blongdenNov 12, 2022
Jay Rosen

I did a little comparison: reach and reaction on Twitter and Mastodon.

I picked a subject typical of my feed and reworded it to be more native to Mastodon. Same link, issue, people, tone.

With 309 K followers on Twitter it got 81 shares and 179 likes

With 8.5 K followers on Mastodon: 123 shares and 195 likes.

Here are the two posts:

https://twitter.com/jayrosen_nyu/status/1591147769229557761 [305K followers, 81 shares, 179 likes]

https://mastodon.social/@jayrosen_nyu/109326807884220104 [8.5K followers, 123 RT, 195 likes]

Jay Rosen on Twitter

“"He asked: Do you really think we haven’t done enough coverage of the threats to democracy? "I responded emphatically that yes, I certainly did think that." @froomkin's dialogue with @blakehounshell of the New York Times is not to be missed. https://t.co/D1qnw0MkZv”

Twitter
Nov 12, 2022 at 3:01pmWeb
Show threadNicholas MamoNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu That's very interesting. Why did that happen, do you think?
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022
@memonick I don't know. Yet.
Show threadMarkus WagnerNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu @memonick@mastodon. Apologies for barging into your conversation. My guess would be algorithms on twitter causing this difference at least partly, pushing content that is likely to keep people logged on at the expense of most other content. Hard to imagine that people over here are a hundred times more motivated to engage. Might be worth asking ex-Twitter staff or other experts.
Show threadLauraNov 12, 2022
@MarkusWagner @jayrosen_nyu Here’s my tuppence worth, the like button actively put off people liking anything ‘out of your lane’ as it showed content to your curated TL they might not want to see , so they’d mute or unfollow. Saw someone else mention same thing earlier too. I’m loving rewarding all sorts of thoughtful stuff here with a wee star. 👍️ ⭐️
Show threadMarkus WagnerNov 13, 2022
@lawilson @jayrosen_nyu
Didn't think of that, but you're right that could play a role. I occasionally 'liked' posts cropping up in my timeline from people I did not follow if I liked the post but simultaneously marked the tweet as 'not interesting', hoping to cancel the like in an effort to see less content in the future from accounts I did not follow. I wonder what the algorithm made of that. Agree with you about how much nicer it is to once again just genuinely 'like' a post.
Show threadRob GarverNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I'd be really interested to see how engagement varies by the number of people each of your followers follow. I wonder if many of us let the Twitter firehose get so overwhelming that responding to anything seemed pointless.
Show threadLiz LawleyNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu one factor right now is probably that since there’s less content on Mastodon, good things surface more easily. And that the early adopters here are more likely to engage with that content. I’ll be curious to see if the same experiment yields similar results a month or two from now…
Show threadDerek KompareNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu @mamamusings That’s a great point re volume of content.
Show threadmarm0t  Nov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I'm guessing that's partly due to increased engagement here, not just algorithm?
Show threadRebecca M. TownsendNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu after seeing this on the other site just a moment ago, I wondered if I'd see it here, too.
Show threadChandersNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu now that’s fascinating.
Show threadDogaNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu probably partly due to different network structures driven by a ML ranked algorithm vs reverse chronology.
Show threadgturpinNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu It would be interesting to compare following counts in both audiences to gauge that impact.
Show threadEngineerMomNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I would be *shocked* if it didn’t have something to do with the message being more hidden on Twitter, where this message does not support the billionaire class’ view….
Show threadFrancois HeinderyckxNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu
Wow! It sure proves that even those of us who still split their attention between the two platforms are paying much more attention here and hardly looking back.
I'm still struggling to interpret "Favourites" (compared to "Bookmarks"), but I was kindly lectured to not equate Favorited here to Liked there. Favourite would mean more "this is significant" than "I like or agree".
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022
@fheinderyckx Thanks. I imagine I will be told the same thing.
Show threaddubiago Nov 12, 2022
@fheinderyckx @jayrosen_nyu Perhaps a "Like" should be added. But, regardless, I think "Favorite" serves a similar purpose. We can look back on our "Favorite" list just as we can a "Like" list. I think the term "Like" implies a democratization which isn't, necessarily, real. It *can* be for that purpose, but I'd see that as better and more completely expressed via actual polls--both here and on other networks.
Show threadDaphneNov 13, 2022

@fheinderyckx @jayrosen_nyu I think Favoriting is like Liking, semantically -- "this is significant" or "I agree" or "Thanks" or "I acknowledge you". The only differences are that Favoriting has no influence on anybody's feed, and there is no list of your Favorites. Anyone looking at a post can see who favorited it and those mentioned get a notification.

