TechAddress

HOW NOT TO: Build Your Twitter Community

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:33:00 +0000

The explosion of Flash content like widgets has created several complex problems, like how to index it in search engines, how to make it work on mobile, and how to track it. The latter is being addressed today at Adobe Max, where Google is announcing Analytics Tracking for Flash, which will let publishers track metrics for their flash applications from within Google’s popular stats package.

Aside from the unique file format, one of the major differences between tracking Flash and tracking webpages is that Flash can be embedded anywhere – meaning that analytics software needs to be able to measure interactions from not just a single location, but from within an application, regardless of where it’s placed.

To demonstrate how Google Analytics now does this, the company has teamed up with web-based Flash creation tool Sprout. Now, users who publish widgets and other Flash apps using Sprout can track metrics such as time spent, what links and objects users click within an app, and goal tracking – all from within the same Google Analytics account as their website.

Google and Sprout demonstrate how this works in the video below:

While Analytics for Flash is an interesting breakthrough in its own right, it also could be the dawn of a new era in marketing and how companies pay for advertising. As opposed to paying simply for clicks and for views, advertisers can now (in theory) pay for actual engagement, because it can be accurately measured.

Sprout is currently charging clients based on a “pay per publish model,” meaning the client pays each time someone actually does something with an app – like customize it (with Sprout’s “remix” feature) or republish it to a social networking profile. Sprout is marketing this new approach through a product they are calling SproutMixer.

Although most of the widget platforms like Clearspring and Gigya offer their own tracking solutions, Google Analytics adding its own support for Flash tracking is a big deal – it’s a solution that any Flash developer can implement into their applications – without the need for a middleman. As such, it could have significant implications on how online advertising is paid for, and how the widget companies evolve their business models.

Source:Mashable!

Sarah Evans is the director of communications at Elgin Community College (ECC) in Elgin, Illinois. She also authors a PR and social media blog.

In my previous post I discussed how to build your Twitter community, offering 10 tips as a guide. Here are a few tips on what not to do:

(Make sure you know a few of the basic Twitter commands to understand the content of this post.)

Don’t get caught up in the COUNT; get caught up in the CONTENT!

My biggest pet peeve on Twitter is when people ask for more followers. I don’t think anyone has malicious intents, but it doesn’t make any sense to me. You get more followers because you provide great content, are entertaining or someone likes you.

It’s much worse to have someone follow you, not like what you tweet and then unfollow you. Chances are, you’ve lost them for good. Practice good Twitter etiquette and don’t solicit followers for yourself or your friends.

Don’t install the Twitter application on Facebook if you send more than 10 tweets per day

You will seriously start to confuse your network…or worse, annoy them. If you’re like me, my networks are separate. Not all of my Facebook friends are on Twitter, or plan to be. When I use “Twitter lingo” it confuses them.

I learned this lesson from a personal mistake. I did have a Twitter feed updating my Facebook account until a few very nice friends “encouraged” me to stop it (one was my sister!).

Don’t publicly thank each of your followers

The quickest way to get people to stop following you is to provide a lack of good content or engaging dialogue. Thanking each of your new followers is a nice concept, but not practical. Keep in mind that tweeting the names of those following you is not valuable content to anyone. If you set the precedence you’re going to thank each and every person, you better be prepared to keep it up.

If you really must thank each follower:

1. Use the direct message feature and send it privately.

2. Retweet good content they have posted and give them credit for it (the ultimate thank you!)

Don’t underestimate the power of tracking a trend

Be part of breaking the hottest Twitter topic or find out what’s going on and join the conversation. If you have information or news you’d like to track, use the hashtag. Use Twitter search to get your results.

Keep it short and sweet. The more you cut into the 140 characters, the less content you provide AND the less likely people will use it.

When to use a hashtag (#)?

• Taking notes at a conference (Ask everyone around you to do the same thing and then you’ll all have access to ALL notes)

• Promoting major events (i.e. conference, meeting, etc…)

• Tracking a message (see how far a reach you’re getting)

• Communicating during national and natural disasters (which is how the hashtag function began)

• Promoting a favorite (i.e. Web site, musician, writer, etc…)

• Launching a new product or idea

NOTE: You create a hashtag simply by prefixing a word with a hash symbol: #hashtag.

