Deciding who to follow in Twitter (and Friendfeed) and who to friend in Facebook

I received this question this week (and similar ones recently).

If I am twittering and FB as part of work, and someone I don't know wants to follow me or be my friend, what should I do?  What I am thinking is that on Twitter, everyone would be welcome to follow me. and on FB, I could set some different categories up, but only if it is either someone I know or someone with clear farm connections/interests.  Please advise.

Good Question.

On Twitter and Friendfeed, I let almost anyone follow me. Though, there are some who suggest that you should monitor your followers (from professional positioning standpoint), my philosophy is very open on Twitter and Friendfeed followers. Certainly, I block porn and spam.

If others want to follow me on Twitter and Friendfeed, I think that is great. I don't (any more) automatically follow everyone who follows me.

When someone follows me,

• I look at the ratio of followers and following. If is very lopsided (either way), I probably will not follow them back. But, it depends on the situation. If a news site or announcement site, which will have lopsided followers, I may follow because I am interested in their news.
• I look at the profile. If the person does not have any information on the profile page, and I can find any reason to follow them, I don't.

NOTE to Twitter newbies: complete your profile, How will I know who you are, if you don't tell me?

• I look at what they are saying. If they are talking about subjects I am interested in, I will probably follow them back. 
• I look at their followers. The list of followers is helpful in determining my connection to this person and whether I think their tweets will be helpful. 

I treat Facebook differently. I see Facebook as a professional connection network AND a personal connection network. But, I am not as free with the "friendship" in Facebook as I am in Twitter.

I have to know the person or know of the person or have a connection with the person through someone else.

When I say I know them, I don't necessarily know them by meeting them in a face-to-face setting. I know them because of a work/professional situation (attended the same conference, web conference, exchanged emails, working on the same projects/thrusts).

I have divided my Facebook friends into lists.

• Colleagues: anyone working with Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Auburn University
• Professionals: professional connections outside of my colleague list.
• Friends: family and friends, recent and from college and high school.

By dividing up my friends, I can easily see the professional or colleagues status updates in one click. Many use the division of friends to decide which list sees what.

As far as integrating Facebook and Twitter, I send all Twitter messages to Facebook. However, I think some of my "friends" may get tired of my work related links. So I am considering using the Twitter application that lets me choose which updates go to Facebook.

There are many ways to decide about following and friending people in these networks. You have to choose what you value and what works for you. Also, consider privacy strategies, as well.

Consider your goals are for tools, like Twitter, Facebook, and Friendfeed.

Some of my goals are:

• Learn as much from others as possible.
• Engage in "communities" as much as possible to enhance my learning and to share my thoughts and knowledge.
• Listen from others--not only from others like me, but from others in areas outside of my primary work.
• Listen to those who I may disagree with.
• Expand my network of professional friends.
• Build social capital because I never know 1) when I will be influential and 2) when I may need assistance by others who know more than I.

Thus, I tend to be more open than most in friending and following others in these networks.

wngtkar57m

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del.icio.us Tags: Facebook,Friendfeed,Twitter

A misconception about web technologies

Again and again, I keep hearing that web technologies cannot build relationships. The misconception is that web technologies cannot contribute to the building of relationships--that Internet technologies are mechanisms only to provide information delivery systems.

Of course, I know that technology, itself, cannot build relationships. People build relationships.

The Internet today is much different than it was 10 years ago. Then, we mostly thought of Internet technologies as those that efficiently deliver information. We have thought of the Internet tools much like mass media (newspapers, radio, TV) one-to-many communication tools. Early in the Internet years, we learned to utilize searching capabilities, the ability to discover information. And, we learned to build on the capabilities of linking--tying information together.

However today, the Internet tools are more about flattening communications channels and enabling relationships among people who never would have been able to "meet" in the "old" Internet and certainly not pre-Internet.

Studies are showing that connections, such as social networking, enhance working and social relationships and build social capital, particularly in relationships that already have a physical presence. To name just 3 studies (I can find more) are:

• Hampton, K. (2002). Place-based and IT mediated “community.” Planning Theory and Practice, 3(2), 228-23
• Hampton, K. & Wellman, B. (2003) Neighboring in Netville: How the Internet supports community and social capital in a wired suburb. City and Community, 2(4), 277-311.
• Ellison, N. B. Steinfield, C, and Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook “friends”:  Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer Mediation Communication, 12(4), Article 1.

To discount online opportunities because we don't think that the technologies can be used to develop relationships is detrimental to our success, as an organization and as knowledge workers. 

