Tim Chambers

🔥 Our biggest update yet: our new quarterly report on the #TwitterMigration is live!

Covers the stark negative impact of the X rebrand, the dramatic rise, cooling & now stabilizing of Threads as a competitor closer on X’s heels than most think. Also features the state of play of Mastodon & BlueSky as rising alternatives while others shrink.

Is an in-depth view of the best third-party research and original analysis from my team. cc: @fediversenews
Get it here: ➡️ https://bit.ly/3QaHR2W

Twitter Migration Report | Dewey Square Group

Dewey Square Group
Oct 12, 2023 at 1:52pmWeb
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
Direct link to full PDF here: https://www.deweysquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DSG-Snapshot-of-the-XTwitter-Migration-2023-Q3.pdf
Show thread⊥ᵒᵚ Cᵸᵎᶺᵋᶫ∸ᵒᵘ ☑️Oct 12, 2023
@tchambers non-PDF at all? Hard to read PDF on mobile
Show threadRobbie Norlyn, Author 👾Oct 12, 2023
@tchambers I am concerned about Meta constantly taking over other social mediums while already having a captive audience. Their methods seem most non competitive and I believe serious consequences should follow.
Show threadCyber YukiOct 12, 2023
@tchambers I think this is a terrible format for such graph. Wouldn't this be better shown with a line chart with the months on the X axis and the different services as colored lines?
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
@yuki2501 Always up for suggestions, our goal here was to show monthly changes in user bio metions for each platform en masse. In past reports the feedback we got was that this was helpful.
For future reports will keep experimenting with other visualizations....
Show threadHaelus NovakOct 12, 2023

@tchambers @yuki2501

Thanks for sharing this information and report! I agree the graph shown isn't the best or most convincing for the story being told, but I am glad you had the other graph in the longer report which clearly demarcates when Twitter became X-- I didnt really remember when this happened so months were hard to use to inform the conclusions of the graphs.

Did I miss any statistical reports demonstrating the "negative trends" spoken about? Some of the trends look fairly mild, but the scale on y axes is often such a large quantity, a minor slope could look squashed and unimpressive. A bit more quantitative/statistical evidence for non-zero slopes would be helpfull

Sorry if I missed the details somewhere. :/

Show threadCyber YukiOct 12, 2023
@tchambers Glad to know, thanks!
Show threadUjun JeongOct 12, 2023
@tchambers Thanks for the great and concise article. In my opinion, the statement about the survival of Threads should be more careful, as the report only talked about the accumulated number of users on Threads and not the real-time traffic.
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
@ujeong1 Totally agree with that caution: The Insider Intelligence data was based on monthly active users, so that is closer to ongoing user traffic. But not as good as daily active users, for sure. It definitely did not include session time per visit, which we'll be watching for from other places too.
Show threadJeffOct 12, 2023

@tchambers

There is a lot to digest.

Show threadTor KingdonOct 12, 2023
@tchambers wonder how/if they counted profiles that mention “extinct pachyderm,” because that’s what mine says.
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
@kingtor We didn't as we used full masto user names and the top 110 servers from instances.social at the tme.
Show threadTor KingdonOct 12, 2023
@tchambers Fair approach. Just know there are some of us who didn’t trust Elon not to take down profiles that redirect to competitors.
Show threadEvan ProdromouOct 12, 2023
@tchambers this is really interesting, and great work.
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
@evan Thank you, Evan!
Show threadPam PhillipsOct 12, 2023
@tchambers As one of the 60K of Twitter users with Mastodon in my profile, I feel seen. The X rebrand convinced me to let it go. The deletion happened in September.
Show threadChampagneOct 12, 2023
@jadebees @tchambers I have my Mastodon in my profile, as well. But, I'd hardly call myself an "active" user. I wonder what the definition of "active user" is.
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
@Champagne @jadebees visiting X at least once thst month.
Show threadEmelia 👸🏻Oct 12, 2023
@tchambers this chart isn't quite right.. whilst you must follow the account, as of 4.2, you can also hide accounts in a list from your home timeline:
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
@thisismissem Thanks! @gaberivera is the owner of that chart... adding him into this thread.
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023

@thisismissem @gaberivera

BTW Emelia: I think once enough people opt into search on 4.2, then that box will move from red to orange, too. Don't know the latest big opt in rates. Thought it was 5 to 15 percent of active users but not sure.