Don’t use up your entire 140 characters with a lengthy URL

Use applications like TinyURL or Snipurl. They automatically shorten your URL and can offer link customization. Once you submit a tweet with a long URL, Twitter automatically converts it for you. It doesn’t help your cause “pre-tweet.” Make the most of your content and space by shortening the URL in advance.

Don’t worry about those who “unfollow” you

It’s like Pandora’s Box, if you REALLY want to know when someone unfollows you, applications like Qwitter are available. I warn you, if you decide to use this function—do not hold a grudge. Those who unfollow you on Twitter may want to connect with you on a different network, or search your info at their leisure. And, yes, sometimes it’s just not a “match.” It’s not personal.

I do use the application, and I only look for trends of people who unfollow after a certain tweet or trend (i.e. if I’ve sent too many tweets in a short amount of time).

Worry more about building the community you envision…it’s energy well spent.

Don’t be afraid of being a “polyconversationalist”

(You caught me. I made up this word. For the purpose of social networking, it means one who converses with multiple people simultaneously.)

You are now part of an asynchronous microblogging world, multiple conversations are a reality. The beauty of it is the expectation that you’ll reply as you have time. When you “find the time” you may find yourself replying to multiple responses at one time. Get used to it…it’s what Twitter is all about.

Don’t miss out on the face-to-face

Social networking is just the beginning. Many Twitter users host events to get out from behind the computer and get in front of one another. Find a local event or host your first Tweetup.

Score major cool points at your Tweetup:

• Supply name badges for people to wear. Have people write their Twitter IDs on them (@yourname). For a few extra bucks check out Tweetup Badges.

• Live tweet the event (don’t forget to use a hashtag to track tweets).

• Keep a sign in of all participants, including their Twitter IDs and a valid email address, then share the attendance list with everyone.

• Take lots of pictures and upload to Flickr.

Don’t forget about your safety if you are going to meet up

If you plan on meeting up with someone you’ve never met face-to-face, here are a few tips:

• Google them. Take a look at their online presence. Are they well connected across many networks? Have they been around for at least six months to a year?

• Shared connections. (There’s nothing wrong with asking about someone prior to a meet up. Check to see if you share any mutual connections.)

• Publicly tweet/message the name of the person(s) and location of your meeting across your social networks.

• Exchange phone numbers. Call the number to verify it belongs to that person. Then give the phone number and any other contact information you have about that person to your partner or a trusted friend.

• Meet in a group setting in a public location. (Don’t meet at your home!)

• If you’re meeting up with several people you’ve never met, verify that the others are coming.

• Drive yourself or get your own transportation to the meet up. (I know…I broke my own rule in my example.)

Most importantly, trust your gut. If a request to meet “doesn’t feel right,” don’t do it. There are several Internet safety resources out there. It can’t hurt to take a peek.

Sarah writes her own blog PRsarahevans.com and is the director of communications at Elgin Community College (ECC) in Elgin, Illinois. She also worked for Advocate Health Care, the largest health care system in Illinois, as the manager of communications and government relations at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. She brings a comprehensive background in the knowledge of non-for-profit and health care management. Her personal mission to engage and employ the use of emerging technologies in all communication makes her effective in reaching a dynamic audience.

Imagery courtesy of iStockPhoto, SchulteProductions,spxChrome

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Motrin Moms: Social Media Fail Whale

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:30:05 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Sarah Evans is the director of communications at Elgin Community College (ECC) in Elgin, Illinois. She also authors a PR and social media blog.

The inaugural celebration of International Baby Wearing Week also serves as a platform for the Motrin brand’s launch of their new ads (below) targeting what else, “baby wearing moms.” Touting the tagline “we feel your pain,” the Motrin IB ad in particular takes a snarky approach towards moms who carry babies in a pouch or sling.

And on the surface at least, the company accomplished the ultimate in outreach goals:

1. Reach target audience

2. Get them to engage in dialogue about your brand

3. Find way to track message and outreach

The Wrong Move

Sounds great, right? Wrong. While the ads are the number one discussion trend on the microblogging platform, Twitter, the overall grade? A great big “Fail Whale”.

