
· 11 months ago
I'm now at the 6th stage where I twitter about drinking coffee. The 7th stage is where I drown in my own vapid narcissism.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
haha - this is the funniest comment i read so far in this entire blog. drowing in vapid narcissism. good luck!
lissalord
· 11 months ago
I am discovering that it is a great academic research tool by following folks involved in topics that our graduate students would benefit from. I'm getting wonderful results using RSS with search.twitter.com I can be as detailed as I want and then come up with headlines of interest to staff and students. I read the RSS by attaching the search onto my iGoogle page. I read Twitter on iGoogle as well. Fantastic!
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
Lisa - a quick qn: are you connecting to the folks behind the tweets? Do you think they would be interested in the work you and your students are doing?
brian
· 11 months ago
stage 3... i may be slow
albert
· 11 months ago
I am at stage four I use it but I dont know how effective I am
JB
· 11 months ago
Two Twitter personas: one at 4, one between 3 and 4.
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
Hmmm... what are the 2 personas about? 1 Personal , 1 Business?
seana mulcahy
· 11 months ago
thanks for posting. i think you are spot on. i'd like to scratch below the surface a bit if i may. i'm not only interested in what stage the person is in but why are you in that stage. i am in stage #4. i feel like i am hindered by technology a bit. while i certainly have all the latest and greatest, i haven't invested the time asking friends, colleagues, peers, pundits et al how they manage everything. what apps, services, etc. do you use to help you communicate better? in the publishing world i had a structure and deadlines and forced myself into it. there was no fluidity, nimbleness or freedom of speech for that matter (ooh did i say that out loud). microblogging is right for me but i need to customize myself operationally to be right for it. before i go i'm amazed how many people have top tweets and they fit into #3. cheers and thanks again seana mulcahy @brandtruth
Paulette Ensign
· 11 months ago
Stage 4, fast moving toward Stage 5. Thanks for identifying these stages so clearly and, in fact, realistically,
Matt Chatterley
· 11 months ago
Stage 5, personally - and that took about a week, but then I've been blogging for some time, and joined twitter because I knew several people who were already using it.
It tends to get used to publish links to content which we want to draw traffic to, but also for exchanging greetings, sending reminders, and so forth!
Cris*
· 11 months ago
stage 7 - addiction =D
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
have you tried our mrtweet profile yet? We will indicate if you are an addict! M
yesnocacel
· 11 months ago
This stage system is utter bullshit, because it forks at the latest on stage 3/4. Not everybody has "press releases", but many use it for conversing with a larger peer group. So why is stage 4 on top of stage 3? And why does stage 5 include 3 and 4, when 4 is progression of 3? Epic fail.
Samuel
· 11 months ago
Nice post. Thanks for sharing. I think I'm in stage 5...
MarshaHudnall
· 11 months ago
I've been on Twitter for a couple of months but only started really participating about a month ago. I think/hope I'm already at Stage 5. That's because there is SO much good stuff out there!
staceytm
· 11 months ago
I'm afraid that I am stuck at stage 2! I don't have a blog yet... which seems integral to moving to the next level. I realize the importance- I just can't convince myself what the direction would be. For now, I am trying to read a lot of other blogs and join in some conversations. As a public relations student, I am placing a priority on getting ahead of the curve.
MattW
· 11 months ago
6. GOTO 1
Pam Dodd
· 11 months ago
Got to 4 pretty quickly; I'm not a dumper. Now working on moving to 5. Thanks.
Jack P
· 11 months ago
I hears about twitter about a month ago and didn't really get it, but I signed up today! This is really interesting have already found and conversed the friend who told about twiiter. That conversation brought me to this site...So I'd like to think I'm at Level 4 but 5 is what I'm inerested in :)
autoscribe
· 11 months ago
I'm at Stage Zero, and plan to stay that way. What a silly bunch of narcissists with too much time on their hands. I can't believe I wasted some of mine reading this stuff. And I agree with the post about people who can't spell. (The possessive pronoun is spelled "its," not "it's.".
Elli Fordyce
· 11 months ago
I really relate to your article and have RT and sent it on to several other newbies. I've been there for about 5 weeks and it's recently started to give me substantial and startling results since I'm neither a marketer nor adept at social networking. I really agree with your final paragraph, "to try and find a better rhythm so that I am approaching what I would call a Level 5 stage of acceptance with Twitter, which is kind of where I am also, but don't spend the consistent time I would need to there, nor do I want to automate, to fully get to Stage 5. I'm @ellifordyce, btw.
Elli
Raul
· 11 months ago
I am not yet in stage 5 but I expedited stage 3 by watching some pro's use of Twitter and quickly "getting it"
David Kippen
· 11 months ago
I toggle between 4 and 5. It's not difficult to find useful things to say, but it's hard to find things that the majority of my tweeps will find useful.
InnerVitalityphilly
· 11 months ago
Thanks for this post. I have been wondering how to use twitter for my start up business. Now I have some ideas...
Thierry de Baillon
· 11 months ago
Great post ! LOL My stage ? Hmmmm.... What about following me to know by yourself ? Twitter is all about conversation, curiosity and serendipity.
Vivdora
· 11 months ago
Been on twitter two years and have made some friends, kept up to date with information and enjoyed myself , I'd say level 6
MikeDoyle
· 11 months ago
Stage 6, definitely. Promote my blogging, enter into 1x1 conversations with many of my followers, involved in very groovy collaborations with followers and even colleagues of followers, network, make friends, promote debates. Potentially founding a new blogging collective based on a collaboration that grew from using Twitter.
If there's a Stage 7 involving an IV or a 12-step program, I am SO there...
JetPlane
· 11 months ago
Very true the six stages: it took me a long time to go through 1-4 and now I know what's to come.
Kandi
· 11 months ago
I'm in between 5 and 6. I remember the denial part so well...
Erik
· 11 months ago
Good rundown but the graphic needs to be redone now that Stage 6 has been added. I was stuck at #1 for many months.
SharonALavy
· 11 months ago
I think I am at stage 4. Having fun.
vilkri
· 11 months ago
Somewhere between 5th and 6th stage. I have gotten some good info out of twitter and I have had followers tell me that they have gotten good info from my tweets, but all of these incidents amount to 5 at best so far. I guess it is a good start to firmly place myself in the 6th stage.
Ashley
· 11 months ago
Three. I don't quite understand it yet. But, I'll get there...kind of like facebook and myspace. It'll take a while.
Karen Shackles
· 11 months ago
I would add a category in between 2 and 3 "Ignorance" (or maybe "Inexperience" sounds nicer) - that point where you think Twitter is a great idea but you really think that it's only to message people you know and tell them what you're cooking for dinner.
TechyDad
· 11 months ago
Like many people, I started out at Stage 1. I thought Twitter was a stupid concept. Who would want to post inane details of their lives and read the inane details of other people's lives. (Such is the stereotype of Twitter conversations and I bought into it.)
