Hello devoted and/or passing readers,

Please follow my blog by tuning into it’s new address: http://www.gawrilla.com

Thanks,
Kevin

Editor’s Note: The author of this article is an avid Digg user and a contributing writer for a major Los Angeles news publication. This is his unfiltered rant.

The Diggbar is terrible. Now that that I got that out my system! What ticks me off more than anything is the unfavorable trends occurring with Digg.com. It is what has me recently shying away from this amazing resource of great (sometimes reoccurring) information. It’s this secret society of intelligent and money hungry, tech savvy robots in the digg community. Who are these people exactly, Kevin Rose? Loved you on Late Night, but we both know Jimmy Fallon had no idea about what you were talking about.

Look, I read articles all the time. I love to Digg. I find it is a great way to find new and interesting articles in a most timely fashion. I can consume everything on the site with no problem. The only issue stems when I try to share my stories with the Digg community. Posting a story to share on Digg is so easy to do and always impossible to make the front page, regardless of the quality of the content.

This is when I realized that Digg.com is the central hub for the secret society known as:

The Diggalotti.

Daa Daaa Daaaa! Don’t recognize the term? The Diggalotti are members of the Digg community who work in the ways of the secret order of the Illuminati. This all-controlling group of power hungry domineers run the world that is Digg. They Digg and they Digg-a-lot-i.

Power users. Names like MrBabyMan, d2002, etc. You’ve seen them. You’ve read their articles. Like information superhighway super troopers, they are able to do things that none of us can do. They manage to get to the front page with only 30 diggs. They can have a popularity ratio of 25%. Are they really that fast at posting up stories? Does duplicating other people’s stories affect their popularity? Jesus, I feel like its high school again on Digg where getting popular is easily attained so long as you accept shouts or anything that comes out their ass. If you want to have power too, you have to do what they do. I know, I know. Of course there are exceptions. There is always the random geek who gets in with the cool crowd. (See: Long Duk Dong)

They are probably great people. I have read about MrBabyMan and realize he does exist. But it also has me wondering about motives and the status of other power users. Digg is incredibly marketable. The digg effect can take a video and make it a hit viral sensation. It can take an article from some unknown blogger from Mauston, Wisconsin and make her the next bestselling author. It can take a potential Presidential candidate and make him think he’s about to take office. (Sorry, Ron)

If I was a corporation and I wanted to promote a soft drink, (maybe a funny viral video to that laughing kid who happens to be drinking a Coca-Cola) I would love more hits. Or if I worked at The New York Post, why not have a power user share the controversial Obama Chimp illustration to drive hits that day to the site. Are these users paid to spread the word about the next big blockbuster movie? Let’s say “2012.” That article by POWERUSERX about the world ending is only there to generate buzz even if it never mentions the movie. It’s strategic and it’s smart, but it makes me lose faith as an “regular” user. If I were a member of the Diggalotti, I would accept the money given to me by some marketing honcho at Universal Studios.

I’m not angry. I’m not a conspiracy theorist. I still love to Digg. I just wish I could contribute to Digg without having to think about the mystery behind the system or how to fit in. One thing is for certain, the All Seeing Eye is clearly there. The only thing I can hope is that Rick Roll isn’t behind all of this.

There is somewhat of a war waging between both the Twitter and FriendFeed services as of late.  More specifically, a “battle” between the services’ users.  For the most part, FriendFeed users LOVE FriendFeed and CAN’T STAND Twitter, whereas Twitter users LOVE Twitter and CAN”T STAND FriendFeed.  So, the natural follow-up to this debate is to ask the question: Who’s right?

Twitter, for better or for worse, has emerged into the mainstream.  FriendFeed, on the other hand, tends to “fly under the radar”, and seems to appeal only to the tech-savvy and early adopter crowds.  Mind you, this is exactly how Twitter once existed to the general public less than a year ago.  So, I guess the first topic to explore would be to see where Twitter went “right” and where FriendFeed went “wrong”.

How much is too much?