Avid Twitter user and mom, Jessica Gottlieb is the originator of the conversation via her Twitter network. The dialogue (and overwhelming outrage) is growing exponentially. Already there are thousands of comments on #motrinmoms and almost all are negative with many saying they will no longer use the brand name product.

It took only a few short hours to go viral. Katja Presnal, founder of SkimbacoLifestyle.com and LadybugLandings.com, wants Motrin to know that the ads themselves are giving moms headaches.

Presnal says, “Moms have brains, don’t treat us like that and learn to market for us. We spend 75% of our families’ money.”

Will Motrin Respond?

The world of social media is reaching a tipping point and my bet is yes, they will respond.

This is their opportunity to engage and connect with a powerful (and influential) audience. (Perhaps the one they should have consulted before launching the ads?) So, what should they do first?

1. Deliver an apology. (From a person, not just the brand.)

2. Offer an outlet for people (not just the target audience) to share their feelings and emotions – especially important – let people share how they felt when they watched the ads.

3. Talk about what will change or be different (and incorporate feedback)

4. Get a social media presence!!!

If they do respond, their response will be blogged, chatted and tweeted about and will serve as a case study for social media engagement for years to come. No pressure.

I’m waiting with baited breath.

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Twitterspeak: 66 Twitter Terms You Don’t Need to Know

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 03:30:08 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Never read a twiller? Having twissues with your twerminology? Welcome, then, to the unforgivable abuse of the English language that some call Twitterspeak.

The trick, in most instances, is to take the first two letters of microblogging service Twitter and meld them, often unwillingly, to the front of your chosen word. These ungainly neologisms are so numerous that they now require at least two sites to track them: Twictionary and Twittonary.

The List

The latter, Twittonary, forces you to click through every letter of the alphabet methodically, despite the fact that most letters lack a single entry. Time saver: here’s the full list, with our suggestions below:

A-S

adventuritter: an adventurous twitterer

beetweet: a buzzing tweet; a “hot” tweet

co-twitterer: a partner that tweets on your Twitter account.

dweet: tweet sent while intoxicated

drive-by-tweet: a quick post inbetween tasks

friendapalooza: a quick burst of friend-adding

mistweet: a tweet in which one later regrets

neweeter: a new tweeter

occasionitter: an occasional tweeter

politweeter: a political tweeter

politweet: a political tweet

qwitter: a tool used to catch twitter quitters- UseQuitter.com

reportwitters: reporter style twitterers

sweeple: sweet twitter people

Twa-

twadd: to add/follow someone to your Twitter account as a friend.

twaffic: Twitter traffic.

twaiting: twittering while waiting.

twalking: walking while twittering via text.

twapplications: Twitter applications.

Twe-

twead: to read a tweet from a fellow twitterer.

tweepish: feeling sheepish or regretful about something you tweeted.

tweeple: Twitter people, Twitter members, Twitter users.

tweeps: Twitter people that follow each other from one social media/network to another.

tweetaholism: the continued use of Twitter as an addiction that is difficult to control.

tweetaholic: someone addicted to Twitter, so much so that it may be an actual problem.

tweet-back: bringing a previous tweet conversation or reference back into the current conversation.

tweet-dropping: eavesdropping on someone else’s home page in friends mode.

tweeter: a user of Twitter.

tweeterboxes: twitterers who tweet too much.

tweetheart: that special tweeter who makes your heart skip a beat.

tweetin: when a group of twitterers agree to get together at a set time to twitter.

tweet(ing): the act of posting to Twitter.

tweets: posts on Twitter by twitterers.

tweetsulted, tweetsult: what do you think it means, you dumb twitterer?

tweetup: when twitterers meet in person - a Twitter meet up.