When the jQuery team began Twittering, I entered Stage 2. I guess I'd better get an account. I'll just use it for listening to the jQuery team's updates.
I think I skipped Stage 3 (or had an extremely short Stage 3 stay) and moved gradually into Stage 4 and 5 (where I am now). I've found some interesting people to follow on Twitter.
Yes, some will post the occasional "inane daily detail" (as will I) and sometimes people will use Twitter to promote their latest blog post (again, as do I), but most of the tweets coming through aren't merely of the "I'm so hungover/hungry/tired" variety or of the "My new blog post" variety.
Now things have come 180 and, in a recent Slashdot story relating to Twitter, I found myself defending Twitter in the comments against people who assumed that everyone who twitters just posts inane details about their lives.
Kalyr
· 11 months ago
4 going on 5 - not going to replace my blog, but I'm no longer posting one-liners there, using it solely for longer pieces.
Mo Hax
· 11 months ago
There's the "C" buzzword again, BINGO!
Edwin
· 11 months ago
I'd like to think i'm at stage 5, but I think I'm more Stage 4
till
· 11 months ago
I'm hoping I'm stage 5. ;-)
Aaron Friedman
· 11 months ago
I'm in between stage 4 & 5... a few more weeks of tweets, and it's 5 all the way!
evrenk
· 11 months ago
I'm in stage 3 right now. I feel stuck because none of my real world friends is on twitter... and I still mainly follow A-listers - difficult to add value to conversations.
Calophi
· 11 months ago
I'd say I'm at 4. I'm boring and uninteresting and so I mostly dump, but I love going through tweets and conversing with people who actually make meaningful contributions to the community.
Philip
· 11 months ago
Somewhere between 2 and 3. Can perceive useful aspects of Twitter, e.g. news updates, networking... but not certain right now what I want to accomplish with it.
Derek Wardwell
· 11 months ago
Maybe 7 should be FULL OUT ADDICTION, followed by rehab at facebook.
Skyler
· 11 months ago
This is such commercially focused bullshit. Twitter can be more than this PR buzzword marketing crap.
Jason
· 11 months ago
I would say I am a number 4.
V2
· 11 months ago
0. Twitter is faggotry. And useless.
duckrider
· 11 months ago
I created an additional twitter account and use it to allow public collaboration on my web site. Because of Twitters open interface, I think twitter has many more stages of 5 & 6 and beyond. New tools and different ways to implement it are being created at incredibly fast pace.
kquilts
· 11 months ago
I'm at stage 4. I'm really doing this for fun. I'm not selling anything at this time.
QueerCincinnati
· 11 months ago
I think I'm at about stage 4. I feel like I'm hitting the point where I'm running into stage 5/6... It scares me to know how far I've moved up the latter.
rafbar
· 11 months ago
Stage 5 definetly, still working to get more followers to share knowledge.
rafbar
· 11 months ago
Stage 5 definetly, still working o it, use it to share knowledge and news.
Gabe O'Neill
· 11 months ago
Here is mine:
1) It is REALLY stupid. I really don't care what people had for lunch. 2) People I respect are using it for networking. Must forcefeed myself!! 3) Knew I would get nowhere if I dumped. 4) Trying to have conversations but it's harder when you have fewer followers. 5) Using it to publish my blog posts and starting up conversations. 6) Think I'm about to get there!!
I am somewhere between 4&6 right now - it has taken a few weeks to a month. But I am a BOG Twitter fan and hope I can get to the next level.
Check out @KidsAreHeroes
Tom Bonner
· 11 months ago
I'm definitely at number 6, but I went through all the stages you mentioned. Took about a year, from casual user to regularly interacting with friends I have never met in person.
Great insight into the evolution of a Twitter user! You should do a TwitPoll on this!
Tom @wolf10
Anitaa
· 11 months ago
I think the 'conversations' that you have on twitter is perhaps the most important part. I enjoy reading other peoples tweets and looking at what they are currently reading. I re tweet quite a lot as I feel that many comments need as much coverage as possible. As well as the obvious promotion aspects of twitter, giving a helping hand by re tweeting peoples businesses, needs are important to me. You never know who may need that information that I have 'passed on'. I think i am at stage 4 and feel I got there quite quickly. I could see how useful it would be as soon as I learnt about it. I enjoy using twitter, networking and getting to know people better. You can learn a lot by someone's tweets - what's important to them, their business and how they are. I feel it brings a personal touch that you often don't get else where. I have certainly learned a great deal especially as I work from home, it opens many new doors to possibilities.
Dallas Corporate SEO
· 11 months ago
Great article! Thanks for posting it on Twitter so I could read it.
Roman
· 11 months ago
Twitter is great :))))) Microblogging isn't status updates, it's much more. It's chatting with the whole world :))))
@ajag
· 11 months ago
This is spot on. I consider myself a 5 aiming for 6.
Hi, Rohit. This is an ironically-timed summary b/c I begrudgingly created my Twitter account last year and barely logged in. My employer - a really cutting-edge tech PR firm out of SF - encouraged Tweeting but I just avoided logging in for as long as possible. Then last week I decided: I'm going to make a work-only Twitter account. Because, really, my personal life isn't necessarily Tweet-worthy...plus it's not like I'm going to start Tweeting on a Sunday afternoon watching the Steelers-Ravens game. But in my job -- which is saturated with an A.D.D.-level of social media and news activity for 9 hours straight -- Twitter seemed perfect. So, I embraced it and here I am! Completely obsessed with the potential of making relevant 1-on-1 connections with the vast Twittersphere, especially in relation to my clients who are true innovators and are never short of exciting news.
Lisa Mighton
· 11 months ago
I don't know if it's just me, but I think there's definitely a Twitter state of addiction (Twittiction, I call it) - of being so overwhelmed (and interested) in the amount of information, and the links in the Tweets, it can take up way too many hours in your day (or night!). I'm not sure what this would be called. Or where it would go. After 'dumping'? After 'conversing'? Or maybe, it can overlap or continue through stages 3, 4, and 5.
Donna Cook
· 11 months ago
I believe I am a 6. Connected with new people, collaborate promoting each other's interests and trying to make the world a better place, and have a few laughs in the meantime. people can live without my tweets I'm sure, but I miss everyone of the folks I follow when they are away.....sigh....
Nile Flores
· 11 months ago
5. I am able to share useful things I know that others may understand better whether for business or for family life. I have noticed the difference in my visitor amount to my personal website and my business website since I got serious in using Twitter. I have already met some great people on some 1x1 conversations too! :)
Mike Spratt
· 11 months ago
Nice summary!
It is only when one truly understand a subject one can explain it in such a succinct way.
Keep it up!