The common denominator in both the Twitter and FriendFeed services lie in their ability to facilitate converstation, acting as a “global chatroom,” where users are free to share their thoughts and see what others are talking about.

Twitter does exactly this, and only this.  Twitter remains an extremely minimalist service that has succeeded in creating its own platform for communicating…in short, 140-character capsules.
FriendFeed, on the other hand, takes this style of communication to the next level.  Users are able to bring in content from around the web to share and discuss material with no restrictions.  The platform is the quickest and most efficient “real-time” platform on the web allowing users to have conversations instead of just messages.  The service also boasts an amazing number of tools and filters to help users “cut through the noise.”

So why hasn’t everyone jumped onto FriendFeed?  It’s clearly more robust with features, doing everything Twitter does and much much more.  So why do the majority of people still prefer Twitter over Friendfeed?

The answer is: Simplicity and Familiarality.  Despite the fact that FriendFeed is a lot more powerful than Twitter, there is something to be said about the act of signing up, typing 140 characters, and becoming part of the Twittersphere.  Similarly, it is worth noting the insanely basic Twitter interface that everyone and their mother can relate to.  It’s quite possibly the most intuitive UI…it’s a stream of short messages…and THAT’S IT.
FriendFeed gives users a lot more freedom and little direction after signing up.  This is why the tech-savvy LOVE it, and the less technical CAN’T STAND it.  FriendFeed allows its users to use the service however they please, establish various feeds and filters, post to different networks, and tweak a ton of account settings.  Overall, FriendFeed falls short in the two areas Twitter excels in: Simplicity and Familiarality.  As Michael Arrington puts it, “FriendFeed Is In Danger Of Becoming The Coolest App No One Uses.”

So who wins the Race?

As Twitter’s user base and third party support continues to skyrocket, it would be hard to imagine someone dethroning the popular service.  That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for FriendFeed, however.  The service is way too powerful to die.  I think it is best summed up in a post by Alex Scoble (shown below).  He states, “Twitter is like a pager…friendfeed is like a smart cell phone…”  To which Justin Korn replies, “Not everyone needs the smart cell phone…just a basic one will do.”

Is FriendFeed just ahead of its time?  Will people eventually start to consider leaving Twitter for FriendFeed, just as many of us have ditched our basic cell phones for “smarter” ones?

Ironically enough, it is on these smart phones where a huge number of tweets are sent everyday.  The timing could not have been more perfect for Twitter.  Unfortunately for FriendFeed, it looks like they may have to wait in order for time to catch up with them.

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”

-Charles Caleb Colton (1780 – 1832)

There is an obvious trend that exists within today’s internet-based businesses.  Companies are “stealing” other companies’ ideas, concepts, and functionality.  Well, stealing may not be the most accurate description.  I believe the term borrowing may better sum up what is actually happening.  In any event, this post discusses the recent events of companies like Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, and Google; and how these internet giants and revolutionaries play an integral role in each other’s future development and innovation strategies.

Facebook to Stream “Real Time”

New Facebook: Twitter + FriendFeed + 175 million users

-VentureBeat Headline March 4, 2009

Perhaps the most noteworthy example of “Valley borrowing” involves the redesign of Facebook’s homepage.  In an effort to remain fresh, Facebook has taken a page out of Twitter’s playbook and will now be augmenting users’ ‘News Feed’ to incorporate a “real-time” stream of actions, comments, etc.

Twitter has garnered massive attention for their real time communication platform, and for good reason.  It seems as if everyone is now re-focusing their sites on incorporating some level of “real-time” communication.  It will be interesting to see how Facebook incorporates this microblogging functionality within their huge social network; and most importantly, how users will react and take to it.

FriendFeed Offers Up Free R&D

I had dinner with Scoble and Louis Gray, they both said that Friendfeed was Facebook’s R&D Department. Interesting, I think there’s some truth to it.

-Jeremiah Owyang

Maybe the biggest victim of “Valley borrowing” has been felt by FriendFeed.  So much so that they have even been referred to as the R&D department for several web-based companies.  This aggregation/life-streaming service has been imitated by various internet companies, but none more popular then by both Facebook and Google.

