Is it Tweet-Worthy?

Consider this a PSA to all the Twitter newbies (Tweetophytes?) out there trying to figure out what is and is not appropriate to tweet.


For chrissakes, nobody cares...

• what song you're listening to.
• that another driver cut you off. (You shouldn't be driving under the tweetfluence anyway!)
• that the person next to you on the train smells.
• that you're sick.
• that you're feeling better.
• that your Porsche is in the shop.
• that you're happy it's Friday. (That makes all of us.)
• that someone is about to go onstage at a panel. (Now, what they say on that panel is a different story!)
• what you're eating.
• about a picture of what you're eating.
• about anything you have to say while you're on the toilet. (Thx @Jacqui_Cooper!)
• the trials and tribulations of your relationships (hat tip to @KrisMcDermott)
• how many reps you did at the gym or miles on the treadmill (another one from Kris)
• that someone else tweeted about you. (In other words, don't retweet a tweet just because you're mentioned in it!)
• that your plane is delayed... again.
• what you think of the American Idol voting results.
• who you think we should follow. (#FollowFriday)

However, we do what to know...

• what decision you're trying to make? (Maybe we can help!)
• what funny line you just overheard.
• what restaurant you really recommend.
• how good that movie was.
• where you'll be hanging out tonight. (Just in case we want to join you.)
• about that awkward situation you just found yourself in.
• where to find good deals on just about anything.
• your top 10 lists.
• where we can find pictures of odd things you encountered during your day. (Just make sure they're funny odd!)
• what you think of the new Microsoft search engine. (You're enjoying my barrage of tweets about Bing, right @ErikEngman?)
• what song the band just played at the concert.
• that you just got arrested.
• that you just posted something to your blog. (I know some people will argue with me here but I think promoting your blog posts are fair game. Twitter's the new RSS.)
• what funny headline @TheOnion just ran. (So retweet away!)
• what you think of the "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here" voting results. (Just kidding.)
• what you think is a #SignOfTheTimes.

So, do us all a favor and next time your ADD kicks in and Twitter is the only thing within reach, stop and ask yourself, "Is it Tweet-worthy?" Oh, and this goes for Facebook updates too, capiche?

Update: @duey23 makes a good point, "What you might NOT find worthy, some mom in Wyoming MIGHT."

And @RonKJeffries weighs in with "chained tweets" as being decidedly unworthy -- aka "RT @abx RT@zxc RT somebody." (If you're that many steps removed from the original tweet, you don't have the right to retweet it!)

Keep 'em coming gang and I'll keep updating this post!

Update 2: Indeed. RT @IanSohn @AaronGoldman You forgot a classic "Sorry I haven't tweeted all day." Gosh, we were so worried.

Update 3: Here's another to add to the Do-Not-Tweet list -- anything about how much you hate your job or the project/task you're working on at the time. Not only should you be thankful you have a job but your boss or client might read it and you may find yourself soon without one!

Update 7/17: Wondering what the best practices are for corporate Twitter accounts? Just posted, "Is it Tweet-Worthy? Corporate Edition."

Bing Is Not Much Different Than Google

So what's wrong with that?!?

Breaking the Google Habit: A 12 Step Program

1. Admit you are powerless. Life without Google is unmanageable.

2. Believe that there is a greater resource out there. Not just a better search engine. Nor a decision engine. Not even a life engine. Let's call it an algorithm. Oh wait, that's didn't work. How about the Big G? Scratch that, too close for comfort. Just believe in something greater, ok?

3. Remove all toolbars. Even if they don't default to Google, the temptation will always be there lurking on your browser.

4. Disable all Google alerts. If something is that important you'll find out about it sooner or later. Isn't that what Twitter's for anyway?

5. Quit Gmail, YouTube, Blogger, Picasa, Google Maps, GOOG-411 and all those other Google-owned products. They were only created to try and get you to do more searches.

6. Stop using AOL. It'll only send you right back into the clutches of the disease, er... Google SERPs.

7. Tell your mother to stop using AOL. While she's finally figured out that AOL is not the Internet, she does have a nasty habit of "Googling" everything and telling you to Google it too. She is an enabler.

8. Don't read blogs. Most of them are supported by Google AdSense. The more you read, the more likely you are to click on an ad and feed the beast.

9. Don't do any research projects, write papers or any other activities that requires fact-checking and citation. They will only have you knocking on Satan's, er... Sergey's door.

10. Make a list of people to reach out to and make amends with them. Apologize for all the searching you'd been doing and vow to come to them first for directions, restaurant reviews, sports scores and other requests for information. If they tell you to Google it, de-friend them (in real life, not on Facebook) -- they are not your real friends. They are enablers.