A Level 3er
jimmckeeth
· 11 months ago
I am definitely at Collaboration. I think those are pretty good stages. I tend to unfriend anyone who is Dumping.
I think there is another stage though, for the celebrities. The dump a lot to a lot of people. To most people they are only dumping. But then the collaborate with a few others.
IA_CosmoGirl
· 11 months ago
three and climbing quickly
Donna Cicotte
· 11 months ago
Past 2, skipping 3, working on 4
laurence
· 11 months ago
Its so true, the only variant i'd add is that you dont go thru the steps sequentially. i went 1, 2, 3,5, 4, 3, now back at 4/5.
rgds
laurence
Luke
· 11 months ago
About to have coffee tomorrow morning about a new business venture with someone I reconnected with via Twitter...so 4, pushing 5/6?
messagemasseuse
· 11 months ago
Glad you added a 6th. I'm there and finding it amazing. Interesting how we all go through the same process. A caveat: I did turn it off today along with email so I could write a marketing plan and not be distracted. The downside of Twitter.
WilmaWoodson
· 11 months ago
I started with #2 - Not quite get what Twitter was all about. Checked it out. Followed quietly for about 7 days.
I wasn't with #3 for but a few days - Quit pointed to my business site. Didn't feel right.
I was with #4 for a longer period. Commented and Re Tweeted, but didn't add that much value. Probably about 2 weeks.
I am currently with #5. I've clarified my brand and what added value I bring. I'm enjoying commenting on other's websites (blogs), re Tweeting, and recommending other Tweebles. #5 feels great and I'm looking forward to continuing #5 and adding #6.
I except #6 to co-exist with #5. I'm beginning to build a few meaningful relationships. #6 also feels great.
borghrose
· 11 months ago
Great. Here is so crowded. I saw MrTweet in twitter, and I like the background very much. Thanks for your great reports and rank. I like mrtweet and socialtoo.
Marc
· 11 months ago
ROFL... too funny. I literally JUST blogged about being luke-warm on the whole Twitter thing, and gave myself a "level 3" obsession rating on some imaginary scale of obsession... then seconds later JKern_MOD tweets about this very blog entry, and I find out I'm a level 3 on a not-so-imaginary scale after all.
Thank you for clarifying ;)
rula_m
· 11 months ago
I'm totally on stage 2 Presence....still finding out how to use it! How do you create blogs on it?
Mary
· 11 months ago
I am a beginner Twitterer, and feel that I haven't much to contribute. But I have picked up some very good info pertaining to the arts and how to market your art, etc. Everyone I have been following is so interesting and creative - I get inspired, I feel happy and encouraged just by tapping into others' thoughts. I know I am not using Twitter like an expert (yet), but I will - soon!
Jeffrey
· 11 months ago
I'm quite impressed with the whole idea of Twitter then totally fascinated with the speed with which associates have increased. It's surely a little mind-boggling and an aborted doing more of it. This is cool
Rodney_Rumford
· 11 months ago
I am on stage 7 ;-) I have been on Twitter since the early beta days; just over 2 years. It has taken an investment of time and effort to build a strong influence network on Twitter. But it is well worth the effort. I have shared the best practices & knowledge in my upcoming book at http://www.twitterbusinessbook.com
Cheers!
alexut
· 11 months ago
stage 1 and very proud of it.
Denise Zdunczyk
· 11 months ago
Thanks for this post, Rohit. It encouraged me to think of how I would classify Twitter.
Denise's stages of Twitter acceptance:
Not Knowing - What is Twitter. Sounds like something for baby birds
Baby Steps - Ok, Twitter is popular, I'll create an account
Walking - I use Twitter to post blog feeds and things I find interesting
Running - I re-tweet, post things others have written about, use third-party apps to sort my tweets, and am developing a following
Flying - In addition to the "Running" steps, I post my own thoughts on other people's content, encourage deeper thinking, and look for new ways to utilize all kinds of social media.
I'm trying to "speed walk", but am probably officially still in the walking phase(@DeniseTwin)
Glen
· 11 months ago
Sound like there is potential to wake up a sleeping giant. Good post!
Tony Lael
· 11 months ago
7: Service & Support "Actual, meaningful relationships and collaborations surrounding support of a specific tool or software product"
BTW - I'm on stage 3 right now -- would like to get to stage 7
rose
· 11 months ago
I chuckle as I read through the stage. I started with Presence and moved into Denial ... then through myself into Dumping ... and now strive for a meaningful exchange on occasion ... yet I find THAT to be the biggest challenge yet ... so Dumping is still prevalent!
Thanks for all you do!
rose
· 11 months ago
... I should probably proof read before posting, eh?
andrezero
· 11 months ago
Oh yes, I can see that time-line happening, still I find that road a bit too narrow.
yes 1 was my first reaction but only for a couple of hours. moving to 2 right away, I actually found it intriguing but did not register for months stage 3 took me a few months of low and infrequent activity, and I believe I didn't dump too much trash..
nowadays I read a lot, really... I follow links, explore, find stuff... it kind of boosts the value of my INput... but I don't actually do a lot of OUTput.
note: don't use it mobile
bz
· 11 months ago
Probably at Stage #3. Still trying to figure things out. Wanting to know how to direct more people to follow me. I'm adding new people to follow.
Bob Donohue
· 11 months ago
Great insight, thanks. I've gone through the whole list one by one. I'd say I'm transitioning from a 4 to a 5. Looking forward to reaching 6. Will RT, thanks!
Sarah (RealLife)
· 11 months ago
I'm at #6! I participated in starting a new website as a result of colleagues I met on Twitter
Michelle Rafter
· 11 months ago
Gee, the whole five stages thing is eerily close to the five stages of accepting serious illness or death.
On the other hand, it does break down the Twitter acceptance experience pretty handily.
For me, it took less than a month to go from not wanting to use it to having it become part of my work day. As a reporter, I'm primarily using it to find sources but also to network with colleagues. In the past week I've live tweeted an event and pitched a story based on Twitter buzz. Have I gotten assignments because of somebody I met on Twitter? No, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened.
TheInflammables
· 11 months ago
This was very helpful and interesting thank you.
Matt Mags
· 11 months ago
finding more value out of status updates with FB right now... the differentiator seems to be who is in your "buddy list"
@mikeus
· 11 months ago
I'm definitely at Stage 5.
Christina (catttaylor)
· 11 months ago
My co-followers and I love Twitter. We have such great convos and I have found so many interesting, smart, dynamic people who tweet. I do a lot of RTing of others info and requests - and get RTed a fair amount. I am getting asked for advice on how to use Twitter. I find that very interesting, because I'm no expert, but I share what I can. Does that make me a 6 without a business?
Mark Brown
· 11 months ago
Well twitter is the best no doubt #1 promoting tool.