Bookmarking is just for you. Nobody else sees it.

I'm told both of these cause that post to be included in your full text search corpus.

Show threadAlbert CardonaNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu Interesting experiment. Would love to see a follow up in a few weeks, when the novelty for all new arrivals has lapsed, and yet a third in a few more weeks to probe the possible future steady state. (That assuming the other site hasn’t gone down.)
Show threadLamontNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I followed thousands on Twitter. Unless I has the bell on for u, I could miss a lot of tweets. Here, I am still building my base but it is no where near Twitter. It’s easier to see each time u post. Also… that topic is hot right now.
Show threadDanie van der MerweNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu my counts are a lot smaller, but even I noticed the same thing between #Twitter and #Mastodon for my identical posts - https://mastodon.social/@danie10/109256720227080929
Show threadmark henick Nov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu Glancing through the respective replies on each is fascinating too
Show threadGreg PakNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I've been seeing this with some posts. Got more reaction to some here on Mastodon with 2K followers than I did on Twitter with 52K followers. I think it's partly the way surges work on newish social networks - folks are more ready to interact. Will be interesting to see if it continues over time.
Show threadSaidNov 12, 2022

@jayrosen_nyu These numbers indicate several (promising) things to me.

With 36 times *less the followers on Mastodon, and I presume roughly four weeks on Mastodon, you received *more likes and shares on Mastodon than on Twitter. This suggests to me more *engagement to come here on Mastodon.

The numbers in this comparison also indicate that you will have stronger, more concentrated support for your projects and ideas here on Mastodon.

Show threadJulian HarrisNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu a The guidance I’ve read is “starring is not used for recommendation (yet?) so reblog more to amplify”.
Show threadKelerionNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu ooo that’s very interesting .
Show threadOveNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu Actually, I don't think that the two posts are similar. The Mastodon is less contextualized which make your Mastodon post much more understandable. The comparison is not as straight forward as you seem to suggest. IMO
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022

@Ove

1. I think you have a typo that is causing confusion

2. I didn't say the comparison was straight forward. I just said it was a comparison.

3. However, what I wanted to compare is the way I would do it on Twitter and the way I would do it on Mastodon

Show threadOveNov 13, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu Thx for clarifying. Yes, you're right there is a typo. I would have said that the Mastodon post are much more contextualizing than the Twitter post - I now understand that I didn't get what was your point in the first place ad your bullit 3. So my comment wasn't even relevant : )
Show threadDebraNov 12, 2022
@Ove @jayrosen_nyu I agree posts are significantly different. I’m not familiar with the issue at all so prob not the target audience but I understood Mastodon version more, so felt I could engage, whereas would not have with Twitter. But Mastodon isn’t intended to be birdsite 2.0 so not sure abt comparing likes & reposts. I’d have thought quality of engagement more important than numbers.
Show threadmellow kismetNov 13, 2022
I found the Mastodon post more understandable and relatable than the tweet. To better assess/ compare reach & reaction, you could, of course, post the exact same content on each site.
Show threadiamBullivantNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu So people of the Mastodon are more engaged?
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022

@bullivant

Not sure yet. Would not say that.

Show threadiamBullivantNov 13, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu FWIW I am a lot more engaged here than I was on the birdsite where I was increasingly using it as little more than a newsfeed.
Show threadDave's DadNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I don't have your scale here on Twitter but what I am noticing is more quality engagement here v Twtter in terms of boost v retweet and actual discussion. Far less likes which is cool. In Twitter is was so easy just to ♥️ everything in your feed....it was meaningless
Show threadLeah McElrathNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu What about impressions on Twitter? Many read without engaging.
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022

@leahmcelrath The one thing I have noticed is not as many posters at Mastadon leap to tell you that you are wrong or misrepresenting something.

Although I did have one "actually" reply to this.

