The Value of Twitter
Pear Analytics, a San Antonio-based research firm, recently released a <a href="http://www.pearanalytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Twitter-Study-August-2009.pdf">study examining what people are using Twitter for</a>. Their initial hypothesis was intended to prove that Twitter was being used largely for senseless babble or self-promotion, and while babble made up more than 40 percent of tweets, the researchers found that more than 37 percent of tweets were conversational and almost 9 percent had pass-along value. Only 5.85 percent of tweets were for self-promotion, the study found. As Twitter continues to evolve, not only as a brand but from a user's perspective, it is likely that usage patterns will change, the study concluded.
Pear Analytics, a San Antonio-based research firm, recently released a study examining how people are using Twitter.
Their initial hypothesis was intended to prove that Twitter was being used largely for senseless babble or self-promotion, and while babble made up more than 40 percent of tweets, the researchers found that more than 37 percent of tweets were conversational and almost 9 percent had pass-along value. Only 5.85 percent of tweets were for self-promotion, the study found. As Twitter continues to evolve, not only as a brand but from a user's perspective, it is likely that usage patterns will change, the study concluded.
While the study shows that Twitter has generated some pass-along value, it also shows that it has been used largely for self promotion, babble and spam. So what does this mean for federal agencies, which are moving quickly to adopt Twitter feeds? How will its usage patterns change, especially as the government begins to see its value?
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