Karl Craig-West
· 11 months ago
Terrific blogpost. I've just recently started using Twitter and have it fed through to my website. It's a superb way of just keeping my contacts informed and also gets me noticed when I'm working on something that my clients might be interested in.
I'm now recommending Twitter to many of my colleagues in the small business world.
Swati Dwivedi
· 11 months ago
Really nice...I am even happier to know that I am already Microblogging!!
Moi
· 11 months ago
Who cares????
mwill
· 11 months ago
I would suppose I am between 4 and 5. Mostly asking questions and, now and then, posting links to content that seems useful to me. However, I seem to not have found the right followers yet, so it's pretty one-way.
To my mind, it's a real drawback that it's hard to find the right persons to follow.
Great read, thats funny about the progression of how you end up twittering! Most peoples first couple tweets are "Don't know what twitter is but I signed up." Then it turns into a real connection to people you might otherwise never converse with. Happy I jumped on before the bandwagon gets full! http://twitter.com/integralapparel
Vicki
· 11 months ago
was just introduced to mrtweet today.. very cool service.. thanks!
mingyeow
· 11 months ago
thanks! we are so glad that we were able to help. =)
vickizerbee
· 11 months ago
p.s. #6 .. meeting people from all over the world that most probably never would have.. and really enjoying the communication..
pm
· 11 months ago
What about brazen, sarcastic humor? Y'know, the kind of comment that you need a :) to redeem?
I don't guess that even gets you past #3 on the list. Or it's off the list completely. So counterproductive!
Here's hoping the humor has been clever and engaging. (The followers do seem to be increasing, FWIW.)
Matthew Lesh
· 11 months ago
Personally i'm kinda not really any of these nor did i really follow this order of events.
I never really had a stage of not using it [Once i found out about it properly i signed up pretty quickly] (1) i started using it straight away [I did take a break at one stage then got back to it.]. (2) I don't really have a blog/press stuff so i never really went to that stage. (3) I don't talk to a lot of people so i'm not quite at that stage. (4) I wouldn't really say i talk to people though i do post stuff. (5) Though i have met some people though twitter i wouldn't really call anything to meaningful. (6)
So as you can see i don't quite fit in here anywhere just inbetween a few depending on how you look at it.
I've been using twitter for 6 months.
Sally Falkow
· 11 months ago
Excellent post Rohit. I am in stage 5.
anne
· 11 months ago
Thx for this. I would say I am in stage 4 -- but got there by a different route that you've laid out. I was intrigued by Michelle Slatella's piece in NYT about twitter and started an account for just my family to help keep spouse and 3 teens more or less organized. It was very helpful for that but when folks started to ask to follow me, I created a second account for my professional life. As a multi-tasking mother, small business owner with and involved community member (education and performing arts issues), I find twitter's interface challenging -- wish there were better ways to segment my tweets and my followers -- other than separate accounts. For instance, my non-profit side probably doesn't want to hear me dribble about my professional side and vice versa.
jube
· 11 months ago
somewhere between 4 and 5. Finally set up a second account for my other self, since I'm in several worlds that are worlds apart. So now I'm free to be myself in both worlds.
gioperation
· 11 months ago
I would say that I am somewhere between 3 and 5!!!
George Hall
· 11 months ago
Is there a stage 7 called Addiction...?
DjDATZ
· 11 months ago
Collaboration for me. lol...been there for a long time. Even went to a tweetup here in Toronto, and had a blast! I'm pretty sure step 7 would be addiction...lol
Phette
· 11 months ago
Hi,
My name is Phette, @phephi on twitter. And I have to say that I am at Stage 2, Presence. However, I am making a conscience effort to learn more about Twitter to better benefit from it.
philip
· 11 months ago
I'm at No. 1 and 2 simultaneously. Frankly, I don't get it and I think it sounds stupid. But I have an account and use it to post obvious answers to the question, what are you doing right now? So my posts are absurd, like, "I'm clicking my mouse."
Haiyan Magill
· 11 months ago
I just opened my account today, and haven't got really into it. But I think I will be stage 5 somehow. Because I had been brain washed about "twitter"'s power. See how I can get on with it.
Joi
· 11 months ago
I'm definitely on stage 6. Some of my best friends from around the world use Twitter as a primary form of communication, and we've used Twitter to organize meetups. In fact, on Wednesday, I'm going to a Tweetup at Jet Propulsion Labs, to meet some of the NASA Tweeters.
Who would have thought 140 characters could say so much?
Andrea
· 11 months ago
I think I'm at stage 3. I just joined a week or two ago and am still unsure how the whole thing works.
Catherine Mitchell
· 11 months ago
stage 5 in about a week. Amazing how I could relate to your article. Thanks. And I resisted for about 6 months.
sooboo
· 11 months ago
I'm in stage 3! Gosh..that's weird you know these things!
BloggerSavvy
· 11 months ago
Personally I find that I'm not at any specific "stage" , rather the activities encompass dumping, conversing and microblogging. I wonder how many others find their activities are not exclusively in one stage?
This is a great post, glad you wrote it as it provide a moment to consider how I can better use twitter. - Thanks!
Chuck Gallagher
· 11 months ago
Hum...well I am #3 and still not sure how to make this work. Sure would like to talk with someone via (the old fashioned) phone to figure the angle that makes this valuable.
meg
· 11 months ago
i am at stage 3.5. i dump things in tweets that i want to remember; i prefer to call it logging, but dumping works too. i also talk to people i know in real life 1x1 and new friends i randomly make. either way, i've never hated twitter and i'm happy i have it. i really like this article, too. <3 thanks for sharing
Ally
· 11 months ago
I have just passed 1, 2, 3. And am skipping 4, heading straight to 5
feisty09
· 11 months ago
I really enjoyed this article, except for the possessive apostrophes in its. However, I'm a pedantic, semantic, fanatic, so you may safely disregard this nit pick. The content was great! Best regards, P. :)
Suzanne
· 11 months ago
I'm a 3 1/2! I'm looking for more conversations but I feel I have to wade through tens of unimportant (to me) postings to get to something interesting every time I check Twitter. I haven't yet learned how to filter who I follow!
Kimberly
· 11 months ago
I am MOST DEFINITELY at stage 2!
chiisana
· 11 months ago
Is there a stage 7 exclusively for those that proposed and got married on twitter like @grobertson and @film_girl?
JDStone
· 11 months ago
1x1 conversations? Really? Why not then just use email or IM?
Seems to me the unique power of Twitter is to have 1xN and NxN conversations, not just 1x1 right?
David Leonhardt
· 11 months ago
Well, I'm obviously all mixed up. I started at stage #2, went to "Wow is this ever a great RSS on steroids", slipped into 3 and 4 pretty much about the same time, and I think I am building on #6 (sort of skipping over #5, I think)
baltimoregal
· 11 months ago
Stage 7 is definitely addiction, aka "can't live without", aka "I could be twittering right now".
