Running with the thought-stream from yesterday about Technology and Cultural Constructs, I happened to be passed this little tidbit stating that European countries don’t do Twitter:
Most European companies haven’t even heard of Twitter, and some might think it’s a time waster. A spokeswoman for energy firm Total says that Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie has no idea what Twitter is.
British Telecom says it doesn’t have a Twitter account and doesn’t plan to open one. Nestle’s communications manager says using Twitter “just never came up within the group strategy.” In general, experts say Europeans don’t latch on to new social networking technologies as quickly as Americans.
So, what does that mean for us? Perhaps Twitter, at this point in time, is not the best technology to be using if we’re trying to reach into that area, sector, and population of the digital world.
Regardless, the point is that we must be aptly aware of the culture that the technology plays a part (or doesn’t) so that we may speak and use the right mediums for maximum effectiveness and efficiency.
What say you?
Interesting to hear this. When I look at the visits to our podcast and my other domains I see that Germany and other smaller countries are in the top 5 of visitors. The US, Great Britain and Canada coming in above them. But other technologically prevalent countries like Japan coming in even further down the list. For some reason I am thinking that it could be the social aspect of it all. Curious to know if Facebook is treated the same way.
for information: in germany "facebook" isn't the top social platform. on the contrary. a small group of people have joined facebook. in germany we have other, much bigger social platforms.
and: the young generation can't live without 2.0 . if you wanna talk with them (the evangelical aspect too) you must live in the web. that are enormous possibilites , of course. but there is not only a positive side…
Thanks!
Interesting to hear this. When I look at the visits to our podcast and my other domains I see that Germany and smaller European countries are in the top 5 of visitors. The US, Great Britain and Canada coming in above them. But other technologically prevalent countries like Japan coming in even further down the list. For some reason I am thinking that it could be the social aspect of it all. Curious to know if Facebook is treated the same way.
that would be interesting to know… let me see…
Social networking sites are very geographically oriented. The one google (Orkut) runs is very popular in Brazil but pretty much no one in the US uses it.
I think the point is that it is not the technology as much as the community. There probably isn't a tech reason that Myspace, Facebook or Orkut is better in a particular geography. It is about the community, those that are the tech leaders in that geography have chosen.
We as tech leader make a difference. The percentage of staff the uses iphones and twitter at Northpoint is way above the normal rate in other churches. But the tech leaders at Northpoint chose iphones and twitter. Everyone else joined.
definitely. i think there's lots to be learned from a cultural perspective… unpacking it more daily.
It means, cyber-squat on those Twitter names NOW!
i know someone that has done that recently…
Sounds like an admission of guilt…
actually, no. not me.
seriously.