Most of us (I suppose I am referring to "us" as those who have been in the workforce 15 years or more) have the tendency to think and learn linearly and that technology takes the place of some other method because of its efficiency.

Instead, information technology is an enablers, not only a replacement. Technology enhances whatever we are doing, provides innovation opportunities, and helps us grow or scale development, products, and services.

Many of those who have been studying and using social media for awhile often say

"It's not about the technology;"

"It's about people"
                or
"It's about relationships" 
                or
"It's about ideas"
                or
"It's about the change that is created".

Though I am becoming known for "pushing" social media and as someone who is a Twitter nut, I can assure you that I do not think that technology is a sole answer--the answer is how people are using and building relationships and capitalizing on the work of many. But, technology is necessary.

Some ask "how does online engagement give an organization competitive advantage?" There are many answers. A survivalist answer is "where will you be if you don't engage?"

We must adapt not only to new technologies, but adjust and embrace changes in culture and expectations, such as work streaming, transparency, engagement, and participation. These expectations in culture are not dependent on technology, but have been driven by open, tremendous availability of information and access to people through technology.

del.icio.us Tags: social media,collaboration,engagement,building relationships

Where do we go from here?

It seems that a lot of my conversations lately have centered around the future of Cooperative Extension.

Most people are discussing and worrying about the budget woes and the realization that future funding is changing.

Some Extension professionals are looking beyond the funding issues. They are realizing the effects of:

• ubiquitous connections.
• pervasive information and communications.
• multi-way and instantaneous communications.
• rapid increases of non-linear information availability.
• expectations of open communications, transparency of organizations, and adding societal value; these expectations are not only expectations of online activities but also include the way we serve, operate, manage, and lead.
• changes in knowledge construction.
• online and placed life becoming one. The online life does more than mirrors the physical life. The online is meshed into the way we function in work, leisure, and home.

Are we positioning ourselves to adapt and excel in a changed future?

• A future where the public, stakeholders, and partners want to know how we are impacting communities.
• A future where we continue to meet community and local citizens needs and are influential locally, but use global,far reaching, methods.
• A future where we grow education without significantly increasing our organization.
• A future that embraces “non-linear, information seeking” learning processes.
• A future that embraces the ways that learning, access, engagement, and knowledge construction are changing, by being ahead of the learning curve, not behind it.
• A future that opens access to our content and research. 
• A future where our organization is a contemporary organization that has the "capacity to connect, unite, react, or interact" among many individuals and organizations, both traditional and new.
• A future where we capitalize on instantaneous, multi-way communication.
• A future where we understand that context matters and that contexts are continually in flux, thus, knowledge within context is more important than knowledge by itself.

The thoughts above are not mine alone, but rather they are a compilation of thoughts and expressions from many people who I have had a privilege of talking with in the last few months and hope to continue with future conversations.

While some people are very worried about our future as the third arm of land-grant institutions--Cooperative Extension--particularly from a funding standpoint, I am realizing the opportunities are vast and exciting. In fact, I see that the future, in some ways can bring us back to using the principles of  Seaman Knapp and George Washington Carver. The difference is in context, but the ideals of engagement and integrating research and education are not again available because we can go where the people are.

The challenge is to immediately change the way we communicate, build education, and are organized, and capitalize on existing and new relationships through more collaboration and seizing the power of ubiquitous connections and pervasive communications.

del.icio.us Tags: Cooperative Extension,Future Trends,Social Media

Back into the groove

I feel like I am starting over because:

• It has been so long since I last blogged, though I have dozen blog posts either scribbled on paper or sitting in my head.
• I have a new domain name. Anne Adrian is now blogging at http://blog.anneadrian.com and the rss feed is http://feeds2.feedburner.com/anneadrian/Ulzk?format=xml 

What is that Twitter thing you do?

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine from college left me a message in Facebook. She asked me, "When you get a chance could you explain this Twitter thing you do?

Twitter defined in Wikipedia:

"Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets."

Twitter messages--tweets, limited to 140 characters--can be sent and received from the web site, from Twitter desktop applications, and from a cell phone as text SMS messages.

Some basic information on Twitter can be found:

How Twitter works and some history behind Twitter

Why I use and like Twitter

I can easily get a feel for what people (people who I have an interest in) are reading, thinking, and doing in a non-disruptive way. Twitter is pervasive, but unobtrusive. I decide when I pay close attention, scan, or ignore Twitter messages.

Twitter is a great way to listen.