So What’s the Takeaway?

Imagine, for example, Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NIKE) released all of its product details, manufacturing processes, and company resources to the public.  In other words, everybody would have the ability to see how Nike manufactures any particular product, the costs associated, and where the resources are coming from.  This is a pretty wild concept for most.  But this describes how a web-based business exists to the general audience, and most importantly, to current and potential competitors; completely open and virtually barrier-free.  In essence, everybody becomes a source for research and development.

This illustrates why the web have matured so quickly.  Web businesses constantly feed off of their surroundings, augmenting, tweaking, and innovating on top of previous platforms.  And this is exactly why certain web technologies are adopted in such large quantities.  Imagine, again, that all companies operated like the Nike example above.  What sort of companies would take shape from this freedom of information?  Most likely, they would be some of the most efficient, and cost effective companies ever created.  And that is exactly what we are seeing in today’s web firms; some of the most productive “web hybrids” to date.

It boils down to the remaining open and transparent.  And we have seen the benefits in doing this.  Twitter’s open application programming interface (API) standard allowed the service to reach audiences well beyond its initial reach.  We are starting to see more and more web firms gravitate towards open API’s as a result.

The type of comeptition created by “Valley borrowing” is unbelievably fast-paced.  In just a matter of months,  a successful web firm may find themselves forced to shift focus in effort to keep from becoming obsolete.  Web firms are now expected to create the most complete platform possible for their customers/users.  And isn’t that what business is all about?  Creating the best most efficient product for the customer?

The web has shown the unique ability to progress, advance, and grow at an infinite rate, and at a ridiculous pace.  As this maturity takes place, we are sometimes forced to play catch up in order to stay current and utilize all of the web’s offerings.  This familiar scenario is exemplified when looking at businesses that operate on the web.  Since the popularization of e-commerce, businesses have found the internet (and rightfully so) to be a terrific platform for conducting their trade.   Nowadays, nearly all businesses have some sort of presence on the web.  You would be hard-pressed to find  a company without a website or at least some sort of online contact information.

Unfortunately for businesses, the quickly advancing web has now made this sort of online existence, “old school”, if you will.

The web has gone through a pretty large transformation since the first dot-com bubble in the late 90s to early 00s.    What was once a static and structured architecture is now a dynamic, user-driven platform.  The internet is now centralizing around users and their activity instead of solely spotlighting the businesses that provide the content.  The web has and continues to evolve into a huge social arena, connecting users across the vast landscape of the web.

So, how has this ’social web’ changed companies and their online presence?

It is not acceptable for companies to remain hidden behind their “corporate veils” anymore.  The web has given everyone a voice, and it is imperative for these businesses to start participating in the “conversation”.  We are seeing more and more companies utilizing social tools like blogs, Twitter, and various social networks in order to engage their current and potential customers.

Recently, Facebook found themselves in a sticky situation as they updated their terms of service (ToS).  A massive uproar soon followed.  Articles and blog posts filled the internet about the company and its unfair terms.  In response to the uproar, Facebook temporarily went back to its older ToS, and is now asking for user feedback while it drafts its replacement ToS, now known as its “Statement of Rights and Responsibilities.”

These are the types of actions that truly define a democratized business.  It stems from listening and interacting with customers.  Businesses who do not participate are at a huge disadvantage.  The evolution of the web has brought consumers together and has put businesses in a unique position.  In order to succeed, it is critical for businesses to start tapping into this network, giving their customers a voice, or else they stand a real chance of losing out to companies that do.

What is interesting about the Facebook ToS debacle is that the story broke immediately and spread to major news sources almost instantly.  Of course, Facebook, being the largest and most popular social network, will tend to receive lots of attention.  But you would assume from the number of stories written that this was an earth-shattering situation for all Facebook users.  Well, in fact, it turns out that only about 0.006% of Facebook users cared about this story!  I can only imagine what would happen if a majority of users were interested.

