Dear Seth,
You have horrible timing. I just finished writing a blog post and was getting ready to head out and start my day, when, via @sethgodin, I find out that you’ve blogged about building a reputation over time via Twitter. Arrrgh. Now I have to cancel my plans and sit down and respond.
You see, I’ve got a beef with the way you use Twitter. Because you don’t use it. I love discovering your posts via Twitter, but Twitter Seth doesn’t follow anyone and as far as I can tell has never sent a message to anyone. It’s exclusively a one way relationship. I called out Twitter Seth on this a while ago here and here. Since then, I found out that it’s not you. Which I actually think is worse because if it’s true, you’ve ceded control of your brand over to someone else.
You might think that there’s no damage being done, but I’d argue that there’s a LOT of damage being done. What you’ve got is “Seth Godin,” the relationship marketing guru, with your face and everything, out there amongst an audience that is at the forefront of social media and participatory marketing, and you’re not participating or being social. While I’m sure everyone loves the updates on your blog posts as much as I do, it misses the point.
And then when I saw your post this morning about Twitter letting you build up a reputation over time and plan ahead for that sale, I wept. Because what’s happening with “Seth Godin” on Twitter runs completely counter to what you’re talking about on your blog. They are diametrically opposed points of view. On the one hand, Blog Seth says, “Use Twitter to build long term relationships looking toward the future.” On the other hand, Twitter Seth says, “Don’t talk to me because I won’t talk to you. Oh…and go read my blog.”
Hopefully, there’s a really simple explanation and I’m way off in the way I’m reading things. I’d love to know if Twitter Seth is you or someone else. And if it’s not you, who is it? And what’s your take on the way that your brand has been co-opted among a key audience for you?
I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at @ryankuder on Twitter.
Other than that, I love your work, keep it up.
Cheers,
Ryan
23 responses so far ↓
1 Colin Fast // Apr 11, 2008 at 10:20 am
It’s not him, just a fan account: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/02/02/when-seth-godin-isnt-seth-godin/
2 Ben Kunz // Apr 11, 2008 at 10:24 am
Amazing post. Hard to read, really, because Seth is an icon, and this argument feels like complaining about Santa Claus.
Having said that, I think use of Twitter should be in or out — either be real and genuine and personal and put up with the overload spray of microhyperblogger telepathy, or avoid it. Using it solely to push PR about blog posts or books feels plain wrong.
Note to self: Stop pushing TinyURLs at people, and focus more on being real.
3 Garret Ohm // Apr 11, 2008 at 10:28 am
Amen. I’ve wondered this for quite some time now. It seems like such an insightful man would understand that this isn’t the right way to be, and that writing that blog post only pours salt on the wound.
4 Seth Godin // Apr 11, 2008 at 11:27 am
Okay, well first: you can blog about anything you want whether or not I do! I don’t mind, and your readers will treasure your pov. Too much in parallel online for people to think you’re stealing.
Second, I’m not sure ‘cede’ is the right word, is it?
Third, If I twit, and do it well, as Garret seems to say, then what shall I give up? I already don’t sleep or comb my hair…
5 Ryan Kuder // Apr 11, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Seth, thanks for the response. I think ‘cede’ is the right word–to yield or grant. If you’ve got someone else who you don’t know pretending to be you, then that’s in effect what’s happened. What if they started commenting as you? Saying things you wouldn’t say? Just like if someone was blogging or Tweeting as Ryan Kuder–I’d have lost a bit of control of my brand (not that it’s a huge brand, mind you). If you do know them and they do it under your supervision, then you’re right, ‘cede’ is the wrong word.
I get the time crunch. But people are talking about (and to) Seth Godin on Twitter. A real Seth Godin on Twitter would be a great way to stay in touch with your 1000 true fans. An easy idea would just be to follow everyone back. You can do that pretty quickly at TwitterKarma. It would get rid of the talk about how Seth doesn’t follow anyone.
An occasional read, once or twice a week, would give you a view on what your fans are saying–about you and everything else. One occasional response from you could create lots of goodwill among your fans. And we are all fans, otherwise we wouldn’t be following.
Oh…and you could quit shaving. I hear that bald with beard is going to be HUGE this year.
6 Dan Morelle // Apr 11, 2008 at 12:31 pm
How do we even know that was the real Seth responding?
7 Seth Godin // Apr 11, 2008 at 1:14 pm
It’s the real me… code name ‘kaos.’ But (last post, promise)
1. I have no idea how to kick someone off my name. What if they have the same name? Is this a productive use of my time if all this person is doing is reposting my blog? That’s not dishonest or wrong, it’s sort of a nice service
and
2. if I start following people on Twitter, I owe them more than checking in once or twice a week, that’s for sure.
8 Michael Zensius // Apr 11, 2008 at 1:43 pm
When we start being “brands” we’re all a little screwed, and not in a good way. Twitter and plain old blogging is just writing. The minute you stop reading what I write and start reading something that “Michael Zensius Inc.” (or similar) wrote, I’ve lost a whole bunch of credibility.