Those I follow don't have to follow me. In other words, the "friendship" does not have to reciprocal, like it is in Facebook and Plaxo.

Twitter messages are short so each individual message does not take much time. Someone who says they don't have time to use Twitter does not understand how easy it is or they may not be using the right Twitter application.

Twitter friends can be information streams (AUTigers, AuburnU , abc3340, ittotd-IT Tip of the Day).

Most friends provide conversations and resources. The value of Twitter is found in interactions, engagements, and resources shared.

How I use Twitter

I send Twitter messages from the Twitter web page, Twhirl, TweetDeck, and Text SMS.

I received messages in the same applications. However, I reserve the Text SMS messages for my closest Twitter friends.

Depending on what I am doing and how long I may not have access to a computer, I sometimes use TinyTwitter application on my phone to receive all Twitter messages.

Twhirl and Tweetdeck as desktop applications.

Twhirl runs continuously on my desktop computer at work and my notebook. I have learned to ignore it most of the time. However, during slow moments of the day, I glance at the incoming Tweets. The reply and the direct message tweets make a different noise so I know when to pay attention to those.

TweetDeck also runs continuously on my 2nd monitor on my computer at the office. (Lately, I have also left Facebook running continuously on the same monitor). I divided Tweetdeck tweets into columns based on my priority of interests. Closest friends and colleagues make up one column. Tweets coming from those in professional areas that have my interests make up another column. My replies and direct messages make up two other columns. And, last all tweets make up the last column. Tweetdeck is probably not necessary if you do not follow a lot of people. Search and filtering in Tweetdeck have also helped me keep up with specific information.

I integrate Twitter with other networks by sending tweets to Friendfeed, Plaxo, and Facebook status updates.

Additionally, I send RSS feeds of Twitter messages, particularly replies to my messages to my feed reader. These feeds are a duplicative effort, but I I don't want to miss any replies.

Sometimes I use TwitPic to send a picture from my phone to Twitter.

Some resources

Twitter in Plain English

How to Get Started on Twitter

Email vs Twitter

15 Minute Showcase on Twitter

Getting more out of Twitter

Advantages of Twitter

del.icio.us Tags: Twitter

Don't be scared of candid remarks

John Caddell of Caddell Insight Group explains why listening and allowing customers to comment is important in "Customers are talking -- candid customers won't give you 100%."

When the community (fill in the term that is appropriate: clients, customers, students, etc.) expect you to be very good at what you do, they are not going to give you a perfect ranking. Instead, they are going to point out weaknesses. Most weaknesses can be addressed by making improvements--not by making excuses or debating your customers.

Philosophy of a fun, passionate, effective teacher

Daniel Butler, Auburn University 2008 recipient of the Gerald and Emily Leischuck Endowed Presidential Awards for Excellence in Teaching, has incredible and fun stories tell.

He tells this one story best -- be sure and watch the 2.5 minute video.

I've listed a few points that describe his role and philosophy in teaching--and the little that I know him--I believe he lives his life this way, too.

• Never forget what it's like to be a kid, they don't know things. You have to figure out what they don't know.
• Use humor and make teaching fun.
• Make a difference one student at a time.
• Treat all students like each one will be the one to save us all.
• You can do whatever you want to do as long you get someone to show you how--that's what teachers do.
• It's all about people.
• It's about people who work hard, care, and encourage each other
• How do we make this a better a place? ....one (War Eagle) at a time.

He learned these principles from very important teachers--his parents--a professional clown and kindergarten teacher.

 

 

Technorati Tags: Education,Humor,Teaching,Auburn University

Email vs Twitter

Yesterday, I had the privilege to have several conversations with Auburn University President Jay Gogue. During one of these conversations, I mentioned Twitter and President Gogue asked "What's the difference between Twitter and email?"

My answer centered around several characteristics of Twitter including:

• Receiving Tweets are more about choice, rather than be forced by the sender. (I choose who I follow and people choose to follow me). Unlike Facebook, the followers and friends do not have to be reciprocal.
• Twitter is fast.
• Twitter is more free-flowing.

I did not feel I did a very good job in my explanation so I did what I often do. I ask Twitter followers what they thought.

Through Twitter, I sent a message asking "What is the difference between Twitter and email? As I read messages as they evolved (in about 3 hours), I was wondering what would be a better way to get immediate discussion from a broad spectrum of people?

The first tweet came from a University of Alabama student (see 340) was someone I have never met. More than 65 % of the responses are from people outside of Auburn University. Thus, indicating the ability to hear from a broad spectrum of people.

