UKB on Twitter and Facebook

[Pete Eeles]

Hi all,

Given the widespread use of various social media, I've decided to create both a Twitter account (http://twitter.com/ukbutterflies) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/UK-Butter ... 70?sk=wall) for UKB. BC has recently done the same (@savebutterflies). There are several reasons for this:

1. This will allow us to broaden the "reach" of UKB in its mission to foster as much interest as possible in our native butterflies, especially in the younger generation.
2. It will allow me to easily post minor announcements without having to physically update the website (which can be a bit of a pain at the moment).

In order to make this as simple as possible, the 3 media (Facebook, Twitter and the website) are linked. You will, in general, see the same posts on all 3 with some minor differences. For example, the Twitter feed is now visible on the UKB homepage.

My analysis of these different mechanisms is as follows:

Forums
- Major announcements
- Minor announcements
- Conversations
- Personal diaries
- Calendar
- Image library
- Photography competitions

Twitter
- Minor announcements by UK Butterflies

Facebook
- Minor announcements by UK Butterflies and any other Facebook member (e.g. responses to UK Butterflies minor announcements)

As ever, all comments welcome. And feel free to post on the Facebook page and join Twitter, for those items that are not more conversational in nature!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

The Twitter feed has currently removed from the home page; there's apparently a limit to the number of requests that can be made per hour. Will get it working later today, hopefully!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Now fixed (hopefully!) by adding a caching mechanism. Back on the home page.

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Excellent idea and one which will make us all the more 'savvy'.

[Jack Harrison]

I have quite deliberately avoided Twitter and Facebook until now for the simple reason that I already have adequate means of communication. I have never been in the least interested in Twitter and Facebook and don't really know what they do. I'm sure there are advantages but they have passed me by up to now.

Does this new ukb feed mean I now have to install something that I don't particularly want and then understand what it does and how to use it?

Jack

[JohnR]

I have never been in the least interested in Twitter and Facebook and don't really know what they do. I'm sure there are advantages but they have passed me by up to now.
Jack

That makes two of us. If I want to natter over the garden fence I will, but the idea of asking to be friends with anyone reminds me of my school days - and best forgotten. I had a Facebook account created ages ago because someone wanted me to join in, I never used it because I didn't understand the system, yet someone else managed to find me though only my initial, surname and a false d.o.b. I promptly deleted the account.

[Rogerdodge]

That makes two of us.

Three!
I have had a Facebook page for a while, and have no idea what it is for.
A few COMPLETE strangers have asked to be "friends" (why?) and the young girls that work for my wife keep putting on what they are up to on a Saturday night.
I (we) must be missing something.
Twitter seems a little more sensible - a journal (for want of a better word) with a limit on the length of each posting.
Although I have never logged on to an account yet - perhaps UKB will be my first.
I don't know - perhaps I shall just observe for a while and see if I can work it all out.
It must be an age thing............

[David M]

I have quite deliberately avoided Twitter and Facebook until now for the simple reason that I already have adequate means of communication. I have never been in the least interested in Twitter and Facebook and don't really know what they do. I'm sure there are advantages but they have passed me by up to now.

Does this new ukb feed mean I now have to install something that I don't particularly want and then understand what it does and how to use it?

Jack

The fact remains that these forms of social media are nowadays so powerful that they can bring down long established authoritarian governments.

Multi-millions of people use them and although I'm not exactly a devotee, I'm sufficiently pragmatic to recognise that we're better off with it than without it.

After all, what harm can it do?

[Pete Eeles]

Does this new ukb feed mean I now have to install something that I don't particularly want and then understand what it does and how to use it?

No.

Both Twitter and Facebook are simply other means for connecting with members and potential members. And I agree that they can both be somewhat confusing if you're not familiar with them. The only change you'll see are the "tweets" (as they're called) on the home page.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Zonda]

if its all about 'interests', i can't really see the point of having so many points of connection, i can connect perfectly well on here, and sometimes too well. It's always been the case with me, if millions do it,,, i have to think seriously before jumping in. I can't stand 'messenger' and all that webcam stuff. Its a preconception of mine that social networking sites mostly consist of young people looking for 'lurv', older people looking for 'lurv', and others that are addicted to small talk, gossip, and general stirring. I might well be wrong, but that's my preconception.