Let’s not be brands. Let’s be writers. And if Seth decides not to write at Twitter anymore, that’s cool by me. It’s fun to be followed there, it’s even more fun to get replies. The latter is vastly a subset of the former, and brands don’t reply, often because they’re too busy replying.
It’s the biggest potential problem with Twitter. We’re all following too many people to have any idea what most of them are saying. I like Twitter, and I post there a lot, but I’m never very confident that I’m being read, even by close friends. They’re just following too many people to count on the fact that they’re reading me. That goes triple for the “brands” that have auto-followed me.
Just saying. I’m probably just bitter having to work this weekend, but there you are anyway.
9 Ben Kunz // Apr 12, 2008 at 9:08 am
After following this thread, which is quite wonderful, I think I respect Seth for taking a pass on Twitter. Social media isn’t really about “tools” — or having to use all of them — but about communicating with a network. If I build a deck, I don’t have to use the handsaw if my power saw works fine. If I want to build a community, I should be able to select only the tools I want.
Twitter, in my mind, is the most problematic of all social tools because its minimal format has led people to use it (and perhaps abuse it) in so many ways. Some “spam” as you note in your prior post; some are deeply personal with just a few friends; some cool-hunt with TinyURLs; some somehow interact with the world.
I’ve slowly been ramping up my Twitter network but have had to abort some people, such as Robert Scoble, who overwhelmed me with 10 million Tweets and made me lose my close friends. If I decide to follow only 25 people, and post only personal items, that’s my choice, because I really want to learn from them … and I can’t if I’m drowning.
If Seth decides not to use it at all, that’s fine, too. Because it’s not the tool that counts. It’s the human connection.
10 Lisa // Apr 13, 2008 at 10:05 am
Super post. I loved the fact that Seth responded.
I agree with Ben about managing carefully your twitter network.
In any case, I appreciate the interesting tidbits I discover from people I respect (like you) through the OCCASIONAL url in a tweet. It’s about moderation with urls– isn’t that always the case.
11 Joseph Jaffe // Apr 14, 2008 at 3:40 am
To his credit, Seth always responds. Personally.
I once criticized him for not opening up his blog to comments, but truthfully, it’s his choice and I respect it.
Ultimately it’s up to the people that follow him (either on Twitter, his blog etc..) to choose whether they want to switch him off or continue to digest his premium IP for free. I suspect most people will choose the latter
12 BarbaraKB // Apr 14, 2008 at 6:20 am
There are *many* ways to use (and abuse) Twitter. And, frankly, I admire them all! Even Seth Godin allowing *fake* Seth to post blog posts. Why? Because it’s all so new - and yet old.
The old: Social Networking (and Media) sites work based on time & effort put in by user thus good old fashioned networking. And if Twitter is not your network (which it is *not* for all but one of my clients) then don’t bother. But know, Social Networking sites are changing the way people use the Web. Decide on a network and stick to it. (Thanx for allowing me to comment, Ryan.)
13 Patricia Skinner // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:47 am
Michael Zensius–we are all brands whether we like it or not. That’s the whole point of this discourse, lol.
14 Don The Idea Guy // Apr 14, 2008 at 11:09 am
I think when you hit a level like Godin — or Peters, or Jaffe, or Gitomer, or insert your favorite guru here — a certain amount of scarcity increases their value. Faberge Eggs are considered both beautiful and valuable, but would we afford them the same level of admiration if they sold them in foam cartons by the dozen at the local grocery?
15 Darla // Apr 14, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Even if it is a fan account, it is humanly impossible for anyone to be everywhere all the time, and his name has become somewhat like a brand. If he does someday have to ‘outsource’ it, I don’t blame him…but yes, people need the personal touch.
16 Peter Corbett // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Humm..I’m not sure Seth twittering would be like putting Faberge Eggs in a foam carton.
Re: what to give up in order to twitter - do it while you do something else…like when walking to the grocery store, or at a baseball game. It’s really no time investment at all…i twitter constantly and seem to be keeping my business and life afloat pretty well and have an insane schedule just like another else.
http://www.twitter.com/corett3000
17 Twitter Fight! (kinda) « MyMediaMusings // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:37 pm
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18 Kirk Skodis // Apr 14, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Seth’s post is simply advocating the use of Twitter. That’s all. I agree with his point. Whether he tweets or not is irrelevant to the point. Leave the guy alone. Walking the Talk is overrated.
19 Michael Zensius // Apr 16, 2008 at 8:03 am
“Michael Zensius–we are all brands whether we like it or not. That’s the whole point of this discourse, lol.”
Hi Patricia!
Wow, no, I’m not a brand. I’m a writer. I post some of the stuff I write on the internet, at my website. I am not marketed, or advertised.
Probably off topic, but I’d love to hear how that makes me a brand, and if so, what a brand actually is.
But good morning nonetheless!
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