Twi-

twideo-cronicity: when you’re watching someone’s videos and they are simultaneously leaving a comment or tweet for/at/about you.

twiking: biking while twittering via text.

twinkedIn: inviting friends made on Twitter to connect with you on LinkedIn.

twis: to dis a fellow twitterer. very bad form.

twitosphere: community of twitterers.

twittastic: fantastic, wonderful, superb.

twittcrastination: avoiding action while twittering, procrastination enabled by Twitter use.

twittduit: If you need to tweet a friend that does not follow you, post a twittduit asking your followers to pass a message.

twittectomy: an unfollowing of friends.

twitter-light zone: where you are when you return to Twitter after any time away and feel disoriented and lost.

twitter stream: a collection of tweets often times in alphabetical order

twitosphere: the community of twepple.

twitterati: The A-list twitterers.

twittercal mass: a community that has achieved a critical mass of twitterers.

twitterer: a user of Twitter (compare: tweeter).

twittering: to send a Twitter message.

twitterish: erractic behavior with short outbursts.

twitteritas: women who play with their twitters.

twitterness: a person’s contribution to the twitosphere.

twitterfly: being a social butterfly on Twitter evidenced by extreme usage of @ signs.

twitterject: interject your tweet into an existing tweet stream of conversation.

twitter-ku: those who either post on both Twitter and Jaiku or load their Twitter feed into Jaiku.

twitterlinkr: a service collecting the best links posted through Twitter.

twitterlooing: twittering from a bathroom.

twitterloop: to be caught up with friend tweets and up on the conversation.

twittermob: an unruly and ragtag horde of people who descend on an ill-prepared location after a provocative Twitter message.

twittermaps: a mashup technology that lets Twitter users find each other using google maps.

twitterpated: to be overwhelmed with Twitter messages.

twitterphoria: the elation you feel when the person you’ve added as a friend adds you back.

twitterage: rage at a twitter post.

twitterrhea: the act of sending too many Twitter messages.

Mashable’s Suggested Additions

Twegosearching: Something we never, ever do. Every 5 minutes. All day.

Twitophant / Twitophantic: One who repeatedly tweets the Top 100 in an attempt to gain more followers. Actually pretty smart.

Greentweets International: Well-meaning organizers of the Save the Fail Whales campaign.

More Twitter Resources

From the Mashable vault, a selection of our finest tweesources:

Twittermania: 140+ More Twitter Tools!

8 Awesome Firefox Plugins for Twitter

TWITTER TOOLBOX: 60+ Twitter Tools

Sixteen Great Twitter Moments

25+ Celebrity Twitter Users

Your Suggestions

…for Twitter words, please. Add em in the comments, Tweeple!

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Twitter’s Hockey Stick Moment

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:30:05 +0000

Source:TechCrunch

October was a good month for Twitter. All those election Tweets brought a 25 percent increase in U.S. visitors from the month before, to 1.45 million unique visitors, according to comScore. (Worldwide, the number was 5.6 million in September). Since January, Twitter has experienced a 16-fold growth in the U.S. And that is just visitors to Twitter.com. These numbers don’t count all the people who send and read Tweets from other Websites, desktop apps, or their mobile phones.

Twitter is having its hockey stick moment in terms of its growth just shooting up. Last week it may have delivered its billionth Tweet, at least nominally. And it looks like it is approaching escape velocity. If it doesn’t break up from all the pressure and is able to keep its service up and running more or less, it could soon—gasp!—break into the mainstream.

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California Wildfires: 10 Ways to Track their Spread

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:30:19 +0000

Source:Mashable!

An outbreak of wildfires in California’s Santa Barbara County has reached national news feeds and sparked Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency after the crisis in Montecito, quelled late on Friday by response units, was followed by a growing emergency in Sylmar.

For those affected and for those interested in following events more closely, we’ve assembled a collection of sites and services for reference and continuing updates.

As always, if you’ve got suggestions on where to get valuable bits of info, please lay them out in the comments.

The resources of the LA Times newsroom devoted to coverage of outbreaks in Santa Barbara County and the San Fernando Valley is arguably second to none. Whether you’re looking for news, tips on evacuation procedures, a graphic detailing the two primary situations in play, or a map, this site makes for a superb collection.

If you simply want an interactive bird’s-eye view of the situation in southern California this weekend, a custom My Map has been created by a self-described “student from Santa Barbara” to document what has happened and what continues to happen near the coast and areas further inland. Information is sourced from television networks, radio stations, fire response units and more. Ratings registered for this map certainly speak for its utility at the present moment.