Deborah
· 11 months ago
Stage 5 approaching stage 6. I'm addicted! I'll admit it! Are there t-shirts for this?
I am still finding my way through Twitter's grand purpose in my daily dialog. However, the intrigue is certainly on the level with my original fascination with Myspace. the immediate intimacy of interesting information is quite cool. and potentially highly distracting as the tangents are really electric at this point.
Rj
· 11 months ago
I believe I'm at stage 3.5
Nichole
· 11 months ago
You need an editor, dear. Mispunctuation and unnecessary words are not the mark of an award-winning writer. But this post was at least fairly entertaining.
Christopher S. Rollyson
· 11 months ago
I love the idea, but I think it would be interesting to abstract away from it.. this is PR-focused so wouldn't apply to a lot of people, even though the implied process would. Cheers
Some can say a telephone is a useless tool too if you are only having conversations with TWITS who blather about nothing but themselves and what they are doing at that moment. If you use a phone to have meaningful conversations and exchange knowledge, the phone is a great tool to bring people together. Twitter is the same. If you find it useless-you're following the wrong TWITS!
Chellie
· 11 months ago
I am at stage two..just dipping my big toe in.
Julie Sturgeon
· 11 months ago
Put me down for #2, and trying to motivate myself to #3
kfialkowski
· 11 months ago
Okay, this was my first post and did it wrong. I righted it.... find my post above. I had a reaction to believing twitter was better than a party!
Kulamafi
· 11 months ago
I feel it.. somewhere in between 3 and 5 now, but have had some very cool unexpected conversations along the way to be sure. Great post.
I put myself at stage 5. My intention this year is to be more personally engaged in the conversations.
Alan Lutz
· 11 months ago
How about, "I post to Twitter but I don't feel like anyone is reading or cares. I don't have a very big audience yet to make it worthwhile"
jrstahl
· 11 months ago
You feel my pain completely! I've been on for a few weeks now and have just found it nearly impossible to break into what is, despite superficial appearances, quite self-contained to a group of "twitterati"
It seems that the barriers to entry here are quite high, requiring a significant investment of time and effort to get involved. In addition, the breadth of conversation seems quite small with the majority revolving around social media/technology, indicating that this is still a community of early adopters.
Russ
· 11 months ago
Hi A very intersting article. I think I'm excited at the sheer volume and speed at which people arecibnecting with me. But I have little idea why or what is attracting them. I am wondering how I can connect with people in a relational and business sense. It's kinda overwhelming at the mo. I believe as the mist clears clrity will emerge. Quite when that clear vision will emerge I'm not sure.
IMTrailblazer
· 11 months ago
Great Article and truly relevant. When I first started reading my first reaction was to think, "Well, I'm a pretty new user, so I can't be all that far along the line of progression."
Guess I was wrong. lol Almost instinctively I have actually gone all the way up to #6 with at least a few of my new friends.
These are people I had never met before, and actually ONLY met them because I was on twitter.
I can think of at least three people after just over one month's use of twitter that are now currently interacting with me in my trainings or in my business.
Thanks for the article,
Randy Enman
Sarah
· 11 months ago
I read this blog entry because I saw it in a recent tweet of a new follower. & I appreciate what I've read here. I believe I'm at stage 5. The challenge for me is acquiring more followers in my or interested in my niche. I tweet about relationship self-help info because that's my business and my passion. Most of the tweets I'm reading are about internet business growth products and politics.
So, I'm operating at stage 5; but this stage and moving to stage 6 will become more satisfying when I find "my people" in the twitter universe!
John LeMasney
· 11 months ago
I would say that #6 is happening through Friendfeed, and I'm at about #5 through Twitter.
jeanneendo
· 11 months ago
Wow. I'm further along the acceptance scale than I thought! :)
Bali Accommodation
· 11 months ago
I already using this twitter since 2 month ago. And guest what, this tools is very cool. Even i can post my status via mobile phone.
JDenniston
· 11 months ago
I'm probably in stage 3 and learning to move up to stage 5. Still trying to figure this out and use Twitter to tweet my business, network online and share information. For example, one thing we do is help businesses find cost-savings by empowering staff to eliminate unnecessary tasks, suggest lower cost alternatives and identify creative actions to accomplish goals without cutting jobs or investing in new tools and technology. Would love to get feedback on this concept from anyone. Is it useful to your business?
nameless
· 10 months ago
i'm below 1 since i have no idea what twit is.
nameless
· 10 months ago
ok now i'm at 2 since i know what it is and have created an account
nameless
· 10 months ago
hmm not a single contact of mine is on twitter. think i'm back to 1.
larrylanier
· 10 months ago
I'm at Stage 4 - need assistance to reach stage 6. Love the process of allowing twitter to grow on me.
Janne
· 10 months ago
I think I'm a 4.. For me and others I know it's a little different since we don't use Twitter to benefit/promote things like personal blogs, websites or shops. It's purely for fun and I LOVE IT!
One of my friends that I am trying to convince into #2 is currently in denial, #1.
Jason Yun
· 10 months ago
That was great. When I opened my twitter account I didn't see the point and didn't do anything with it for 2-3 months. Now I love it, and its actually gotten me a couple new bootcampers and a bunch more newsletter signups.
David Alexander
· 10 months ago
I'm at 2a. I made an account, today found I have 2 accounts. Tried to send messages to my phone, got my number in there and was told to send a code to a number but can't find a way to do that. It wants a + sign in front of the number but my phone only accepts numbers. So I'll set it aside until some other time.
Sarunas
· 10 months ago
Rohit, excellent post and good simple way to describe one's twitter adoption progress. What is funny, that undeniable everyone's Stage 1 response is always the same :) I think I'm stage 5, can't figure the way into stage 6. Cheers, @sarunasr
Tanglust
· 10 months ago
I am at stage 4, I am not on Twitter for business but like right now, I just put out a call for help with a 6th grade mathematics problem. I love Twitter, and when I have to go out for the day to the dr's I acutally miss my Twitter people
benmarvin
· 10 months ago
I have surpassed all these stages of Twitter to the point where my life revolves around Twitter.
UltimateWines
· 10 months ago
Hmmm? Well, I definitely was at stage 1 not too long ago and then in November 2008 hit stage 2. Don't think I ever did stage 3, except maybe before I had a Twitter account when I thought it sounded so ... odd. I've definitely done some stage 4 and enjoy the 1 x 1 conversations. Since I've got an amazing number of followers (at least to me), maybe I've done a bit of stage 5 (someone must like what I say - occasionally). Have I managed stage 6 yet? Not sure. But I did have a collaboration with one tweeter whose wines I sampled and reviewed - but must tweet - so maybe I'm getting there.
