Twitter vs. Facebook

Last week I read no less than four articles about Twitter in the various magazines and newspapers I subscribe. I am a twitter nut myself with two accounts @davidtcopeland and @okcscouter. I have found it to be to a great tool for connecting with others and for learning about all the latest trends in social networking. My Scouting account has lead to some great connections with people in other parts of the country that also have a passion for this great program. Does my Twitter obsession mean and end to my Facebook days? Absolutely not!

I see the two as distinctly different tools with difference purposes. Twitter has been great for “virtually” meeting people from all over the country. I consider many of these Twitter folks to be my friend even it is in a weird I have never met you before kind of way. Most Twitter people seem to talk mostly to themselves and for whatever reason have little desire to really communicate and connect with their followers. (More on this with a later post)

I treat Facebook on the other hand as a “real” friends only forum with all my settings set as private. Every friend I have on FB is a person I have some kind of connection and 99% of them I have met in person at one time in my life. My family, childhood friends, and many other people are on this with me. We share updates and my favorite feature is the picture albums people post showing families. The connections on Facebook to me seem more personal.

Both tools to me have a purpose and they are distinctly different for me. I personally plan to hang on to both.

What about you? Facebook or Twitter? Do you have both? What do you see as the difference?

Social networking and local Scouting

Many of the adults in our Troop are actively using social networking tools to stay connected and build relationships. This began with Facebook and now is evolving to include Twitter and Blogger.

Facebook: Several of the Troop Adult leadership and older youth are on Facebook. My account is not exclusive to Scouting and every “friend” is someone I know personally. I also have set up photo albums for campouts and upload pictures directly from my phone during our weekend adventures as well as summer camp. These pictures allow followers to see real time the fun we are having on campouts. My wife and other parents have really enjoyed the little window into the fun we are having. My Facebook Troop Scout youth friends get to see what they are missing!

Twitter: I see Twitter more as a tool for getting to know people around the country and world that I might not connect with otherwise. To this end, I have created and maintain two accounts. @okcscouter is only for my life as a Scout leader. Here my goal is to connect with other Scout folks. I also recently used this account to micro-blog our recent summer camp experience. Several Troop adults followed these updates and the feedback was great. This micro-blogging included real time uploads of pictures using twitpic.

Blogger: Speaking of summer camp, our Committee Chair @imasoonerfan used this tool to blog our summer camp experience. Again, this was another outlet for the parents, grandparents and others to keep up to date daily about our camp experience http://troop168summercamp.blogspot.com/2009/06/camp-alexander-2009.html Those interested could read a daily synopsis of our trip, view pictures and leave comments.

Why do all of this?
It goes back to staying connected and building relationships. Sure we are 100% boy run but the buy in and encouragement of the adult at home is critical to Scout success and retention. We have many involved parents but there are also those that due to other obligations will not be able to attend campouts and meetings. Connecting to the Troop through social networking gives them the inside scoop of our activity and in way lets them in the mind of the leaders who are spending so much time working with the youth. It also gives them another avenue for involvement and engagement.

What about you? Is your Unit leadership using social networking to stay connected, build relationships, and encourage retention? I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts.

Scouting and Twitter?

There are a few Scouting Twitter pros online such as @latterdayscout, @insanescouter, @kabiff @Scouterjeff @halfeaglebot and more. These folks are using Twitter to connect with others in the Scouting community, share information, spread the good news and the benefits of the program. Scouting is in so many ways a grassroots movement and Twitter truly defines what it means to be grassroots.

I saw a study just a few weeks ago that said 40% of the people who sign up quite Twitter within a few weeks. Is that you? Don’t give up if it is!

Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Always include an interesting avatar (picture). Many people will not follow someone with no picture
2. Write in interesting profile. This is your introduction to the Twitter world and should make a stranger think you would be interesting to follow.
3. Show off your personality with your Tweets. “Going to the bathroom” “On my way to the store”—Do I care? Well once we get to know you we might but when you start keep the Tweets informative and fun.
4. Share links—This is the best way to share new and information your followers might like.
5. Tweet right away—Sure you just have a few followers. Go ahead and start Tweeting as your were a superstar. If someone checks you out they will know what to expect
6. Follow the people your favorite twitter friend follows. For example, everyone I follow has some tie to Scouting.
7. Always send a direct message to new followers. This lets them know you really do appreciate they would be interested in you.
8. Be sure and follow back the people who follow you.(just be sure and skip the spammers)
9. Speaking of spammers—watch your followers closely and be sure an block inappropriate followers.
10. Be aggressive to add followers. A tool like Tweetdeck allows you to search for people using key words. I use this to find people that are tweeting about Scouting for example.

Twitter can be a lot of fun and a great way to build relationships as well as learn. Don’t let the difficulty of getting started discourage you.

Attention Twitter pros! What other tips would you have for others?

What are some of your best Twitter stories?

Leave a comment and let others know.