11. Take personal inventory of all your assets. That goes for health records, desktop files, books, etc. You don't need Google to keep them at the ready for you. Just make copies yourself and store them in a safe place. Remember to do this on a daily basis, though, so you always have the most updated versions.

12. Have a spiritual awakening. Move into a cabin in Montana where the Internet cannot reach you. Live a life of soltitute and desolation. Write a manifesto decrying technology. Never worry about needing that pesky Google again. But, please, stop short of sending bombs in the mail.

Breaking Up (with Google) Is Hard to Do

My name is Aaron Goldman and I'm a Googlaholic.

It's been nearly 24 hours since I last Googled anything.

I've been trying to get clean for about 6 days since I first received my preview code for Bing. And let's just say it hasn't been easy.

When I first decided to do a review of Bing, I thought the only way to give it a fair shot was to use it exclusively. Sure, Bing performed well against my first few queries but how would it hold up when I was in a pinch and desperate to find information, er... make a decision, quick?

Gord Hotchkiss and Danny Sullivan have written extensively about the Google Habit and how hard it is to break so I won't get into the psychology behind it. I'll just echo their sentiments and share my personal story...

Google has a hold on me. Over the past 6 days, I've found myself absent-mindedly navigating to the Google toolbar, typing a few keywords, and hitting enter before cursing myself and Binging it. I wonder if this is how smokers feel?

Heck, I even have a Firefox search box defaulted to Bing at the top right of my browser but my instinct is always to go left where I've come to know over the years that Google will be waiting for me.

I need a patch. Not something to give me my Google fix at low-levels throughout the day. I literally need a patch that I can use to cover up my Google toolbar so I know not to use it. Why not just disable it, you say? As a marketing professional with a huge stake in SEO, I need to see Page Rank info for sites I'm visiting. Note to self: Bing around to find other SEO toolbars.

Another thing I need to do is stay away from enablers. All those people who are constantly telling me to "Google it." And I probably need to give up my duties as a regular Search Insider contributor. In preparing this week's column I had to use Google a few times to find obscure articles and blog posts I needed to reference and came up short Binging them.

Hmm, looks like I've got the makings of a treatment plan here. OK, let me cut this post off and start working on my next one... "Breaking the Google Habit: A 12 Step Program." Stay tuned!

Bing: "Google Caused the Recession"

...At least that's what I took away from the first Bing TV ad uncovered by AdAge today.

In my Search Insider column, #2 on my list of things Bing must do to catch up to Google was create memorable advertising. While this ad may check that box, I'm not sure it's in a good way. About all I can remember is that bad search engines are apparently the cause of the economic meltdown. That said, the high-pitched "bing" sound at the end stuck with me. And, ultimately, that's the only thing they need viewers to recall.

One thing I found particularly odd here was that they talked about "keywords" and "queries" as if they were 4-letter words. Let's not throw the babies out with the bathwater here, Bing. Remember you still need marketers to spend their money on your "keywords" and "queries" if you hope to recoup the $100 mil. you spent on advertising and the countless more millions spent on R&D for the product.

Here's the spot...



Update: Just caught the 2nd Bing TV spot and liked it much better. Check out the ad and my review on Good Commercial Bad Commercial.

To Catch a Predator, er... Market Leader

As promised in my lengthy Bing review, today's Search Insider column focuses on what Bing needs to do to catch Google. And, no, it has nothing to do with deploying Chris Hansen and a video crew to catch rogue searchers in the act. Although that might make a better ad than this one.

Here's the the recap. Hit up MediaPost for my full commentary.

10 Things Bing Must Do To Catch Google

1. Have a catchy slogan.
2. Create memorable advertising.
3. Don't change the name.
4. Tighten up the relevancy filter.
5. Buy Yahoo's search assets.
6. Buy Twitter.
7. Get more distribution.
8. Incorporate the social graph.
9. Run display ads.
10. Continue lobbying against Google.

Green Means Go for Google eBooks

Last week I wrote about why Google got out of Print and Radio but kept its TV platform. Short answer is that it's all about the signal that the Satellite TV is able to give Google about how ads and content were being consumed -- much like the web.

This week comes word that Google is getting into the eBooks business. I shared my POV with MediaPost and am cited in this article covering the news...

Google eBook Deal Could Provide Interaction With Ads

"Web-enabled devices, such as ebook readers, provide feedback. Google exited radio and print because information suggesting advertising worked wasn't available, but TV enables them to track interaction through set-top boxes. Aaron Goldman, managing partner at Connectual, says it's not only tracking response, but engagement with the ad. Google relies on that learning algorithm to provide services."

Update 6/4: AdWeek's Brian Morrissey posted some good thoughts on his personal blog about the "advertising feedback loop"in the context of Digg's new social ad units. Another example of the power of the signal.