Twitter and forums

[Mignon]

Not sure if it's just me or the new twittermania really is taking its toll on forums. It's true that the 140 signs are very few and allow no substantial input, but players and fans can share first impressions and some people may feel no need to elaborate on those first impressions. What do you think?

[ferret]

Social media sites like Twitter have advantages and disadvantages for both blogs and forums.

Our own Twitter campaign actually works quite well for inbound traffic to both the forum and TheSnookerBlog.com I try not to put a full story up on Twitter but leave a small taster so people have to come back to the forum or the blog read the full story and at my last look Twitter accounted for about 5% of all inbound links to the site.

For those that follow @TheSnookerForum on Twitter they will know that not all of my mentions of a possible story actually make it to press but atleast the gossip is being put out there instead of just saying with me.

The other advantage of Twitter is the people that use it, Nick Harris the sports editor of The Mail on Sunday as used quite a few of my stories after seeing them on Twitter and it has also opened up a working relationship that would of otherwise possibly not of been there.

On Twitter the players are more likely to interact more than on the forum as it is simply easier to use for a non seasoned veteran of forum software, I can name a dozen top ranking players who interact with fans on Twitter all the time but these exact same people are also on the forum and rarely interact and if they do you would not know anyway as they do not use a username which would associate them with their real name, there is one top 32 player who posts quite often on TSF but none of you know who he is.

Twitter has helped the forum get rid of its trolls, I have found the attention seeking trouble makers who's opinions are ALWAYS the correct opinions and nobody else's opinions matter have all pretty much abandoned the forum and left for Twitter which is fine by me, I do not have a problem with that at all as it has left a better environment on the forum for discussion and debate. I think the reason why this has happened is the instant gratification they can get on Twitter to their idiotic postings compared to the minutes they would have to wait on the forum, obviously there is also the fact that Twitter is not moderated and you can pretty much say what you want and use all the colourful language you like.

I think as a business model Twitter can only work as a major advantage to a blog or forum if you have time to constantly be on there 24/7 like Matt at Pro Snooker Blog, for me spending that amount of time on Twitter would just not be cost effective but you can see how well it has worked for Matt by the hits he now gets on his blog.

[cueman]

Can't say I've noticed any difference TBF. Personally I think Twitter is just 'in' at the moment but like most of these social networking or blogging sites it will probably end up going downhill in time, or be replaced by something different.

I'm not a fan of it, it seems that people are using it to gain popularity and nothing else. A cheap and easy way to try and make a name for yourself. Its mainly celebs or the famous that benefit from it but there are so many fake profiles and that out there and such petty arguments that I just don't waste my time with it. I can see its usefullness in some instances as Ferret mentioned but by and large I think it will lose a lot of popularity in 2 years as it will be abused too much.

[best break 1]

would rather spend all day on forums learning facts,than seeing what judd trump is having for tea or what ronnie is watching on the box, pritty useless if u ask me, unless like said u are trying to sell urself as a celebrity.

[Deepscrew]

Twitter is so up to the minute you get to see the next days newspapers prior to them even being printed. It means jow bloggs can have contact with pro sportmen/women, policitians, friends and colleagues and god knows who else. God himself infact is actually on twitter, as is the queen. Amazing. ;)

Forums are more for the in depth discussion around one subject. A very valuable source of info are forums.