Show threadEmelia 👸🏻Oct 12, 2023
@tchambers @gaberivera I also don't think the "easy to follow users" in Mastodon should be red anymore, as that's been greatly improved by the interaction modal changes (it just asks you where you have an account now)
Show threadJon (now at neuromatch.social)Oct 12, 2023
@tchambers Love the comparison of Threads usage numbers to G+ back in the day 😂
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023
@jdp23 Yep, I'm sure the Threads team are well aware that they could pull a re-run on that scenario. It will be a race to see if they can finishing building the 1.0 fast enough to evade that. So far, they have been very busy. Free edit button launched today and features back-filling weekly.
Show threadArtBear on FirefishOct 12, 2023
@tchambers @jdp23
User retention figures for #Threads seem pretty poor, well under 10% afaik.
Show threadCoffeeGeekOct 12, 2023
@jdp23 @tchambers I actually miss Google+. There was so much potential there. It came at the tail end of the era where social media was still evolving and people could have "shifted" in a direction of their usage to take advantage of, and make use of the unique features the platform offered. IMO, Google screwed the pooch there.
Show threadTim ChambersOct 12, 2023

@coffeegeek @jdp23
They had some good ideas. Some I think the Fediverse could still steal.

Problem was that they tried to BE Facebook, a closed siloed network when an acceptable at the time Facebook existed, and they had no way to migrate users social graph en masse.

But yes, we could learn from that at parts. I actually like how "Circles" worked, btw.

Show threadbumblefudgeOct 12, 2023
@tchambers uhoh bsky in the rearview mirror closing the gap 😬
Show threadLeonOct 13, 2023
@by_caballero @tchambers could be a whole lot more people on there if they would just let more people in...
Show threadbumblefudgeOct 13, 2023
@stelz0r @tchambers they know what they're doing, but you're right that the graph is a little deceptive
Show threadTim ChambersOct 13, 2023
@by_caballero @stelz0r How so? Always looking to improve for next report…
Show threadbumblefudgeOct 13, 2023
@tchambers oh i was just agreeing with @stelz0r 's observation that bluesky's numbers are deliberately throttled/embargoed, so the number of users there is some unknown percentage lower than the number that would be if they threw open the floodgates. and my quip that they know what they're doing was that if they threw open the gates early, they'd get a lot of users for a short time and then less 2 quarters from now than if they ramp up & manage expectations :D
Show threadTim ChambersOct 14, 2023

@by_caballero @stelz0r

Got it: and notably BlueSky did NOT give "monthly active users," only REGISTERED users, which struck me as "hiding the ball" on only sharing good metrics but not even mentioning the most important one... how many users are engaging on a monthly/daily basis.

Show threadbumblefudgeOct 14, 2023
@tchambers @stelz0r hehe, they've definitely got an above-average marketing department over there, planning the rollout for maximum FOMO and optics. you do, in fact, have to hand it to them.
Show threadArtBear on FirefishOct 12, 2023
@tchambers @[email protected]
Thanks for the work your team puts in to this, makes really interesting reading.

I dual post to corporate social occasionally. I've been doing that for a year. It always confirms corporate social is a waste of time that goes nowhere for ordinary random users like myself.