Point is, businesses must offer customers a voice.  Businesses who democratize and knock down their corporate barriers stand to gain a lot of attention and respect from the general audience.

“I’m nervous about sharing my ideas and putting them out into the open”

This is such a common sentiment shared by many aspiring entrepreneurs.  I’ve heard it time and time again.  It isn’t hard to understand why these individuals feel this way.  I mean, who wants their ideas to be stolen right out from underneath them?  Who wants to give up control of their beloved baby to some strangers?  Who can they trust?

These seemingly valid concerns are quickly discredited when you start to really evaluate the situation.  The majority (probably 98%) of these ideas are exactly that, just ideas.  In other words, nothing!  You don’t have control over anything because you don’t own your idea.  Similarly, worrying about someone stealing it is almost like worrying about someone stealing your air in a public park.  Please, do not worry about something you have little control over.  Instead, focus on the all important next step: spreading your ideas to whomever will listen.

Spread Your Ideas

Very rarely does an individual possess the skills and knowledge required in developing an idea into a working prototype (whatever form that may be) all by him/herself.   So, the natural next step is to tell close friends or family members…you know, those trustworthy individuals in your life.  You may still be reluctant to “tell the world” and face possible criticism.  My advice here is to focus on the close individuals that “get it” and forget the rest.  In other words, don’t spend hours trying to explain to Mom and Dad how your web service will work.  That will only frustrate and tire you out.  Instead, associate with the innovative thinkers and those who will help build upon your ideas.  This breeds creative thinking and helps stimulate your mind, body, and soul (for all you spiritual entrepreneurs).

The social web has been described as a humongous cocktail party, where people are free to mingle, shake some hands, and make some small talk.  When I think of spreading ideas on the web, I like to think of myself sitting at a booth at that giant party with some close friends discussing a business idea.  Your table is going back and forth on certain business models and logistics, perhaps writing all of this down on the back of a napkin.  Wouldn’t it be wise to make a few copies of that doodle, jot down some contact info, and pass it along to some smart individuals that you have met?  Well, the answer is yes, and the ’social web’ has made doing just that easier than ever.

If you find yourself reading this and thinking: “Wait, Kevin, so what happens if they go home from the cocktail party and start to work on the idea without me?”  Well, this is my breakdown of the few possibilities that will occur after this “napkin exchange of business ideas” :

• They throw out the napkin (65%)

• They look at the napkin for a few moments, think about it for a few more, then throw out the napkin (20%)

• They contact you back, and you start a dialogue about your idea (12.5%)

• They pass the napkin along to a friend (1.5%)

• They lock up your napkin in their vault and start working on it alone (1.0%)

You’ll discover a few things to be true in this sort of situation:
1)People are usually not interested in your ideas, and do not want to steal it.
2)If you have caught their attention, odds are they will seek you out; it’s in their best interest to work alongside the original mind behind the project.
3)Your “one-of-a-kind” idea most likely already exists or is being worked on (this simply validates your napkin’s business model, so it’s not a terrible thing).
4)If someone does decide to steal it, however unlikely, this should not affect your passion for the project and should fuel your desire to outperform all ‘imitators’.   Karmically speaking, they are at a huge disadvantage, so remember that you have the upper-hand when it comes to those individuals.

Embrace the ‘Social Web’

Spreading your idea will be harder than you think.  You’ll quickly realize that your $1M-idea falls on deaf ears.  You will want to utilize as many online services and resources as possible.

• Utilize LinkedIn’s Groups; posting entries to individuals with similar interests.

• ParterUp allows you to post business ideas in hopes of meeting business partners.

• Twitter is Twitter (I’m a fan, can you tell?)

• Craigslist is not a bad place to post ads in search of talent.  Odds are you’ll be receiving countless automated emails from various web firms based in India.  But there is the chance that it falls into the right hands.

