Is Twitter Like Robbie Savage And Marmite?

Why is it that some people are passionate about certain media services and some people hate them? Any Englishman’s selective use of a  few well chosen Anglo-Saxon words to describe Robbie Savage; an extravagantly paid but limited and rather aggressive footballer will tell you the popular opinion of the crowd. Marmite has made an advertising theme about the fact that people either love or hate their beefy paste.

And Robbie has built a great career and is now moving into being a controversial football pundit too. He does not have to be a Torres or a Ronaldo – he needs to do enough to be more successful than 99.9% of anyone who has kicked a ball. The latest Nielsen data on Twitter (http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007388) shows that there has been a 27% decline in visitors to Twitter between September and October. Part of the decline in site visits is said to be due to people using apps and alternative channels but the fact remains that despite their growth – not everyone Tweets or likes or stays with Twitter. And that’s OK. Some writers or marketers like things to be simple and it seems they want to find the killer app and big idea that will change everything and everyone. But media is like any other consumer good and instead of being one size fits all it is about diversity, speciality and change. Not everyone likes Marmite. And not every web innovation will become a Google. The decline of entry barriers suggests that whilst there may be a few gigantic players in any market, there will be many smaller, specialist competitors and challengers who will be more agile and able to carve a story for themselves. I actually like Twitter and LinkedIn and I find it interesting  that my friends are divided equally between those that think I waste my time on them and those that find it odd I do not engage with social networking more. Social Networks are not going to be the silver bullet for marketers and nor are they going to be to everyone’s taste – but like Robbie Savage and Marmite, used in the right way and managed well, they can be loved by many.

Author: Andrew Armour

Andrew Armour is a marketing and media professional, a specialist in business partnerships and the Founder of the consulting business - Benchstone Limited. His career spans from the UK music industry to the America's Cup, from winning agency pitches to securing key digital content deals. He is married to Viv, lives in Hampshire and works in London. View all posts by Andrew Armour