The Twitter Effect On Blogging

Posted by Scott Williams
16 Comments
November 29, 2009
Blog Stuff | Twitter

twitter effectSeveral months ago I shared a post entitled Twitterblogology.  This post provided some tips to help leverage Twitter for your blog.  Twitter has had a huge impact on blogging and this post will outline some of those effects.

The Twitter Effect On Blogging:

Less Comments- The overall number of comments on blogs has been reduced due to the Twitter Effect.  Many blog readers are driven to blogposts via tweets, therefore creating an extra click, which mentally can be perceived as what would have been a click to the comment section.  Blog readers will make a comment on a post through their retweet, instead of inside the comment section i.e. (Check out this post… great read, must read, I totally agree with this blogpost, great twitter tips, reading The Twitter Effect On Blogging etc.)

More Exposure- Any blog can receive maximum exposure if the blogger produces consistently good content.  Each post is just a retweet away from a high profile Twitterer getting a hold to it and sharing it with their followers.  The ability to push blog content into the twittersphere is a total game changer.  I had one Twitter Tip post retweeted by actress @ alyssa_milano, @mayhemstudios, @guykawasaki  and @ twitter_tips that resulted in over 500 readers on my blog at one time.  Ability to push blogposts, results in the ability to get exposed, in a good way.

Less Use Of RSS Readers: The fact that many bloggers share their latest blogposts via twitter has minimized the need to hit-up the RSS reader.  Since it’s somewhat difficult to keep up with the flow of all tweets; blog readers will still check out their RSS feed, just not as often.

More Unique Readers: Retweets create instant exposure to unique “tribes” as Seth Godin refers to them.  In other words the multiplication factor of retweets creates opportunities to be exposed to a very unique and diverse group of readers that would otherwise never have visited John Q Blog.

I could go on and on about the More and Less Effects that Twitter has had on blogging.  The bottom line is that The Twitter Effect On Blogging has been More Positive and Less Negative.  Keep blogging, write consistently good content, share your posts with the twittersphere and The Twitter Effect On Blogging will take care of itself.

Share your thoughts and experiences as it relates to “The Twitter Effect On Blogging.”

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  • http://www.thechurchofnopeople.com Matt @ The Church of No People

    I almost RTed rather than commented! But really, I think you’re right, in a general sense. I can’t believe I was on the fence about Twitter a few months ago. Traffic from Twitter hasn’t been huge, but it’s added a good chunk of visitors. A few people RT, and those are usually people who don’t comment. Don’t know if they would comment otherwise, but I’ll take it anyway.

    All in all, it’s a tradeoff, but a positive one.

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  • http://www.thecreativebridge.com Jon O

    What plug-ins are you using to track this info? I’m building my blog now and am going nuts with all the plug-in options. I doubt they’re all the same, so I’m asking the pros what they like.

  • http://synapticlight.com/ Phillip Gibb

    Hi,

    I wonder how many people just reweet the link in the hope to gain exposure for themselves.
    or how many people merely click the link the check that it’s ok and then pass it on.
    Personally I would have 5 comments over a 1000 hits, esp if they are engaging and thoughtful. Twitter sometimes feels like a big echo chamber. For sure, I have found more readers through it but don’t you think it just generates more bounce than loyalty?

    Phill

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  • http://blog.ourchurch.com Paul Steinbrueck

    Hey Scott, insightful post. For the most part I agree with all points, except I wonder about there being fewer comments.

    I agree that some people will tweet their thoughts rather than post them in a comment. However, I’ve seen an increase in comments on both of the blogs I manage. I believe its because the rate of more exposure/unique visitors is greater than the % of people who tweet instead of comment. That’s just my personal observation, though. It probably varies with the blogger/twitterer.

  • http://travismamone.blogspot.com Travis

    Yeah, I’ve noticed that most of my readers come from either Facebook or Twitter, yet only 5 people subscribe to my RSS feed.

  • http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com Brockley Nick

    Interesting post. I’m a hyperlocal blogger and I’ve definitely noticed that some of the site’s most loyal readers (who I regularly communicate with via Twitter) are now choosing twitter to discuss articles amongst themselves, rather than engaging in wider debate on the site. I think that’s a bit of a loss in terms of the quality of debate.

    On the other hand, Twitter also consistently drives about 7% of total traffic to my site and plenty of the stories I tweet about get retweeted, so I believe it’s definitely helping the site reach a broader audience.

  • Gloria

    Twitter has definitely had an effect on a whole lot more than blogging. Because of my (personal) schedule and timing, I actually do subscribe to the RSS of blogs that interest me and I try my best to leave a comment….Not to pat anyone’s ego, but for them to know that their being used, people are appreciating their content and being helped by it. As for me and my blodge (a.k.a. blog), I’m still working on trying to get interesting enough…LOL. I just can’t “hang” w/the big “dogs”……

    Thank YOU for always bloging, being consistent and bringing good content.

  • http://www.twitter.com/marcmillan Marc Millan

    No doubt twitter brings to my attention many blogs, even if I have never read them before but to keep em coming back you have to have great content over all. It’s also how you sell it, some people flat out do a dry sell on twitter and that turns me off, say something interesting, use your personality, you bog don’t you? Intrigue me..then I’m in.

  • http://www.samrag.com SamRag

    Good article, though I must agree with Paul Steinbrueck regarding that most likely there will be more comments due to higher exposure.
    What we need is more of what Mashable does, where they include the tweeting below their comments. I would like it in a more concise manner though – as scrolling through most of the short tweets is pointless.

  • Scott Williams

    Matt- Thanks for sharing and being from a church of no people. :-)
    Jon O- Sitemeter is great, I’ll shoot you an email with my fav. plg-ins.
    Paul- You are probably right about it depends upon the blogger, over the years much of my interaction happens on twitter.
    Phillip- I prefer subscribers over commenters, but I really like em’ all LOL
    Travis- thx
    Brockley- thx for your perspective
    Gloria- Well said and thx for the kind words… keep writing, everyone is a big dog in blogging because of twitter right!
    Marc- Well said… you just need to start blogging!
    SamRag- Mashable is the most used word in the English Language in 2009… Mashable got serious game!

  • http://metropolitanmama.net Stephanie

    Just retweeted.

    But…I decided to comment as well. ;)

    In this fast-paced and immediate world of social media, it is inevitable that time will be divided. People can’t be active on Twitter, Facebook, Digg, AND other blogs PLUS produce their own content so they tend to “pick-and-choose” their favorite mode for transmitting and receiving information. Hence, the “fewer comments” phenomenon. I have definitely noticed that on my blog, by the way…which, I admit, makes me a bit sad.

  • http://www.imintheloop.us/ Jonathan Streeter

    “I wonder how many people just reweet the link in the hope to gain exposure for themselves.” -Phill

    I would guess 80-85%.

    It really makes for a lot of useless NOISE.

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