Sep 28
Or maybe just shortening it? Hard to say, but I do know this. Ever since this thing matured, I have used it more and more for some of the things I used to rely on the blog for. Quick updates about projects, or posted artwork, or show notices, etc. I have to think it’s not just me that is seeing this effect. Ironically, I still reach far more daily readers with the site than I do with Twitter, yet it is what it is, and I am what I am.
Love to hear what you think about this little trend. Are services like Twitter changing the way we get crap from people and sites that interest us?
If anything, Twitter is giving power back to blogs. Twitter is for things that we want to say, but that aren’t worth blogging about. Blogs are what we use when we have something substantial to say or share.
Agreed. Twitter can be used as a useful tool to draw people into blogs and a more meaningful conversation.
Well said, Sokk. I think I agree with that.
@ Sokkratez agreed.
But it would be nice that you could discuss blogs via twitter, My all time dream every single thing is truly connected, and everything you do on one place shows in every other place.. I just hate having to check out 4 different accounts on 4 different places, and updating every single one of them separated…The twitter/facebook connection is a start..
twitter will never be enough for people who actually have something important to say
Now that I hear this, I think I understand why I have been feeling like updates to a couple blogs I normally follow have been slow/missing. I still don’t get Twitter. Too much fluff and not enough content for me…at least the last time I looked at it which was months ago.
Honestly Scott, as someone who isn’t into Twitter, I think it is hurting blogs a little. Specifically, your blog. There just isn’t as much content here as there used to be. Sure you update your comics and what not as faithfully as ever, but the cool stuff you used to link seems few and far between now. Don’t get me wrong, I still daily the site on the off chance you do, but I miss the pre-Twitter era. Good times.
Agreed. I need to get back on the saddle a bit, but post more meaty stuff while I am at it. You make a good point.
I agree with badgersmasher. ExtraLife.com used to be a place I’d visit several times a day because Scott was always posting stuff to the blog. Not to mention the several, almost monthly theme changes to the site. I know theme-changing can be a pain, but it’s sort of the thing I respect by paying a visit to a website. Admiring its creative design as well as the content. You always got a feeling, in your case Scott, about the artist and the type of work he/she does. Something Twitter doesn’t quite offer at this point.
Don’t get me wrong, Twitter is a nice outpost and it is a good tool for lesser things, but it shouldn’t deter you from returning to the mothership.
also well said
YES. and that’s fine.
-@rexbasior
didn’t think i’d love twitter, but i totally totally do — and i can especially see why you, scott have latched onto it so much. when you did update your blog more, most of your entries really were twitter updates — quick thoughts and mostly links. every once in a while you’d pose more deep thoughts in the form of a long-form blog entry and those were great too — when they came around. when something is important it deserves the attention. one thing i don’t miss about many blogs is the endless wordplay about nothing that would have been awesome as 140 characters.
I think part of the problem I see, atleast with my industry which is very technologically progressive is that, a lot of the time a blog will be about an issue or a thought of something that has been ‘itching’ the author.
Twitter allows not only somewhere to releive that itch but also a much quicker response from people, given that most people following you will most likely share some interests, so its a lot more immediate. And once you’ve written out your feelings it feels vein to repeat them in a much lengthier version on a blog or blessay.
Big complex issues will still get blessays and blog posts but the smaller issues and, more noticable discussions will be dominated by twitter I feel.
Just my two cents
I think that due to Twitter information on Bloggs is more accurate, better post’s more information. Twitter takes out the sometimes “useless” blogpost’s out and keep the blog free from little useless stuff. I am not so much a blogger, but I am a blogjunky. I follow a few on a daily basis, and since twitter there is a bit less information on those blogs, but than again, the information quality has improved.
blogs are open community twitter is a closed community
Haha, I just tweeted this.
I do have to say though that people are like water and will always go the route of least resistance.
I’ve been thinking about this for a while and, somewhat similarly to Kortschot, I think it’s a good thing (I’m talking about blogs in general, rather than any specific one). It’s revealed that a lot of blog posts are just excessive attempts to express a simple message.
I’d much prefer to read someone’s 140 character Tweet, then read three or four unneccesary paragraphs on a blog.
It seems that Twitter is indeed slowly draining some bloggers away from their blogs i.e. Jeff Green, who talked about it in his last blogpost. Joe Rogan has also been Tweeting like hell and not posting any blogs.
This post was too long. I can’t concentrate on anything more than 140 characters now.
Yeah the problem I’m having is that I can’t sit on Twitter all day updating it, so I am missing so many of everyone’s tweets.
It’s much easier to refresh an RSS feed and open the posts I have missed.