Speaking of Craigslist…blogger Adam Breindel posted an interesting article speaking about, oddly enough, one of my Craigslist ads.  He speaks about the benefits of being open, and how so few entrepreneurs actually act this way.  He advises these entrepreneurs to come out from behind their NDAs and to operate outside of a vacuum filled with secrecy.  Here is a bit from the article:

[The post] is absolute genius, and it’s so rare. Plus it shows the guts that most entrepreneurs fancy themselves to have, but lack when tested…I work with a lot of entrepreneurs and most of them think that they’re the first ones to think up some genius idea, and the best way to be successful is to either keep it stealthy and secret, or to sign reams of NDAs and non-competes with you before disclosing (cue music) their subtle and delicate brilliance.

Remain Transparent

Throughout your “napkin-passing” journey, it is critical to remain truthful and transparent.  I recommend you:

• Keep a Blog.   This adds depth to one’s character, and allows others to “read between the lines”

• Microblog.  Did I already mention I like Twitter?  A useful tool to jib-jab and pass out those “napkins”

• Post Comments.  Don’t just read blogs, but participate.  You never know who is listening.

• Have Atleast Four Points of Contact.  Strive for having four different points of contact/reference.  Between the numerous social networks and services, this should not be too difficult.

• Respond Truthfully.  Emails, blog posts, comments, etc. should be truthful and from the heart.

And don’t forget…next time you have the opportunity to share your idea…DO IT!

One of, if not the biggest concern facing today’s social web relates to the login process.  The amount of social networks and services one can sign up for on the web today is quite staggering (just take a look at Friendfeed’s offering of services, they have about sixty).  And as any social media enthusiast knows, it is all too common to lose track of one’s account information, opening up a username/email/password combination challenge.  Well, lucky for us, we have some people trying to remedy this dilemma.  Some pretty smart ones at that.

Individuals from Facebook, Google, MySpace, and Plaxo, among others, gathered together Tuesday to work out the issue of a universal login.  At the heart of this movement is the OpenID Foundation, an open source model dedicated to eliminate the need for multiple usernames across different websites.  It’s a matter of simplifying the user experience, and it’s nice to see companies put their differences aside in order to work towards the common good.

The issue of a universal login is a HUGE deal to say the least.  A universal login allows a user to bring their unique social graph and data around with them while surfing the net, referred to as data portability.  Web brands are already scrambling to get their piece of the data portability pie.  For example, Google recently rolled out their new Friend Connect Social Bar, and Facebook Connect is slowly being integrated onto more and more sites across the web.   It begs the question: “Do these web services even need OpenID?”

Google's Friend Connect Social Bar

The ongoing universal login deliberation is a very loaded topic, one that I’ll be sure to follow.  It is still rather experimental and a bit too early to accurately speculate at this stage.  But I will say this: Depending upon the decisions made at meetings like the one held on Tuesday, the future of web interaction and data portability likely lies in the hands of these great technical engineers.  Let’s hope that the decisions made bring forth the greater good (neutral/3^rd party) instead of the greatest one (the bigger social network).

Business plans have long been synonymous with business ventures, more specifically, startup ventures.  There has been much discussion as to whether companies that construct business plans are more likely to succeed compared to those companies who overlook this “holy grail” of documents.  In fact, Guy Kawasaki had posted an interesting study conducted by Babson College on his blog, where they evaluated this exact scenario.  The college analyzed over 100 businesses run by alumni and found no statistical difference in success between those businesses started with formal written plans and those without them.

…no statistical difference in success between those businesses started with formal written plans and those without them.

Could business plans be a thing of the past?  Are business plans an obsolete form of business development?  I would argue that the answer is YES to both of these questions.

Business plans are simply an “old school” method of communicating business ideas, goals, and predictions.  I am a huge proponent of blogging and recommend all entrepreneurs, or individuals for that matter to actively participate in the blogosphere.  If you have something to say, ideas that you would like to publish, opinions/reactions, whatever it may be, start blogging.