In summary, I think I'm starting to "get it". Somewhere in my deep subconscious I know that Twitter can be really useful to my business (and quite fun, too) but I'm not sure that I know the best ways to use it. I've found a number of marketing tweeps who are sharing some helpful hints (thanks to Rod Sloane and John Jantsch/Duct Tape Marketing!). I'm going to try to make 2009 the year when I really get working on Twitter.
Alison Ilg
· 10 months ago
Good descriptions. Nice article.
I am at stage 6 and amazed that I run into people at PR and other networking meeting in person that I Tweet with.
Also, I've taken to a lot of people who got stuck in stage 1 and gotten them to move on.
ValerieC
· 10 months ago
Love the 5 -- now 6 -- stages! Great job.
As of today, after a week or so of mucking around, I'm somewhere past Stage 3. I'm still a noob, getting my right and left brain evenly twitterized. It would be fabulous to see a real Stage 6 collaborative effort emerge one day. Right now the main issue is time management and the seemingly requisite developing of a blog and website.
What I find most remarkable is the sense of 1-1 intimacy looped around the increasingly vast twitterverse.
Laura
· 10 months ago
I am a stage 4 but hoping to be a stage 5 :-) soon
Richard Krasney
· 10 months ago
Great article! I have 4000 connections on Linkedin but just started Twittering two days ago after people kept asking me if I was using it. I'm getting that this has huge potential, seeing this as a hybrid between LinkedIn (for making professional contacts), Facebook (for making friends and updating people), and instant chat. The combination of these things makes the speed of connecting with friends and colleagues simply incredible. I'm still trying to learn the rules of the road but like what I see so far. Still trying to see the big picture and balance how much time I should spend here versus other activities.
I've just created an account (stage 2)but I feel really anxious about posting and having people read what i've posted without me being able see or hear them. I'm anxious but excited!
mrgroonk
· 10 months ago
hit level 6 many moons ago and am happy there.
Gautam Jain
· 10 months ago
There should be one more stage:
"Twitter is good. But I don't wish to create an account for 'x' reason"
tom
· 10 months ago
great post, i would say i am between 3 and 4.
Twitter is great actually i just haven't put more time into it.
vintageozarks
· 10 months ago
It took nearly a year to get through Stage One: Twitter is for kids, I thought and never paid attention to it. Then I joined out of curiosity thinking I'd probably opt out within a few days. Now I am a TwitterAddict and have found wonderful uses for it on my blogs and sites.
Overall those stages (if you substract Stage One) took about 3 weeks. At first I didn't realize Twitter's power and simply said a few words and included a link to one of my blogs. But that didn't satisfy for long -- I wanted the experience to be meaningful as well. That's when I sat and watched Twitter World scroll by and realized I wanted to respond to some of those twitterments going by.
Now I am convinced that at this time Twitter members who pay close attention to other TwitterMems have their finger on the pulse of the internet. I've only been at it weeks and sit here wondering what I will use Twitter for in another month or two. It is mindboggling to contemplate and I mean that in a very good way.
Pranay Manocha
· 10 months ago
I think I skipped stages 1,3 and 4. Straight on to 5 from 2.
Ed Hart
· 10 months ago
As with all development processes, there is the risk of wondering why you got involved. So a missing stage could be the "falling out of love, but not wanting to let go".
kathrynjohnston
· 10 months ago
I'm at No 5. Got here with the help, warmth and friendship shown on Twitter, I think. No 1 last November, accelerated from 2 through 5 over the last couple of days. I love this post.
Soccerama
· 10 months ago
I just made it to 6.
If you are interested in soccer.
@soccerama
Aussiejoy
· 10 months ago
I am tackling stage 4, 5 and 6 but trying to work out how to be more effective... I feel like I've dabble in all. Me my mate @aussiejoy
pjdiva
· 10 months ago
Just joined and really not going yet, Would like to promote new bus.
Cecil Whorton
· 10 months ago
My experience has taught me that it is not just about me. It about about others and Love, Hope, and Charity. The greatest of these is Charity.
With Twitter and the 150 plus tools along with blog sites We have so much opportunity to learn and share. We can either LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. If I have but one choice, I know not what others may think give a #5. Please follow me on Twitter @tireponyman
GossipSecretaries
· 10 months ago
Got past 1 and 2 pretty quickly after I figured out how to use Twitter. I am now between 3 and 4. Great post by the way.
Luann Udell
· 9 months ago
I think Twitter is cute, and I love their bird logo. What stage is that?
guruvan
· 9 months ago
hmm... interesting way of looking at it...I reached stage 1 listening to John Stewart make fun of twitter. But he gave it SO much air time, especially for the Congresspeople twittering during Obama's 2/24 speech.....and making fun of tweets about your dinner. LOL. So I signed in (yep that was my first post...freudian slip maybe!) After the first meaningful attempts at tweets, I see that I have quickly arrived at Stage 5. I skipped over stage 3, because, well...I don't blog, and have nothing to really plug. (but I do plug my fave new toys...like fring (@fring) Hopefully in a meaningful way! I've never been a blogger, but with a tool like twitter, I have much more meaningful stuff to say and the means to do it.
the first couple of random followers freaked me out, but after a couple days of seeing how people use it, I can't live without it. Way too fun. Read your article on @KrisColvin - one of those habits, about the jumping right into conversations, struck home. I'm like that in the physical world, and doing that on many different media on the net is too difficult. Twitter makes it so easy!
Been there less than a week btw, and probably expect that I will hit stage 6 very soon. That's exactly what tools like this are for.
Vanessa
· 9 months ago
Hmm- don't really fit in between 3 and 4. I don't have a blog, so no dumping and don't have enough followers yet so no 1x1. However, I feel like I jumped on a treadmill going 8 mph and I'm sprinting to keep up! There is so much to sift through and register. So I would say I'm in a learning phase for sure.
Jeanette Sharp
· 9 months ago
I'm so excited about Twitter I just have to figure out how best to take advantage of the many ways to use it! I'm at stage 5 and just began using it < than two weeks ago.
Mahara Tucker
· 9 months ago
Wow! I think I have zoomed through the stages pretty quickly, as in one tweek, um week.
Laurence Flynn
· 9 months ago
I'm at stage 6: Realised that Twitter is worthless:
We started using Twitter specifically for MicroBlogging direct to our website. SO seems like we jumped right to STAGE 5 !! We are delivering Daily Positive Intentions based on the Law of Attraction and Twitter is perfect for our message. Our followers tweet us back and let us know we make a difference in their thinking and transitioning them into a poitive mood. Its amazing that I can post to thousands of followers AND post to our website simply texting from our mobile phones. Amazing !!
RKW
· 8 months ago
I think I've made it to stage four ;)
Pam Beers
· 8 months ago
I have found Twitter to be fun, social, informative, and inspiring.
