Who Needs Twitter?

I had lunch with a physician colleague recently.  In the course of our discussion Twitter came up and I tried to explain its potential benefits.  But despite my spot-on analogies he just didn’t understand why this would be of value to him.

Then I realized it may very well have no value for him.

As a middle-aged divorcee with college-aged children and a stable practice he freely admits that he doesn’t yearn for much.  Investment into his career isn’t a priority.  He has few aspirations beyond digital photography which he prefers to do alone.  He’s actually very happy just as he is.

So what’s value proposition for Facebook with someone like this?  What’s the return on involvement with Twitter?  I’m not sure there is one.

There are those who recognize the value of relationships and there are those who don’t.  There are those who recognize the value of relationships but find them less important.  While the benefits of social media are obvious to those who reap the benefits, there are those who have no aspirations beyond what’s in their immediate environment.

And technology will never change that.

Comments

[Lynn Parker]

I think you are right and I think never is a long time. Six months ago I had no interest in twitter or technology, and then my life changed, now I'm obsessed with twitter and other social media.

You never know what life will bring, however I totally get your point.

[DrV]

Yes, Lynn, I think that people can be 'converted' once they see the value and power of social networks. It's a difficult pitch, however. Physicians especially want the quick return. Not patient. Thanks for commenting.

[twitter.com/hellohealth]

Perhaps you could ask him how many patient calls he's gotten with questions about H1N1, and how much time he's spent answering those questions.

If he had a twitter account which patients knew was a conduit to him, he could use it to point to a short blog post, where he answered that question once.

We think that's better for him, and better for his patients. It's an important aspect of our vision.

[DrV]

Thanks HH. That's a very practical question and almost gets to the issue of obligation to interact in the SM space. I do think that visibility where the patients are will create a critical market advantage for physicians in the future. Thanks for your comments ... and the vision of Hello Health.

[antitwitter]

So back to your first question- who needs twitter?
Like who wants to waste time reading other peoples dayily moments
Frankly I am fedup with all this hype about twitter.