Comments on: Should you update your Facebook status from Twitter?

By: Lesley

Lesley — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:39:26 +0000

I agree with a lot of your points. Thanks for the post, it’s very helpful.

However, your points seem fit for an individual. What do you think about updates on fan pages? I’m helping a congressional candidate wade into the social media waters. I’m trying to decide how his Facebook/Twitter updates should vary. I think there will be overlap at times, but I hope that Facebook is more of an informal medium. Do you have any thoughts?

By: Tyler

Tyler — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:58:14 +0000

My boss is on Twitter, but he isn't on facebook (that I know of) I keep my facebook profile pretty locked down. Facebook is for friends and family. He follows me on Twitter too

By: zzamboni

zzamboni — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:53:24 +0000

I agree that the type of status updates are different for Twitter and Facebook. I recently discovered the "Selective Twitter status" app in Facebook (http://apps.facebook.com/selectivetwitter/ ), which allows you to choose which Twitter posts should be crossposted by tagging them with #fb.

By: Libb

Libb — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:49:12 +0000

I think of it this way: Facebook is for your buddies or classmates, 98% of whom either don't understand or really don't care about the tech/web/whatever-thing-you-do-for-a-living things you're doing, unless it involves pictures of fellow friends getting ess-faced. Twitter is, by its nature, for people who care enough about your main focus that they specifically sought you out to follow for the information you and only you can provide. As a foil to these beliefs, my current Facebook status is a line from a song I was liking at the moment ("Lay, Lady, Lay" by the masterful Bob Dylan, for those who care). My last Twitter references the Apple App Store, and two days ago I did a long, slowly-spiraling into noone-cares-oblivion, chain of tweets about my sleep deprivation and its effects on my code design. (the Ballmer Effect lives! (http://xkcd.com/323/) ) Obviously, my high school and college friends would care more about the former and less about the latter.

By: audrey

audrey — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:29:34 +0000

Thanks for this post. I have been wondering about linking the two, so I am thankful to have found this information.

By: Jevon

Jevon — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:28:23 +0000

Hey, Selectivetwitter looks cool. I like that app, it solves most of the problems with connecting the two.

By: Steve Ellwood

Steve Ellwood — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:48:16 +0000

personally? Twitter’s more me than Facebook.

I provide content, links, chatter, updates on Twitter. I consume other people’s on Facebook.
I use http://apps.facebook.com/selectivetwitter/ to provide updates to Facebook from Twitter when I choose. Some Facebook friends had complained that social media tech drivel that I tweet was incomprehensible. So, they get the activity/location style drivel instead

By: Karyn German

Karyn German — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:26:09 +0000

I would have to agree with the points made by Daniel on each item. I practice proper social media ettiquette on Twitter, so those updates are perfectly appropriate for my Facebook account. I realize that there are those who are juvenile, but that is true in either medium. I actually have 2 Twitter accounts, one for my professional updates and one for the personal stuff. It is the personal stuff that goes to my Facebook account. But, I try very hard not to be arrogant, ungracious or just plain stupid with either account. :'}

The integration with Twitter is one of the aspects that actually brought me "back" to Facebook. That and the iPhone application for Facebook.

I do find your points thought-provoking and a good topic for a post. Looking forward to more comments.

By: Daniel Tunkelang

Daniel Tunkelang — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:01:11 +0000

I'm not a big fan of Facebook, so I'm incline to think that status updates should go *to* Twitter, not from it. That said, I question all five of your supporting points:

1) Twitter is who I am. No masquerade: I use my real name, and so do all of the people I follow. Facebook is just a way for people to find me if they can't figure out how to find my email address.

2) If you're that concerned about your ex tracking what's going on in your life, then you shouldn't be posting about any of your life in public. If anything, Facebook is much more of a walled garden than Twitter, and its privacy controls are far more sophisticated than Twitter's–in my opinion too sophisticated for mere mortals.

3) Most posts on Twitter do not elicit a response–as with all social media, the majority of messages are ignored. Attention is scarce, and demand exceeds supply. I don't know how Twitter compares to Facebook in this respect.

4) My boss is on Twitter. Moreover, since Twitter isn't a walled garden like Facebook, my boss doesn't even have to be on Twitter to watch me there. I'm not sure where you get the idea that Twitter is more private than Facebook.

5) You can be a fake on Twitter, but the social norm is for users to be real people or real companies. And even corporate users often have real people representing them. I think you're confusing Twitter with Friendster.

In short, I agree with your conclusion that there's no need to update your Facebook status from Twitter, but not the steps that lead you to that conclusion. Are you just not into Twitter?

By: jerder

jerder — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:46:36 +0000

How do I find out if my twitter and face book is connected and do I disconnect it.