1/3
My prediction was spot on, but the past month also revealed something else. Even with 100 million users and high-profile accounts posting daily, engagement quickly plummeted. Why? What happened? It's clear the missing ingredient is a dedicated and loyal community. That is how we take the crown. 👑
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Christopher Bouzy @cbouzyAll of these people touting Threads greatness were already on Instagram. At some point, they will have to bring in new users, and it's a hard sell to get someone new to install two apps. There will be a large segment of users that will never join Threads and no longer want to be on Twitter.04:44 PM - Jul 08, 2023
03:41 PM - Aug 19, 2023
2/3
So the assumption that we need more news outlets or high-profile people to compete is false. Threads proved that for us. What we need is more users who had enough of the targeted harassment, abuse, and disinformation. More users who are seeking something safer and believe in what we are building.
03:47 PM - Aug 19, 2023
(Edited)
3/3
Yesterday, only four Twitter alternatives were trending. Threads, Bluesky, Spoutible, and Mastodon. So although journalists might be ignoring us now, it's obvious the people who matter aren't. Let the journalists focus on the Goliaths while we build something special that will have longevity.
03:56 PM - Aug 19, 2023
Christopher,
🧵Without news outlets and academics, there’s little reason for Twitter’s base to be here. Which is why they aren’t. Same is true for smaller groups like various ethnic Twitters, tech Twitters, etc. If interesting leaders don’t migrate here, the followers won’t, either.…1/
🧵Without news outlets and academics, there’s little reason for Twitter’s base to be here. Which is why they aren’t. Same is true for smaller groups like various ethnic Twitters, tech Twitters, etc. If interesting leaders don’t migrate here, the followers won’t, either.…1/
In response to Christopher Bouzy.
04:33 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
I left X because I was tired of screaming into the void while celebs & news outlets went viral. I don’t care if they ever reach here. I want to talk to a variety of people about things we care about. Also, we don’t need to be spoon-fed the news & can share links/info on our own.
07:40 AM - Aug 21, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
Your critique shows a shocking lack of knowledge about how online communities work in reality.
Twitter wasn't the thing you are describing at the start-it took literal years.
Twitter wasn't the thing you are describing at the start-it took literal years.
06:09 PM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
The "news" outlets may not be here, but IMHO they are SO "bothsides" or downright spreading GOP lies it's infuriating.
Do you know who is here? @MeidasTouch who DOES provide TONS of content every day on youtube & mostly linked here. #SpeakingTruthToPower
Do you know who is here? @MeidasTouch who DOES provide TONS of content every day on youtube & mostly linked here. #SpeakingTruthToPower
09:45 AM - Aug 20, 2023
(Edited)
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
I think you’re doomed to disappointment. What was special about Twitter was intentionally, wantonly destroyed. There will never again be what Twitter was.
Now. I think we can do different. Maybe even better. But not looking over our shoulders, constantly saying, “If only…”
Now. I think we can do different. Maybe even better. But not looking over our shoulders, constantly saying, “If only…”
07:20 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
there are lots of those that i followed on the bird site and they may never come.
but let's be honest, the big ones stopped interacting with the normals long ago. they all live in some bubble now, only listening to their friends.
i'm okay without them.
but let's be honest, the big ones stopped interacting with the normals long ago. they all live in some bubble now, only listening to their friends.
i'm okay without them.
02:36 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Notnow Orlater.
I do miss my international community here, so I use Mastodon for that.
The only thing that the bird site has, that the others do not, is a stupid level of drama and hate.
And once block is gone, it is only going to be hate.
The only thing that the bird site has, that the others do not, is a stupid level of drama and hate.
And once block is gone, it is only going to be hate.
02:37 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
I wholeheartedly agree with you. We NEED news orgs, journalists, academics, etc. In the early days of social media, when people would ask why I used it my reply was “To connect w people & to get the news /current events”. Spoutible WILL get there, but let’s not kid ourselves that it’s not important.
10:04 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Lilly.
In the early days of social media there were very few people and if the news outlets were there at all it was the tech journos just trying it out.
04:07 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
We’re still building the foundation. I definitely want more newsy + academic + scientific folk, but recognize this is time to build. I’d rather a good culture be built up beforehand, lest it just be yet another offshoot of Twitter or even msnbc. Let Spoutible become its own kind of destination l.
07:56 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to L Geisenest.
