Josh Getzler
I was at a cocktail party last night and was talking to another agent about our respective social media habits.
"I love Twitter," she said. "It's immediate, it's quick, and when something is happening in the world it suddenly explodes and I feel like I'm in the middle of something big." She went on to say that she tweeted almost exclusively about publishing-related topics and didn't like Facebook because she found it too big and overwhelming. It seemed to be an almost sensory reaction to the different photos and drawings and videos. Also the fact that it was more personal--by design--than Twitter.
(Note: That's the way she--and I in this case--use it. It's a tool to get short snippets of information out, to retweet our clients' brilliance (and occasionally to suggest to our followers that they buy one of our clients' books). Certainly there are all manner of people--I'm talking to YOU, Kanye--who are a bit more intimate in their tweets.
I found that fascinating, because I find myself drawn far more to Facebook precisely because it's a bit more sensory. I like seeing the graphics and clicking on a video. I also like the fact that my Facebook community is a combination of publishing folk, friends from different stages of my life, and relatives. They have a very wide range of social media styles--from the FB version of the Twitter feed, businesslike and filled with reshares; to my high school classmates showing pictures of their kids or discussing their jobs (which are not like mine, by and large); to my own, which is more like the former than the latter, except that if you are my FB friend you know that I love the Muppets, Angry Birds and the NY Liberty, as well as my clients and family.
I don't feel like I need to be exclusive in one direction or the other--I don't spend enough time on either to feel like it's sucking away my life--but I'm finding it interesting hearing what others think. I'll be glad to see comments this week, and will be more active responding to them.
And what the hell is Pinterest?
Happy Valentine's Day!