Dharmesh Shah, a successful software engineer, entrepreneur, and author of the OnStartups blog speaks about the impact that blogs can make.  In a brilliant video, Dharmesh explains how a “rinky-dink little blog” can attract just as many if not more visitors than a business spending tens of thousands per month on PR and advertising.  Shah makes it very clear that you don’t have to spend a lot of money broadcasting your message for people to take notice of your ideas.  So why not leverage this impact and apply it to building your business this way?  Instead of writing a business plan, why not start a blog?

…you don’t have to spend a lot of money broadcasting your message for people to take notice of your ideas.

Honestly, how many people will read this business plan?
Your blog may not be read by the masses, but I assure you, a passionate, heartfelt post will be read more times than your business plan will.
Business plans are painfully “static” and lack any sort of dynamic dialogue/feedback.
Blogs are delightfully interactive and instantly engage in dialogue through comments and replies.
Business plans are usually long and very boring.
You don’t have to write 20 pages to create an impact.  Some of the greatest and most popular blog posts are short, simple and straight to the point.
After having spent (x) amount of months/days writing this long plan, you will still have exactly zero customers.
Unlike a business plan, blogs give a way for creators to interact with their potential clients before they even buy a product or service.  The effect is felt immediately and constantly builds personal/company brand equity long after your posts are published.

When you’re done writing this long document, there’s a strong likelihood that your business strategy/concept/focus may have changed: [Time to revise and edit]
Blog posts are meant to be written on top of, again and again.  Despite the fact that blog posts have no shelf life and can be referenced for years and years, the most effective bloggers are expected to update their content on a regular basis.
How many people are even going to receive your business plan in the first place?  How many email addresses and mail boxes do you know?
Blog posts are limited by the size of the web.  In other words, your blog has the potential (though unlikely) to reach millions of people around the globe…no address necessary.

Needless to say, I am a huge advocate of utilizing the social web.  It is just too damn powerful not to.  That said, business plans may still serve a purpose, internally at least.  If your company needs a formal document to delegate responsibilities and communicate throughout the organization, I would suggest that you sit down and compile one.  These sorts of documents are still a fundamental aspect in obtaining outside capital as well.  You may not want to approach VCs without a business plan and financial forecasts.

Just remember, it is most important to get yourself and your company into the mainstream (as quick and at any level possible).  Until recently, that required a lot more time and planning, where the company’s business plan acted as the foundation for their work as well as its physical manifestation.  With the introduction and explosion of the social web, a whole new platform has been created.  Startup costs are way down, and there’s a lot of competition.  It is critical for brands to set themselves apart by remaining transparent, genuine, and innovative.  Enter the blog: your company’s new business plan.

As we progress further and further into the “digital age,” the separation from the “analog generation” becomes more and more apparent.  A huge generational divide exists between these two classes, and it appears as though this gap will only continue to grow.  It’s pretty simple…you’re either “connected” or you’re “disconnected.”  There’s really no middle ground.

We are at the forefront of this digital age, a truly historic period that is pervasive in nearly all aspects of daily life.  I guess, in many ways, we can compare this era to the late 18th, early 19th century Industrial Revolution.  Just like the Industrial Revolution, this digital age has marked a transformation in human society through major technological advances.  It’s so impressive how in such a short time, certain advances in technology can literally transform a world and its individuals so dramatically.

The start of this digital age began at the inception of the internet.  It was during this time, in the 1990’s, that everything would begin to change.  A nation of techsoomers were being bred, and the world would quickly become “connected.”  It was during these times, when we were exposed to computers and the evolution of interconnectivity over the internet, that we slowly began to realize the enormous opportunity that had just been created.  Caught up in the middle of this digital revolution, exposed to this emerging technology at an early age, was the first-generation of techsoomers.

I do consider myself a first-generation techsoomer, that is, one who was exposed to technology at an early age and witnessed this growth in technology first-hand, while growing up.  I can also see how being born just a few years earlier could have drastically changed this outcome.  The first-gen techsoomers were exposed to computers in elementary school, learning how to navigate an operating system (however basic) with a mouse, practicing typing and utilizing word processors, many never having even used a typewriter.  Having a computer at home was most definitely a luxury at this time, and kids rarely had them.  Come middle/high school, these first-gen techsoomers took their computer-savvy to the next level on more powerful machines and applications.  They were exposed to the internet in their teens and witnessed the switch from a disconnected world to connected one.  Computers at home went mainstream at this time.  And while the world saw opportunity in the internet and blew up the tech bubble in early 2000s, we were sitting in class, taking algebra tests.