Show threadLeah McElrathNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu Ah, yes. I meant impressions *on* Twitter (how many views), not *of* Twitter, lol. (But I agree the impulsive reflexive arguments are fewer here so far.)
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022
@leahmcelrath Sorry. Misread. Impressions are 22K on Twitter. Not sure how to get that data on Mastodon.
Show threadLeah McElrathNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu Gotcha—many thanks!
Show threadJocelynephiliac Nov 13, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu @leahmcelrath you can’t. There’s no mechanism in the protocol to track user view behavior. A custom server could at best track how many instances a toot was federated to, bit even that won’t tell you how many people saw it.
Show threadJoshua MarshallNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu @leahmcelrath That is one of the core features and most enervating parts of Twitter. People driving by and placing yr words into some comment or construct yr not even aware of and isn't really related to anything yr saying. That can be a positive in the sense that yr errors can be pointed out. But it more becomes part of the atmosphere of chaos and low level abuse.
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022
@joshtpm @leahmcelrath "Enervating" is well chosen. That's how I experience it.
Show threadjimrayNov 12, 2022
@joshtpm @leahmcelrath @jayrosen_nyu enervating not just in the aftermath but in the composition; all the second guessing of “how will the worst, or even just ranomdly thoughtless, people willfully misconstrue what I’m trying to say”
Show threadAlex Galt 🧄Nov 12, 2022

@joshtpm @jayrosen_nyu @leahmcelrath

One of the top climate scientists in the world once took a comment I made on his tweet out of context, mischaracterized it, and quote tweeted it to his 200k followers (I’m a total nobody outside my community), equating me with the worst climate deniers. I wanted to crawl under a rock. I’m really happy that particular dynamic can’t happen here.

Show threadFern Woodsson 🌿Nov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu @leahmcelrath actually, that’s not at all correct… just kidding. 😉
Show threadTHOMnottomNov 12, 2022

@jayrosen_nyu Very interesting and inline with what I've seen others say (more engagement over here).

Seems like it should be the opposite, because without hashtags your posts will only show up directly in people's feeds. But it probably comes down to people following you here more deliberately.

Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022
@thomnottom Yeah, I have not adjusted to the hashtag thing here. I was never a big hashtag user on Twitter.
Show threadTHOMnottomNov 12, 2022

@jayrosen_nyu Neither have I (haven't even done a proper intro yet).

Wonder if staying out of hashtags might help journalists focus more on reporting here vs becoming part of the story on twitter. Ant that's not a comment about you, but twitter's effect on journalism in general.

Show threadJasmine MangalaserilNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu Really interesting. Would it be okay if I used this post as an example in one of my classes re: audience differences and tone?
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022
@cardamomaddict Sure. But please stress that this is just a little back-of-the-envelope comparison, not a valid social science study.
Show threadJasmine MangalaserilNov 12, 2022

@jayrosen_nyu Oh, absolutely! It all depends on your audiences in each platform (and with the other, the algo, I think). While there's some overlap between my two groups of followers, there are differences in interactions, posts (here, reminiscent of NGs from the early 90s).

But it highlights the point I try to bring across to my studients that you need to understand who you're speaking to/with and not just broadbrush everything.

Show threadTodd WalkerNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I follow so few people on mastodon, I probably see every one of their posts.
Show threadCristín Leach (🔈 kris-teen)Nov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu I did a little experiment over there with my following list and it transformed my “latest” feed https://twitter.com/cristinleach/status/1591389098966761472?s=21&t=xCSR1MzgQXtUfs50iFoG3g
Cristín Leach @[email protected] on Twitter

“Lot of talk on mastodon about how the feeds work deliberately differently to twitter. There’s no algorithm to game, OR get used by. Came back here and went through who I was following individually removing c.800 accounts and guess what? My “latest” feed has changed utterly. 1/3”

Twitter
Show threadJay RosenNov 12, 2022
@cristinleach Thanks, Cristin.
Show threadDerek KompareNov 12, 2022

@jayrosen_nyu Very interesting experiment. I think that’s the key adjustment folks with large follower counts on Twitter need to make: that their seeming scale there didn’t necessarily equate to engagement, and that maybe they’ll actually get more of the latter here (once acclimated).

Several other variables re design and who’s already here, but I’d have to think this realization could change how you think of how “engagement” works.

Show threadMike | Raymond TecNov 12, 2022
@jayrosen_nyu The closest thing we've had to an official study of why corporate-owned social media and algorithm-based information sourcing is bad for everyone.