Follow us, and recommend strategic, synergistic, pro-fusion entities for us to follow as well.
I just started the account last night. The idea is that this will help us with our social marketing efforts. Of course, the more important task at this time is to improve the website and make it a better support site, with information and educational materials regarding fusion alternatives.
Nonetheless, we may as well twit a bit while we’re developing our campaign.
1. We have yet to improve our “Myspace” presence and get on “facebook”. Do we need to? Can twitter be enough? Twitter is so much simpler. A blessed 160 character maximum per post really takes the pressure off.
2. Will we need to set up separate twitters for LPP, Lerner, each of the scientists on the project? Or is this one twit enough? I see other companies out there with a full spread, each department twitting away, and all following each other.
Is this all hype? Is this a passing fad? Can we really leverage it for the advancement of fusion science?
Seriously. Facebook and MySpace would make the society look like a silly teenager. Twitter seems appropriate though.
BTW, change the repeating background of the website. Try to look like the end result rather than a technical element of the technology. Cleanliness and elegance. Simple life. etc.
Seriously, I thought just the opposite. Facebook is being used by a lot of people regardless of age, but twitter just seems a bit silly to me. Sound bite to nth power. We couldl use it to annoucne a pres confernce or something, but not routinely.
But people use facebook to send each other /pictures/ of drinks. And they /pay/ for the pictures too! It’s a toy. And myspace is full of musicians and emos.
Twitter is used for simple information exchange - even straight conversations. People are writing clustering algorithms for it to aid browsing the news, etc. It’s the merging of web, IM, IRC and search and, if only they’d open it up a bit so you didn’t need an account from the one vendor, it will become a significant new method of communicating.
Yes, I thought it would be good for organizing campaigns, getting the vote out, that sort of thing. Quick, brief messages. On the fly. And for linking up with other fusion approaches if they get on twitter - a way to build a movement.
Facebook and Myspace seem too high maintenance.
And, being in Iran, I’m blocked from Myspace. Facebook seems doable, though.
The other thing I like about twitter is the text message option. I can see you in the lab or at lunch, having a sudden inspiration, and texting this to twitter, so that we all are informed of it instantaneously.
We have to set up your phone for that.
Also, take a look at it again to see how much info you can convey with a soundbite. I just added a couple of more meaty posts. The tinyurl’s help. http://twitter.com/focusfusion
I like the brevity. It seems like a nice, no-frills, pared down, to-the-point medium of communication and outreach. If used properly. Otherwise, yes, it could be a total trivial time-suck.
Re:
maihem - 25 April 2009 10:30 PM
BTW, change the repeating background of the website. Try to look like the end result rather than a technical element of the technology. Cleanliness and elegance. Simple life. etc.
Can you send an example of such a background? Attach jpg.
You might like to make use of the Custom Alias option; you can create a unique text name for any link you create, like: http://tinyurl.com/ObamasDeception
Twitter just might be doable. Facebook’s demographic is over half the nation, with a large segment over 35, but you’ll be bombarded by trivial emails from others asking you to join their group(s). The whole key to the Web2.0 (social) sites is to build a following so you can direct them to other webpages of interest. If you have the dedicated staff, like a 60 person small online research/publishing firm, then it can be an effective strategy.
Co-ordinating media opportunities like articles, press releases, and videos are proven ways to build awareness of anything- FF, the blog, the twitter page, the facebook page, I’m sure you can see this devolving into the nth dimension as Eric mentioned.
Excuse my ignorance, but why are you in Iran? Are you Iranian? I always thought you were in NA!
I was in NA up until a couple of years ago. Moved back to IRI for a number of reasons. Luckily, internet knows no boundaries. Yep, I’m Iranian. Actually, Iranian+American. As you can see, we are a nuclear energy loving people.
Also, note me posting as Rezwan now. I also do most of admin’s posts, but I’ve kept it separate as that is supposed to be the official voice of FFS, and sometimes my personal voice slips through. I hope this isn’t a problem. Two hats, and all. Temporary, because someone else may take over “admin”, but I’ll always be rezwan.
You might like to make use of the Custom Alias option; you can create a unique text name for any link you create, like: http://tinyurl.com/ObamasDeception
If you have the dedicated staff, like a 60 person small online research/publishing firm, then it can be an effective strategy.
60 person? Dedicated staff? Good lord, no wonder we haven’t gotten anywhere.
Co-ordinating media opportunities like articles, press releases, and videos are proven ways to build awareness of anything- FF, the blog, the twitter page, the facebook page, I’m sure you can see this devolving into the nth dimension as Eric mentioned.
This sounds like a better strategy, especially as we need to write some key articles and make videos anyway to better explain what FF is about. Educational materials. Clearer on site message, plus supporting materials should come first.
Twitter is for reaching out to people, first those who are already interested in fusion energy and plasma physics, and then those who might share the dream, but who might not realize it yet since most of them haven’t even considered the possibility - green folk, poverty allieviation folk, futurists…
Focus Fusion Society 
