Which one…Facebook or Twitter? Twitter as “Glue.”

Social Media is the topic on every marketer’s mind in 2009.  And, frequently, the question is “which one should our product be on, Facebook or Twitter?”

The answer can be seen in two parts, and neither answer is definitive:

- First.  Social Media is already a vast landscape.  There are many vertical solutions (specific to a consumer or product category) that may be more appropriate than the broad public (horizontal) connection of Facebook or Twitter. Therefore, while horizontal options may be useful space for a conversation about a product, there are frequently web social venues much more specific to the category that will attract and return a deeper consumer involvement in a particular brand. This answer, however, overlooks the real usefulness of Twitter.

Enter the second answer.

- Second. Twitter is becoming a social media “glue.” That is, the question is not about a choice between which of the two most popular Social Media sites should be used. Twitter, rather, is different than Facebook in that it allows a quick synopsis of several social web assets. The selection of these assets is completely user customizable, of course. Users get a quick look at a range of topics of their choosing—and by following the links in Tweets can be introduced to web assets that are new to them.  The “headline” appears in Twitter and users can quickly click through to the topic selected.  Twitter is not the place for the complete deep discussion. It is, however, the “ticker” of information that users have expressed an interest in staying in touch with.

It follows then, that some are beginning to call Twitter the glue that holds social media assets together.