If video killed the radio star (and I have it on good authority that it did), then beware the Magpie, for it may surely kill the Twitter. Or so we had first feared when we heard about the new app that pays to use Twitterer’s accounts to post ads on the social media giant’s relatively unspoiled landscape.
Apparently the creative geniuses behind the new launch that seeks to capitalize on the popularity of Twitter by injecting advertising from your account after every fifth tweet, haven’t heard of another popular internet tool…Adblock. There’s a reason Adblock is one of the most downloaded plugins for most browsers, probably, and that’s because ads have their place.
That place is not Twitter. Social media networking is about just that. Networking. People coming together to share information, and experiences to connect and to help grow the community. It is the community promoting itself and inspiring each other. It is not the forum for advertisers to try and spill into.
Not only has the response to this service been less than warm and welcoming, but another launch has already hit the web to combat this intrusive nuisance. Scarecrow is the new service that prevents your Twitter network from being overtaken by advertisers looking to capture part of this popular market. And users everywhere are already breathing easier.
Others have begun blocking the #Magpie hash code in Tweetdeck and other apps so as to avoid the unwanted ads from making their way to the screen there as well. It seems that the resounding answer from most of the community, as they swarm to thwart this advertising assault, is ’Not interested!’. Perhaps the Magpie should migrate elsewhere, and leave the social media networks be just about that.
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5 Comments on Magpie, Methinks Your Song Sounds Sour!
Brian Yerkes
Nice post, and I agree with you and almost everyone else about the Magpie service. The second it was released, and people tweeted about it, I was delighted to see that most of us instantly tweeted against Magpie. It was a little odd that people did tweet about it though and gave it the publicity that it doesn’t deserve.
I don’t blame the Magpie developers for the idea at all..after all, marketing 101 will teach you that anytime you get a large amount of people in one place, you should advertise! So, from that aspect, I don’t blame the idea. Twitter is just such a unique platform that advertising is not really welcome on it. I guess it was worth a try, but hopefully it will fail as it will really hurt twitter as you have correctly noted.
Good post
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Andrew
Cheers, Angie!
Andrews last blog post..Additive: i’m outta here twitterverse! i’ll catch you in a couple hours, ya? peace peace!
GusF
I have to agree with most of your post here. I for one will not be buying into Magpie, though 870 Euro a month for me would come in handy. My only complain, with all the complaining, is what is the difference between Magpie advertising and having Google Ads or other advertisement on your blog(s) or blogs you read?
Just a thought.
GusFs last blog post..In the Vancouver 24 Hours News Today
Robert Bowen
@ GusF - The difference is, as I wrote in the article, that advertising has it’s place, and that place is not social media networks. Sites ads are not intrusive and disruptive to the content, and again, they have their place. Ads on sites are how people help fund their site. People following you on Twitter don’t do so to be berated with advertising coming from their friends. As pointed out in the article, social media is about building the community, not market men shouting from the corners about their wares.
That’s the point I was making in the article. Thanks for the comment and the question.
@ Brian - Thanks for the comment and the read. I am also pleased at the amount of negative responses it’s gotten so far.
@ Andrew - Thanks for the read! And Angie says…well, actually, I will let her speak for herself :p.
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