Tanya
· 8 months ago
Stage 2.5
auto repair manual
· 7 months ago
I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
junne
· 4 months ago
thanks!Several of the people I follow have great stuff to share so I try to model their behaviour - they are definitely microblogging.
leather sofas
· 4 weeks ago
I agree and enjoyed reading, I will make sure and bookmark this page and be back to follow you more.
All Comments
"Microblogging" is a really inadequate label for what's going on inside Twitter. It's really a 24-7 always-on-always-open meeting room where people can learn from each other in real-time. Such an exciting new way to be together both live and online!
If you agree, please follow me @MeriWalker. If you disagree, please also follow me @MeriWalker and tell me how you disagree This is a conversation I'm really passionate about!
@murdamw
important leap when you move from "expecting people to read my stuff"
M
(Life without Twitter? No thank you!)
me ONLY after i start paying attention to them.
so that might be a hint on how to grow your base. =)
I would hope that, on the scale of Twitter acceptance, I'm between a 4 and a 5. (It's taken me more than a year to get there, and Stage 1 is the one that took the longest time to get over.) Personally, I enjoy following people who actually converse at least a little in their tweets more than I enjoy following people who only send out one-way communications that are links to their latest blog posts.
- Jennifer Peebles
http://www.texaswatchdog.org
(we're texaswatchdog on Twitter, so follow us!)
Just remember to respond and listen to others as well, very important too in
building real relationships
M
JP
http://www.jaypiddy.com
wrote?
much information as possible in as little noise as possible
2) As a news source, dun you feel that there is too much noise in twitter
today?
mind elaborating a little?
"twitter experts"
do we give the impression that we think we are?
really bring you any business to your ebay listings?
and i totally agree - just start conversing a little, loosen it up, and
maintain a (nice) personality
am new to Twitter. Using it, though, so that makes me pass Stage 1. But this concept. Better than a party? That I do not get. Does it mean I am destined to stay at this low stage? I mean, party, c'mon. There are live people really laffing out loud. Doesnt anyone miss the real sound of laughter that can't be replaced with an LOL?"
I'd like to think that I post useful information, but the truth is %90 of the time, it's not. I try to compensate for that by making my tweets interesting, or clever. Just so's that they have some sort of value. I link to my blog posts sometimes, but not always. Only if it's a post that I particularly like.
I got to this stage within two weeks or so, of actively using twitter. My account was sitting dormant for almost a month when I decided to give it another go. Glad I did. :D
I know far too many people at step one, though. :(
M
concrete source of information? Hmmm...
http://lifehacker.com/5052851/information-overl...
I think too many people on twitter chase popularity or follow back out of politeness and that will weaken your filter. I know Jeremiah Owyang complains of twitter info overload, but he follows everyone back. Don't do it!
http://twitter.com/karllong
Guy Kawasaki follows everyone back, but i bet my bottom line he listens to
no one
M
true collaboration happen!
part. there is no control of action in twitter - cant even control simple
things like hash tags - the community takes things and makes things or it
doesn't. this will not be something to apply to every organization - it's
somewhat antithetical to the mindset and constructs of most organizations.
much fun...
approach is that sexy ideas get snapped up. Issue is that most great ideas
are not sexy
basis that makes it work. we're being very careful about tweaking to far or
adding too much on top. so hard for people not to think of all kinds of
great features that will just more likely get in the way. love that twitter
is here to stay and all the feature ideas will come and go... will be so
interesting to watch what takes hold and how usage changes how people
interact and collaborate. if anyone thinks they've got it figured out -
they're deluded. we're just at the beginning of what's gion on with this.
fun times... and thanks for this post - the convo - and using disqus to make
it easy...
mingyeow@gmail.com? Share some upcoming MrTweet plans with ya
6. Community
"I have significant real world relationships (business or social) that grew out of my conversations on Twitter."
sees it. =)
ps. I got a kick out of reading #1 because that exactly describes my girlfriend. She even said that it me WORD-FOR-WORD. Brilliant!
Stage 1-3 was at least 4 months for me. :)
drowing in vapid narcissism. good luck!
think they would be interested in the work you and your students are doing?
I use it but I dont know how effective I am
before i go i'm amazed how many people have top tweets and they fit into #3.
cheers and thanks again
seana mulcahy
@brandtruth
It tends to get used to publish links to content which we want to draw traffic to, but also for exchanging greetings, sending reminders, and so forth!
addict!
M
Elli
My stage ? Hmmmm.... What about following me to know by yourself ? Twitter is all about conversation, curiosity and serendipity.
If there's a Stage 7 involving an IV or a 12-step program, I am SO there...
When the jQuery team began Twittering, I entered Stage 2. I guess I'd better get an account. I'll just use it for listening to the jQuery team's updates.
I think I skipped Stage 3 (or had an extremely short Stage 3 stay) and moved gradually into Stage 4 and 5 (where I am now). I've found some interesting people to follow on Twitter.
Yes, some will post the occasional "inane daily detail" (as will I) and sometimes people will use Twitter to promote their latest blog post (again, as do I), but most of the tweets coming through aren't merely of the "I'm so hungover/hungry/tired" variety or of the "My new blog post" variety.
Now things have come 180 and, in a recent Slashdot story relating to Twitter, I found myself defending Twitter in the comments against people who assumed that everyone who twitters just posts inane details about their lives.
1) It is REALLY stupid. I really don't care what people had for lunch.
2) People I respect are using it for networking. Must forcefeed myself!!
3) Knew I would get nowhere if I dumped.
4) Trying to have conversations but it's harder when you have fewer followers.
5) Using it to publish my blog posts and starting up conversations.
6) Think I'm about to get there!!
I am somewhere between 4&6 right now - it has taken a few weeks to a month. But I am a BOG Twitter fan and hope I can get to the next level.
Check out @KidsAreHeroes
Great insight into the evolution of a Twitter user! You should do a TwitPoll on this!
Tom
@wolf10
http://www.willatworklearning.com/2009/01/stage....
It is only when one truly understand a subject one can explain it in such a succinct way.
Keep it up!
A Level 3er
I think there is another stage though, for the celebrities. The dump a lot to a lot of people. To most people they are only dumping. But then the collaborate with a few others.
rgds
laurence
I wasn't with #3 for but a few days - Quit pointed to my business site. Didn't feel right.
I was with #4 for a longer period. Commented and Re Tweeted, but didn't add that much value. Probably about 2 weeks.
I am currently with #5. I've clarified my brand and what added value I bring. I'm enjoying commenting on other's websites (blogs), re Tweeting, and recommending other Tweebles. #5 feels great and I'm looking forward to continuing #5 and adding #6.
I except #6 to co-exist with #5. I'm beginning to build a few meaningful relationships. #6 also feels great.
Thank you for clarifying ;)
Cheers!