Social interactions on the Fedi is just so radically different however. Here on #Fedi I find good conversation, thoughtful interesting people, and vastly less anger, more fun. Plus vastly more raw numbers. win/win

Fedi = quality & quantity

RE: https://firefish.social/notes/9jgn54slnwtyevxp
ArtBear on Firefish (@ArtBear)

I wish more people could get it right. The ultra rich are not wealth creators, they are wealth extractors & wealth hoarders. Everytime the cost of several new schools and hospitals gets spaffed away on lux mansions, private jets, Mediterranean super yachts etc it is a disinvestment in society, a misallocation of increasingly finite resources. Each new billionaire is evidence of society failing. #DefundTheBillionaires

Firefish Social
Show threadArtBear on FirefishOct 12, 2023
@tchambers @[email protected]
Also I find it low key hilarious the post that made the most numbers on corporate social in recent years, was a thread about how to leave corporate social.
https://twitter.com/ArtBear1000/status/1594017479369850880
On #Fediverse @[email protected] on X

An explainer🧵How to 1st days #Mastodon. There are many technical🧵Many cultural🧵 This🧵both. But condensed, clear. Why & how people do stuff. Why & how design is different. Why & how you have good interactions there. Your 1st days. From Newbie to Neo. https://t.co/ex3EQShQDd

X (formerly Twitter)
Show threadMr. CompletelyOct 13, 2023
@ArtBear @tchambers great explainer thread too. Love the photo progression. Nicely done
Show threadArtBear on FirefishOct 24, 2023
@mrcompletely @tchambers
thanks!
Show threadslyborgOct 12, 2023
@tchambers I remember the 5 minutes when Hive was the “It Girl” of social…
Show threadartisanroxOct 13, 2023

@tchambers

🐘WE'RE 🐘 NUMBER 🐘 ONE 🐘!

Show threadalternativeOct 13, 2023
@tchambers I found it quite interesting that there is Cohost in this data, but there is no Pebble
Show threadTim ChambersOct 13, 2023
@alternative Didn’t find enough data yet on them - will look again next quarter…..
Show threadalternativeOct 13, 2023
@tchambers thanks! and it's sure that steemit and minds actually became very unpopular right? lol
Show threadalternativeOct 13, 2023
@tchambers and if possible, how about add 'social.io', qwurty, squabblr, ripledd and mainchain? are thet too minor platforms? 😂 😂
Show threadTim ChambersOct 13, 2023
@alternative Will try those next time!
Show threadalternativeOct 13, 2023
@tchambers thanks!
Show threadskryOct 13, 2023
@tchambers Thanks so much for doing this!
Show threadAlbert KinngOct 13, 2023
@tchambers In the realm of social media, it's all about perceptions rather than pure numbers. The current strategy employed by X is that businesses must maintain an active account to ensure a consistent income. Essentially, they position themselves as the sole credible platform for business. However, you and I both know that this claim is untrue. Unfortunately, many people are blindly accepting this notion without questioning it. FOBLO (fear of being left out)
Show threadTheriacOct 13, 2023
@tchambers @[email protected]
Show threadalternativeNov 8, 2023

@tchambers @fediversenews

sorry for the very late question...

do you have plan to analyze twitter alternative platforms for japanese mostly?

such as

https://taittsuu.com
https://tters.jp/
https://crepu.net/

and

can you please add these sites later?

https://comty.app
https://momosz.com/
https://plurk.com
https://metamorphic.app/

ーーー＜広告だよ＞ーーー 春夏秋冬、廻る暦のドタバタ活劇── …

松浦はこ🗓暦と年中行事が好き（@matsbox）さんのタイーツ

taittsuu.com
Show threadTim ChambersNov 8, 2023
@alternative @fediversenews Our technique was to add as many instances as we could in our work, we did over 100 of the top servers from instances.social and happy to add more!
Show threadalternativeNov 14, 2023

@tchambers @fediversenews thanks!! You should check

https://whispy.org also!

whipsy is attracting a lot of attention as an alternative to Twitter in Asia(Kor, Jpn etc.)

Whispy

An *actually* good replacement for Twitter!

Whispy