Interesting too, I was able to "listen" in on the conversations, in particular, one between the University of Alabama student (340) and University of Alabama alum (2,057) who lives in North Alabama. Twitter offered a way for me to listen in ways I would not have a mechanism to do.

The investment (asking the question and reading the tweets) was minimal. Thus, indicating Twitter is very efficient.

Below is my summary of the responses.

• Twitter is public.
• Twitter is less formal.
• Twitter is more analogous to people subscribing to e-newsletters.
• Twitter updates are brief and succinct.
• Twitter is faster, spreads messages  more quickly, and are more efficient.
• Twitter is more like texting (SMS), chatrooms, and forums.
• Twitter is more about choice. Twitter does not push messages like email.
• Twitter creates an online community, a social network.
• Twitter allows members to receive updates continually and more frequently.
• Twitter users can be anyone.
• Twitter applications make messages more automatic, like a stock ticker.
• Twitter makes sharing and being open easy, thus creating opportunities for more open discussions.

Below, I listed the responses and conversations. Instead of using Twitter usernames with each response, I used the number of people they follow. The @ sign is indication that they are replying to a person, but the reply is public.  

• My Tweet that started the conversation (587) aafromaa Yesterday, AU president asked what is the difference in Twitter & email. I am wondering: how would you answer in 140 char or less, of course
• (340) @aafromaa Twitter is more like public texting with a community. Email is intimate (usually) 1-1 conversations. T is v effective for campus!
• (76) @aafromaa 15 years.
• (587) aafromaa @(340) Thanks & good explanation. It's interesting that 1st reply came from Univ of Ala student. 2nd reply: @(76). Anyone else?
• (42) @aafromaa The audience is different. Most Twitter posts are publicly accessible (without the need for a FOIA request, of course
• (32) @aafromaa A social network allowing members to receive updates from other members about events and self as they are updated all day long.
• (32) @aafromaa Had a grammar error in the first one
• (220) @aafromaa Twitter is analogous to people subscribing to e-newsletters, except updates are often, succinct, and the provider can be anyone.
• (2,057) @(340) That's a good point, I always think of Twitter similar to a chatroom with controls, but for GenY, you grew up texting.
• (220) @(340) I disagree about 1-1. See my explanation. Similarities between e-newsletters, newsgroups, and Twitter.
• (69) @aafromaa While both are forms of electronic mail, Twitter is briefer and less formal, and it creates an online community.
• (340) @(220) I disagree (back :p) because I see it as personal communication. I like to think there's a person behind the emails I receive.
• (32) @(220) fancy language, but I like it.
• (340) @(2,057) That's interesting - i've never considered it as a chat room. I usually think of texting or of a fast message board/forum
• (340) trying to decipher an email someone sent expecting it to magically morph into a press release. not quite as magical as that, though :p
• (74) @aafromaa concur w/(220) and (69). but use of app like twirl makes twitter like a stock ticker. don't have 2 open tweets--does it 4 u—
• (74) @aafromaa these apps actually make it faster for me than email
• (340) @(2,057) age is a state of mind ;)
• (220) @(340) You just made my point even better. Your @reply is exactly like somene using "Reply all" in an email. Personal schmersonal ;-)
• (340) @(220) nope:) directing message toward you. may be seen (like if you forward or cc/bc in the reply) but not everyone is going to read
• (220) @(340) Not everyone is going to read your tweet either. I've had plenty "reply all" discussions via email. There are small differences.
• (340) is wondering if there should be a UA-AU tweetup? :p
• (340) @(220) that's MY point. its out there for people to read if they so choose. thus, the public vs. targeted 1-on-1 :p
• (31) @aafromaa - brevity-triviality-audience. email is "1 to 1" or "1 to many" & "push info". twitter is "many to many" & "share info".
• (68) @aafromaa email is direct closed discussion, twitter more broadcast open discussion with greater potential for 2nd hand distribution. .
• (111) @aafromaa Brevity sets it apart. SMS fosters its spread. Otherwise differences are perception & ease of use.
• (78) @aafromaa On Twitter, I send msgs to people who choose to hear from me. In email, I send msgs to people who I think want to hear from me
• (47) Digging tweets to @aafromaa's question. Much better definitions than other sources.
• A comment on my Facebook page: "I would explain it to him in a way he can relate: Usually a 30 minute meeting can accomplish just as much as a 60 minute meeting. Similarly, usually a 140 characters can send the same message as a 2-paragraph email."

How would you describe the difference in email and Twitter?

Technorati Tags: Twitter,Auburn University