IT’S OFFICIAL!
One of the worst-kept secrets in Social Media is coming true. Twitter has filed for IPO.
Heck, I even swapped out my branded purple headlines in honor of the big announcement. I don’t do that for just anyone, you know.
It’s exciting to watch, and to read all of the buzz in the trades about what it means, how it will go, if investors will jump on board, if Twitter management will continue to make wise decisions, if the IPO will go the way of the Facebook IPO, leap ahead like the LinkedIn IPO, and so on.
As is appropriate, Twitter made its much-anticipated announcement yesterday via, you got it, Twitter. Any other venue would have been most un-Twitter-like. I would have been disappointed, and I’m certain they are worried about not disappointing me, its avid user for the past 5 years.
Here’s the now famous Tweet heard ’round the world…
We’ve confidentially submitted an S-1 to the SEC for a planned IPO. This Tweet does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale.
— Twitter (@twitter) September 12, 2013
HOW WILL IT FARE?
Well, I don’t know, but let’s take a look at what we have to compare it to in this relatively new, wild, crazy world we call Social Media.
THE WILD, WILD WEST MENTALITY
The Wild Wild West mentality of Social Media lends itself to a seemingly impulsive, nonstrategic mindset and approach in growing platforms (ahem, Facebook) that doesn’t appear to bode well for the business and management structure behind the tools, nor of the satisfaction of its users who struggle to keep up with the changes and dozens of iterations thrust upon them.
Note: I didn’t say Facebook is impulsive and nonstrategic…I said seemingly. Perception becomes reality, and this one is a bit raw with users.
THE LINKEDIN IPO
LinkedIn is very safe, has a maturity about it, and has put its stake in the ground as THE business social networking site. LinkedIn says fluffy dialogue and witty repartee, you go elsewhere! They’ve been deliberate in their business model, have tested the app and feature waters, and continue to innovate to grow the amount of time our eyes are on site. This is good for stability, growth and stock price, which we’ve seen right from the start, haven’t we? This doesn’t mean they haven’t frustrated their users. Sure they have, but they’ve still maintained stability and a modicum of frustration among users.
THE FACEBOOK IPO
Speaking of Facebook….we were, weren’t we? Facebook has a different feel to it, and they like it that way. They want to continue to be the Wild, Wild West of Social Media, adding features, changing features, testing and pushing the boundaries and making people scream at their computers. I often picture them as cowboys and cowgirls (cowpeople?) riding around with their hats in the air hooping and hollering, laughing and carrying on while they launch the newest dimensions to Cover and Privacy settings, and a host of other changes they thrive on.
However, they are struggling to expand their demographics, all the while struggling to lock in the demographics that brought them to the dance….very young people who are now maturing, and are losing interest in their toy that their older friends and parents have now discovered…..darnit! This will be a continuous struggle for them, and a challenge they will have to overcome as they strive to maintain and grow market share, as well as share of user.
THE TWITTER IPO
On to Twitter…that is why we’re here, isn’t it?
Twitter has also matured, and seems to know what it does best. It is clean, easy to use and enables the world to talk and learn at a moment’s notice. This has never changed since I started using it in ’08. As long as Twitter management continues to enable what I call RDTC, or Rapid Deployment of Timely Content, and doesn’t lose site of the public’s insatiable desire to share and connect with minimum downtime on the site, it will have a place in this communication revolution for many years to come.
Twitter has kept up with our intense need for visualization by allowing more creative use of photos, all the while managing to irritate developers and other social media who are no longer allowed to crack into its API to develop complementary apps.
I’ve always loved Twitter, the platform, its ease of use, the relationships and friendships I have formed there, the news and information I always have at the tip of my fingers and keyboard, the movement, and my ability to share news and conversation that I have as well.
I wish them the absolute best in their upcoming IPO as it is my intention to use this tool for many years to come.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
How do you think the IPO will fare?