A second generation of techsoomers has emerged with the popularization of the “social web,” or Web 2.0.  This generation has grown up using social web apps.  These kids are used to instantaneous feeds, updates, and content streams, something that the first generation had to wait for.  They have never had to use a dial-up connection.  They get most of, if not all of their news in a feed format.  They blog, tweet, text, email, chat, update, and share simultaneously, without thinking twice.  They have essentially been born into the connected digital age and don’t know anything else.  These guys scare me a bit.

If there is anyone who will lead us into new paths and bigger discoveries, it will likely be this generation.  It will be interesting to see how their “birth into technology” will affect the big picture.  When the second-generation Zuckerberg speaks, my only hope is that I have the chance to listen.

After recently rejecting Facebook’s $500 million buyout proposal, micro-blogging phenomenon, Twitter has moved forth acquiring and hiring former O’Reilly CTO Rael Dornfest. This adds fuel to the debate on whether Facebook and Twitter are rivals competing for the same online attention, or if they are instead, two totally independent online communication / information outlets. These are two very interesting platforms, no doubt, with large and promising futures ahead.

It’s very interesting to analyze these two successful (not always measured in dollars and cents, mind you) businesses, and how very different they are. Most notably are their different approaches to openness and complexity. Facebook has operated, so far, in a complete “bubble,” remaining fairly separate from the rest of the web. I believe that this community that Facebook was able to build on the internet is one of the biggest draws, especially at its inception regarding the college campuses that it was penetrating – it served as a virtual campus, sheltered from the “real world,” or the web, in this case. Now, compare this to Twitter. Twitter embraces the web and everything it has to offer, and operates with virtually no boundaries. This coincidentally, has been one of Twitter’s greatest factors to adoption; its openness.

Facebook boasts a very complete, complex profile system chock full of applications, photos, videos, albums, messages, status updates, news feeds, you name it…chances are Facebook has it. The brilliant execution of all these features has made Facebook the top social network to date. As we take a look at Twitter, they retain a completely different mentality, taking the less is more approach and focus on simplicity. And it is this structure that has contributed to Twitter’s success.

It’s very interesting to see how two platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can both be so successful and yet operate so differently. Now, obviously, Facebook is far larger than Twitter, so a true comparison of the companies may be a bit premature for Twitter’s-sake, but it is definitely worth keeping an eye on…and Facebook clearly has. One look at Facebook’s ‘Status Update’ feature and its introduction just shortly after Twitter started to develop a following is testament to the very simple, yet effective platform that Twitter has developed. Which brings me to my final point: What Twitter has that Facebook Doesn’t…

And the answer, is quite simple : Twitter has the ability to connect an individual with anyone, anywhere, at anytime. The same cannot be said for Facebook, or most traditional social networks for that matter. Twitter has removed the need to “Add Friends” and effectively connects individuals regardless of specific networks or communities. To give a very small example of what I mean, Google Analytics reports 8% of my Facebook “Friends” have visited my blog off of a facebook.com referral. Now that number jumps to just shy of 60% when comparing visits off of a twitter.com referral. The point is, Twitter is designed to communicate, network, discuss, and share content on a much more individual level. The stripped-down, bare bones service helps Twitter break the boundaries often created with complex networks.

I think the most interesting thing is that both of these services can coexist without necessarily infringing upon each other (for now at least). It would be hard to find someone without a Facebook account that is on Twitter, and rightfully so. Facebook is an absolutely ridiculous social network that will continue to grow and dominate mainstream. With that said, I can see Twitter accounts being distributed as commonly as email addresses are today — something that Facebook accounts just don’t have the flexibility in executing.