Facebook vs. Twitter
Posted By Amanda Collins on September 13, 2010
Whether you’re a little addicted to social media or just starting to dip your toe in the pool, you may wonder why you need to be on both Twitter and Facebook. It’s a valid question and one I hear often. Nowadays, you can even cross post to both through their respective sites or by using an outside application like TweetDeck or Ping. But, whether you put unique or the same content on both Twitter and Facebook, I believe you should have a presence on each. Here are some of my reasons why:
You Can Reach More People
Typically, you don’t have the same followers on Facebook as you do on Twitter. Most people I know have their personal Facebook pages closed down so only friends can see the information, whereas Twitter is an open network. You may have an open Facebook fan page (I do), but still it’s only seen by your followers. Twitter has hashtags and users can search by keywords, so you have the capacity to reach people around the globe, in addition to those in your network.
It’s the Start of a Conversation
Although people seem to have started using Twitter as an instant messenger, there are so many Tweets going out that you pretty much have to be online at the same time to connect. It’s great when you are, and you can have a conversation that others will see and in which they too can engage. Typically, though, Twitter is a bit of a radio delay in this realm. Facebook, on the other hand, sits for a bit. When you go to your homepage, you can look at posts from hours and days ago without having to go to each person’s page one by one. Also, when someone comments on your post, it stays with it and then others can comment on that. You can end up with a 15-person conversation—which is much more challenging on Twitter.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
There are Facebook people, Twitter people, and those who run in both circles. On Twitter, you can reach entrepreneurs and the Average Joe; Facebook puts you in touch with old friends, business associates, and family. Whom do you want to reach? If it’s just your clients and people you know, Facebook will be great. However, if you’d like to expand your horizons, Twitter allows you a bit broader reach. There will be a bit of overlap, but it’s more likely you’re going to have two completely different audiences.
So get out there and get social. You may be surprised at the results you see from Tweeting and Facebooking.
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