Denise's stages of Twitter acceptance:
Not Knowing - What is Twitter. Sounds like something for baby birds
Baby Steps - Ok, Twitter is popular, I'll create an account
Walking - I use Twitter to post blog feeds and things I find interesting
Running - I re-tweet, post things others have written about, use third-party apps to sort my tweets, and am developing a following
Flying - In addition to the "Running" steps, I post my own thoughts on other people's content, encourage deeper thinking, and look for new ways to utilize all kinds of social media.
I'm trying to "speed walk", but am probably officially still in the walking phase(@DeniseTwin)
Good post!
"Actual, meaningful relationships and collaborations surrounding support of a specific tool or software product"
BTW - I'm on stage 3 right now -- would like to get to stage 7
Thanks for all you do!
yes 1 was my first reaction but only for a couple of hours.
moving to 2 right away, I actually found it intriguing but did not register for months
stage 3 took me a few months of low and infrequent activity, and I believe I didn't dump too much trash..
nowadays I read a lot, really... I follow links, explore, find stuff... it kind of boosts the value of my INput... but I don't actually do a lot of OUTput.
note: don't use it mobile
On the other hand, it does break down the Twitter acceptance experience pretty handily.
For me, it took less than a month to go from not wanting to use it to having it become part of my work day. As a reporter, I'm primarily using it to find sources but also to network with colleagues. In the past week I've live tweeted an event and pitched a story based on Twitter buzz. Have I gotten assignments because of somebody I met on Twitter? No, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened.
I've just recently started using Twitter and have it fed through to my website. It's a superb way of just keeping my contacts informed and also gets me noticed when I'm working on something that my clients might be interested in.
I'm now recommending Twitter to many of my colleagues in the small business world.
To my mind, it's a real drawback that it's hard to find the right persons to follow.
Happy I jumped on before the bandwagon gets full!
http://twitter.com/integralapparel
I don't guess that even gets you past #3 on the list. Or it's off the list completely. So counterproductive!
Here's hoping the humor has been clever and engaging. (The followers do seem to be increasing, FWIW.)
I never really had a stage of not using it [Once i found out about it properly i signed up pretty quickly] (1) i started using it straight away [I did take a break at one stage then got back to it.]. (2) I don't really have a blog/press stuff so i never really went to that stage. (3) I don't talk to a lot of people so i'm not quite at that stage. (4) I wouldn't really say i talk to people though i do post stuff. (5) Though i have met some people though twitter i wouldn't really call anything to meaningful. (6)
So as you can see i don't quite fit in here anywhere just inbetween a few depending on how you look at it.
I've been using twitter for 6 months.
My name is Phette, @phephi on twitter. And I have to say that I am at Stage 2, Presence. However, I am making a conscience effort to learn more about Twitter to better benefit from it.
Who would have thought 140 characters could say so much?
This is a great post, glad you wrote it as it provide a moment to consider how I can better use twitter. - Thanks!
Seems to me the unique power of Twitter is to have 1xN and NxN conversations, not just 1x1 right?
Deborah @ Comfort Joy Designs
comfortjoydesigns.blogspot.com
comfortjoydesigns{AT}gmail{DOT}com
Twitter: acupofjoy
ann torres
Follow me and
I will follow you!
Follow me and
I will follow you!
Thanks
http://twitter.com/BongoBloggs
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It seems that the barriers to entry here are quite high, requiring a significant investment of time and effort to get involved. In addition, the breadth of conversation seems quite small with the majority revolving around social media/technology, indicating that this is still a community of early adopters.
A very intersting article. I think I'm excited at the sheer volume and speed at which people arecibnecting with me. But I have little idea why or what is attracting them. I am wondering how I can connect with people in a relational and business sense. It's kinda overwhelming at the mo. I believe as the mist clears clrity will emerge. Quite when that clear vision will emerge I'm not sure.
Guess I was wrong. lol Almost instinctively I have actually gone all the way up to #6 with at least a few of my new friends.
These are people I had never met before, and actually ONLY met them because I was on twitter.
I can think of at least three people after just over one month's use of twitter that are now currently interacting with me in my trainings or in my business.
Thanks for the article,
Randy Enman
So, I'm operating at stage 5; but this stage and moving to stage 6 will become more satisfying when I find "my people" in the twitter universe!
For me and others I know it's a little different since we don't use Twitter to benefit/promote things like personal blogs, websites or shops.
It's purely for fun and I LOVE IT!
One of my friends that I am trying to convince into #2 is currently in denial, #1.
In summary, I think I'm starting to "get it". Somewhere in my deep subconscious I know that Twitter can be really useful to my business (and quite fun, too) but I'm not sure that I know the best ways to use it. I've found a number of marketing tweeps who are sharing some helpful hints (thanks to Rod Sloane and John Jantsch/Duct Tape Marketing!). I'm going to try to make 2009 the year when I really get working on Twitter.
I am at stage 6 and amazed that I run into people at PR and other networking meeting in person that I Tweet with.
Also, I've taken to a lot of people who got stuck in stage 1 and gotten them to move on.
As of today, after a week or so of mucking around, I'm somewhere past Stage 3. I'm still a noob, getting my right and left brain evenly twitterized. It would be fabulous to see a real Stage 6 collaborative effort emerge one day. Right now the main issue is time management and the seemingly requisite developing of a blog and website.
What I find most remarkable is the sense of 1-1 intimacy looped around the increasingly vast twitterverse.
Connect to me:
http://twitter.com/philanthropyCFP
I twittered about it: http://twitter.com/mingyeow/status/1171763491
=)
M
"Twitter is good. But I don't wish to create an account for 'x' reason"
Twitter is great actually i just haven't put more time into it.
Overall those stages (if you substract Stage One) took about 3 weeks. At first I didn't realize Twitter's power and simply said a few words and included a link to one of my blogs. But that didn't satisfy for long -- I wanted the experience to be meaningful as well. That's when I sat and watched Twitter World scroll by and realized I wanted to respond to some of those twitterments going by.
Now I am convinced that at this time Twitter members who pay close attention to other TwitterMems have their finger on the pulse of the internet. I've only been at it weeks and sit here wondering what I will use Twitter for in another month or two. It is mindboggling to contemplate and I mean that in a very good way.
If you are interested in soccer.
@soccerama
With Twitter and the 150 plus tools along with blog sites We have so much opportunity to learn and share. We can either LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. If I have but one choice, I know not what others may think give a #5.
Please follow me on Twitter @tireponyman
the first couple of random followers freaked me out, but after a couple days of seeing how people use it, I can't live without it. Way too fun. Read your article on @KrisColvin - one of those habits, about the jumping right into conversations, struck home. I'm like that in the physical world, and doing that on many different media on the net is too difficult. Twitter makes it so easy!
Been there less than a week btw, and probably expect that I will hit stage 6 very soon. That's exactly what tools like this are for.
http://www.hostnexus.com/blog/twitter-loses-fun...
All the best,
Heather Ali