People won’t wait for that. Most of my followers are never on Twitter anymore and they’re not active here or on Threads. Some are on Mastadon, which is clumsy to use. Others on BlueSky. But most just walked away and will never come back. They’re in Telegram & WhatsApp groups or offline altogether.
08:01 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
I still go to Twitter for news, but I am here for random other stuff.
06:32 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Fola Olu.
That’s the one thing I really liked about Twitter, news! Big news events were already trending there before the major news outlets even reported. Now, half the time or more, you have to look for the news yourself bc it’s no longer trending early, and in some cases, not ever.
07:31 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
You don’t sound condescending at all. Quite frankly I don’t believe you should speak for everyone. I’m on Spoutible often because it’s a good environment, I’m also on Twitter because my fellow Brits & others are still there. When we have “spaces” others will come. Spoutible is the best alternative!
06:30 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Lexis Nexus.
I agree! There are already quite a few "big name, journalists here, Joy Reid, Dan Rather, Politics Girl, etc.
08:20 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
The attention seekers will come when they realize people like being here and it's not going away.
06:16 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Blair Houghton.
So you think actual experts & journalists are “attention seekers” who will come here when they see this is viable & has meaningful reach? If that’s the attitude, why would they? At most they’ll have placeholder accounts. More likely, a new tech will supplant this and that’s where they’ll be.
08:44 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
It’s obvious you were not an early adopter of Twitter. Do you think it started with news outlets and academics? I was there. It did not. We early adopters built a community first, then they came. It was just us geeks in the beginning sharing our lunches and links.
05:57 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Tina Marie Hilton.
I was also an early user of Twitter. I was one of the few Black people on the site. Twitter was full of geeky and quirky people who were there to get away from FB. There were no famous people. No journalists. Then the news industry was hit with bloggers. Twitter became the news world's lifeline.
08:05 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Tina Marie Hilton.
In my biz school classes, I learned that all tech adoption follows this curve. Early adopters are normally people who love to experiment with new tech. Spoutible has many users who may not be early adopters in the traditional sense of this chart. That's why some Spouters feel unsettled.
08:12 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
why are media/academics supporting what Elon is doing at Twitter-X? Do they turn their minds off to be in the "it" crowd...this is why bullies win. . . because ppl are afraid of missing out.
05:52 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
I agree this is a blind spot and a challenge.
While I adore Spoutible, I'm missing the higher-profile people and orgs I was following on Twitter, and from my own experience (seeing is believing), they are buying into Threads far more than Spoutible, so far. Sooo, I'm using both.
While I adore Spoutible, I'm missing the higher-profile people and orgs I was following on Twitter, and from my own experience (seeing is believing), they are buying into Threads far more than Spoutible, so far. Sooo, I'm using both.
05:34 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Stefen Tower.
Entertain me more?
How do you think that happens?
Twitter was built by user engagement.
You can complain or contribute.
Buy yeah, Threads.
How do you think that happens?
Twitter was built by user engagement.
You can complain or contribute.
Buy yeah, Threads.
06:05 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Stefen Tower.
Threads has its own issues. No search functionality or hashtags makes it not helpful for community organizing.
12:47 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
…It’s not enough to be safer and kinder than Twitter. You also need Twitter’s former functionality. You also need a way for people to port their followers and, if possible, years of tweets. Without these things many people just opt out. They spend a few minutes on Twitter rather than hours…2/
04:36 PM - Aug 19, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
You're wrong it is enough.
Many of us are here because of that, personally I don't miss the news accounts, influencers etc because they do not engage with us. I have multiple news subscriptions to get my news. A very large # of us like the way we are growing.
Many of us are here because of that, personally I don't miss the news accounts, influencers etc because they do not engage with us. I have multiple news subscriptions to get my news. A very large # of us like the way we are growing.
12:09 AM - Aug 20, 2023
In response to Shmarya Rosenberg.
And what functionality are we missing here? 😑
We actually have MORE functionality than the other place.
We have better, genuine, user interaction.
We have IMO better news being presented here because people are sharing local sources.
Most of us walked in here Feb 1st, and never looked back.
We actually have MORE functionality than the other place.
We have better, genuine, user interaction.
We have IMO better news being presented here because people are sharing local sources.
Most of us walked in here Feb 1st, and never looked back.
06:01 AM - Aug 20, 2023