[JohnR]

After all, what harm can it do?

Think of the man hours wasted (and woman hours) when they could be out working on a reserve, learning to respect wildlife, or simply lernin ow to spell.

[Jack Harrison]

It’s pretty obvious that it is the grumpy old men who are not happy (and of course, I was the first to grump). But it is probably true that youngsters just “don’t get” stuffy forums any more than we oldies like the modern methods.

If social networking groups (I think that’s what they are called) result in better engagement with young would-be butterfly enthusiasts, then that must be good.

If we can’t beat them, I suppose we’d better join them. Perhaps one of the younger members of ukb could post a little tutorial about how Twitter and Facebook work and how to use them.

Jack

[Rogerdodge]

To be fair Jack, I wasn't unhappy. I just don't understand Facebook. I am sure that if I play with it a bit it will get clearer to me.
I have subscribed to the Twitter feed to arrive in my IPhone (see - I am not a complete Luddite).
As DavidM so correctly pointed out - these SN sites have helped to bring regime change - so there mus be something to be said for them.
I do, however, remain, proudly, a grumpy old man!!

[Susie]

I think it is a good idea because anything that acts as a filter for new members back to this site is great. I do think that this main forum is far more important than any facebook or twitter site though and I hope it won't become neglected.

I won't be joining the new group. I have a Facebook page but am cutting back on the amount I use it. I've recently had a cull of "friends", which is nothing personal and I apologise to anyone on here that I have deleted (and it doesn't mean that I don't like you cos I do!), but I want to keep it to just family and close friends as I was getting inundated with information.

[Pawpawsaurus]

..., or simply lernin ow to spell.

Definately!

The value of Twitter for conveying anything more than soundbites is quite low. Only two of the preceding posts in this thread would be acceptable as tweets.

Paul

[Jack Harrison]

Roger (kind of, know what I mean) in a grumpy post said:

...these SN sites have helped to bring regime change...

Huh. Yes. Maybe we could topple Pete by means of a few PMs flashing across the ether

So who's going to start the whispering campaign.

Carry on Colonel Pete - at least for the time being

By the way Roger. You seem to be clued up on these matters. What's an iPhone?

Jack

[Rogerdodge]

By the way Roger. You seem to be clued up on these matters. What's an iPhone?

Jack
I shall show you at Sand Point.
I thought it was a gimic - I was wrong. It really is a "can't live without" item.

See ya

[Pete Eeles]

I think it is a good idea because anything that acts as a filter for new members back to this site is great. I do think that this main forum is far more important than any facebook or twitter site though and I hope it won't become neglected.

Absolutely. The forums will always be the main points of communication and discussion. Only minor elements will hit Facebook and Twitter.

I won't be joining the new group. I have a Facebook page but am cutting back on the amount I use it. I've recently had a cull of "friends", which is nothing personal and I apologise to anyone on here that I have deleted (and it doesn't mean that I don't like you cos I do!), but I want to keep it to just family and close friends as I was getting inundated with information.

Exactly. To be honest, the Facebook page is simply there to attract (and foster an interest in) those individuals that consider Facebook to be their primary interface to social networking. Twitter, however, is more useful since I can provide very targeted and relevant information extremely easily, get this out to anyone who subscribes to the Twitter feed in real time, and attract individuals that use Twitter extensively. I think that Twitter really does complement the major announcements on the home page.

Of course the whole implementation is designed so that there is no effect on our regular members - forum users or otherwise. The UKB website will always be the main port of call and there will be no information posted on either Facebook or Twitter that won't also be on the website.

Just moving with the times

Cheers,

- Pete

[Rogerdodge]

Twitter, however, is more useful since I can provide very targeted and relevant information extremely easily

Pete
I eagerly await the bleep from the IPhone with the Tweet that says "QoS in Surrey - Now!"

[David M]

15 years ago (probably 10), none of us were using the internet to get our message(s) across yet we all seem to have subsequently overcome that obstacle (otherwise we wouldn't be here).