Gradations of communication, or why Twitter can't be compared to Facebook

Sometimes we (or at least I) fall into the trap of assuming that all social communication methods are equal, and that you can compare any two social media services on the same scale and decide which is better than the other.

But Russell Bishop reminds us that there are different purposes to communication, and some tools are better in some circumstances, some in others.

This is what he said:

There are multiple layers of social networking and the more we understand those layers, the more we will be able to create something meaningful beyond who had what for lunch today....

If the principal is about communication and connection, then it depends on what you mean by communication and connection. If it's just sharing data, then Twitter works great, whether you're letting people know that there's a plane on the Hudson, a shooter on the loose at school, or what movie you're going to see tonight....

If community, communication and connection mean finding people with shared interests, then sites like Facebook and LinkedIn can help people find resources or connections recommended by "friends," with the implication that these "connections" are more trustworthy.

If community, communication and connection mean something deeper, then we have a bit more complexity here.

More here.