A recent TechCrunch post stating Ashton Kutcher has challenged CNN (Ted Turner) to a race to reach one million Twitter followers got me thinking of Twitter in terms of independent and blockbuster movies. It raises the question, “Do you approach Twitter as an actor in a blockbuster movie or an independent movie?”
The Kutcher challenge more than likely resonates with the blockbusters like Hannah Montana that want to have a huge opening weekend and get as many followers as possible. Ashton will get bragging rights for having a million followers; however how many followers does he really have a connection? How many are following just for the novelty and what happens when the novelty wears off? Remember, the Backstreet boys once had a huge following.
On the flip side, are those who approach Twitter as independents like Slumdog Millionaires. They may not generate a million followers , however they are able to connect in a genuine way with their followers. Furthermore, the independents will generate buzz, momentum and more followers over time.
As Seth Godin posted recently, some marketers are rock stars and all it takes is a tiny audience. I think the same holds true for Twitter. It does not take a million followers to be a blockbuster. Do you favor the independent or blockbuster approach to Twitter?