Twitter appears to be a nice addition to blogs. Twitter loads quicker on my iphone than most blogs so it is easier to keep up to date.
Blogs killed newspapers. Newspapers commissioned Twitter to kill blogs.
Yes, Twitter is scratching your “I gotta tell somebody” itch that would otherwise result in a blog post. Case in point: I don’t see anywhere near the number of updates here on the blog as I used to. I’d much rather hear about your goings-on here on MyExtraLife.com.
Signed,
Old Man Fletcher.
Twitter is only good for famous people such as you Scott. It’s not good for normal people like me. You can’t have a meaningful conversation on twitter do to the limitation of characters and content. I predict the hype of it will end up dying in the next three years and people will revert back to blogs because of the want for a more meaningful connection.
Again, it probably works for you and Ashton Kutcher because of your large fan base, but for normal Joe Shmoe, it’s just no good.
Twitter just got rid of pointless blogging. Blogging is now maturing into a more serious platform for opinion writing. When you’re just trying to get a quick thought off Twitter is perfect, but when you want to deliever a full out thought then a blog is the way to go. I think Twitter complements a full out blog very well and can deliver insight you couldn’t get with just a blog alone.
My problem with Twitter is that I am just not that interesting – I have tried and tried to get into twitter – but I don’t even care about some of the things I do so why would anyone else. I post things that I find or Like, but blogging to me is where I get most of my “Joy” info and stuff I feel needs to be put out.
Scott, I too think your blog has suffered a little from your twitter getting so much attention. However I think it could be easilly remedied if you changed your blog’s layout a bit.
You do have a two collumn layout. Most of the stuff on the right I ignore, but I was thinking if you changed all that to an expanded Twitter column it’d be a lot more interesting. Instead of that little widget, have a full on column on the right that has all your twitter updates. Video URLs would instead embed the whole video. Same with picture links.
I think by incorporating Twitter into your blog as a mini blog that sits side by side your meatier stories, your website will be the one shop spot to read all you have to say instead of diverting our attention between two different sites. Let’s face it, that little widget just isn’t enough
Ditto. When I visit the site, it looks like there’s nothing going on, but I KNOW that you’re tweeting some good stuff. I, too, would like to see a Twitter column.
I just reviewed Mr. Johnson’s posts over the last month. Jeez, just how twitchy do I have to be to think that “one post a day” = “nothing going on?” What kind of unreasonable expectations do I have?
I feel like I have 2k lagg just started my blog (click on my name to see) and now its getting killed already mheee
“changing the way we get crap from people”
yeah i think that phrase hits the nail on the head..
~
if it’s crap, put it in twitter.
if it’s an essay on how paying real world money for things in game is bad because it breaks the fourth wall and cheapens the role experience, then that merits a blog post.
i think the thing that makes me hate twitter is it’s not interactive. you post something on the blog, people can click on it, and read all of our stupid opinions about whatever was posted. somebody puts up a “tweet”, it just shows up in the column and i can’t respond.
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ok so maybe no one wants to respond and that’s exactly what twitter is for (if used properly)
does that mean nobody cares? if we have nothing good to say in response?
To be honest, I don’t read a lot of your tweets, but I do thake the time to read each one of your blog posts.
Tweets are easy to miss, and they should be. If I’d have to read every tweet in detail and visit every retweeted link, I’d go nuts. Blog articles are on average more readworthy, because you put a lot of time and effort into writing them.
I suppose it’s due to that you already had a loyal following on this site at the time that Twitter “broke big time” that most of your traffic still comes from this site.
Building a new audience merely with Twitter is an uphill battle, and as a strategy to reach new readers would be foolish to use exclusively. It’s been said before but bears repeating: blogs are here to stay for those longer posts that require thought, proofing, organization and spell-checking.
I treat my tweets as seeds, and conversely back them up using a third-party service because many can be nurtured and grown into webcomic gags. It’s a scratchpad and notepad “in the cloud”.
Since I’ve linked my twitter to my facebook they are the same thing in my mind. I think what you need Scott is a way to twitter to your blog. Maybe something like “r blog short but blog-worthy message”
I have a problem with twitter, I love the idea, love the service, but its broken.
I check around 20 different blogs / webcomics / websites a day. When I added all the people to twitter so I could keep track of them in one place. Along with a few other cool twitter feeds I ended up getting so many darn tweets I couldnt keep up with them.
Add to that so many of those people were just talking to each other about things as mundane as the weather, or inside jokes I have absolutely no interest in. I felt uncool, and alienated for not knowing what they are talking about, and I’m sure you understand that alienating your viewers is Definitely a big no-no.
I would much rather go to each respective bloggers site (which is so darn easy with bookmark folders and “open all in tabs” with firefox) and see what they are up to.