Yahoo News has videos and slideshows, along with a myriad of wire news reports. You can sign up for alerts on stories from Sylmar and the Santa Barbara community to keep an automatic watch on things.

Here is where local news from small press operations and blogs shines brightest, helping you focus on events that the main news outlets may not be attentive of. The search feature on Outside.in is quick and reliable and can give you a real microcosmic look into what’s happening in your stomping grounds in relation to the fires of Montecito and Sylmar.

Talking about things “micro,” if you want to focus on the aftermath of what went on in Montecito this week or have moved your focus to Sayre, a simple Twitter search will show not only the average citizen’s take on matters at hand but informative blips of data from @CalFireNews, @emergencynews, and @Researchagain, just to name a few.

Are you seeking comprehensive coverage from accredited area reporters? The Santa Barbara News-Press one of the top places to go. (Note: As of 10:30am ET, the website is a literal blank page. It should be live once again soon enough.)

An in-depth alternative to the historic Santa Barbara News-Press, there is a great amount of information you can glean from servers at the Santa Barbara Independent. Most everything you need to know about the so-called “Tea Fire” is shown here.

The updates at the Santa Barbara City website are not breaking by the hour, but if you’re in search of assistance or guidance from city or county officials, this is one place to get the data you need.

If you need a fast overview of how to prep yourself and your home for a wildfire, few other places can offer a solid rundown than the FEMA website. Not only will tips found there help you be thoroughly cautious, but can make you more proactive than you otherwise might be without guidance.

The fact remains that the week’s events have not be the first wildfires to befall residents of California and states adjacent and will not be the last. That’s why a bookmark for the InciWeb bulletin could prove quite valuable now and at times down the line. In the event that you don’t follow traditional news closely, you can subscribe to RSS and Google Earth feeds to stay up on matters that may affect your neighborhood, county, or region of the nation.

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5 Ways to Keep Your Drunken Self Away From the Internet

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:33:01 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Google actually advertising one of its products? Say it ain’t so! The company that grew into the world’s largest search engine solely through word of mouth and smart deal-making (becoming the default in Firefox, for example) appears to be buying ads for its new web browser – Google Chrome. The first ads we’ve spotted appear on LinkedIn, as you can see in the above screenshot.

The link directs to Google-owned DoubleClick, meaning the ads are being tracked and LinkedIn probably isn’t promoting Chrome simply because it wants its user to enjoy a faster browsing experience. While Google commonly advertises its own products through its search engine, spotting a prominent ad on a third-party site is not something we’ve seen often, if at all.

Google beginning to advertise wouldn’t be a complete shocker. Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported that the company was beginning to look into advertising some of its products. And Chrome would be a smart one to start with, because downloads translate directly into revenue, as the browser drives more search volume.

Nonetheless, buying ads on other websites would be a big cultural shift for Google, and a bit of an acknowledgement that not all of their products will grow as organically as its search engine did. We’ve contacted both companies to find out more about the Chrome ads and will update if we hear something.

Source:Mashable!

Going near the Internet when you’re drunk is a bad, bad idea. Many people have discovered this the hard way. It’s particularly bad if you work online.

Google acknowledged this potential threat of the modern age when they provided a Gmail feature to keep you out of your inbox after you’ve hit the bottle. Once enabled, the feature will ask you to solve some mathematical problems before allowing you to send anything to anyone.

Most people, unfortunately, can still remember where the Calculator application is on their computer, even with a good half bottle of whiskey stuffed in their innards, so this hasn’t proven too effective for most. And still, there’s plenty of damage to be done in places where Gmail’s watchful eyes can’t protect you: Twitter, Facebook, your own blog. Even MySpace, though the chances of anyone noticing drunken behavior as anything but the norm over there aren’t high.

Here are a few methods for keeping your drunken alter-ego away from the computer. Hopefully, you’ll have a tougher time getting around these than you did getting around Gmail’s math quiz.

1. Hide the Power Cable

We all know Mac users like to gloat about how they never have to shut their computers down. But they’re also the most likely to get drunk and go surfing the net in such a sad state. I’m a Mac user myself, I should know.

Shut the computer down, take your power cable, and hide it somewhere. Preferably, your hiding place will require the assistance of a chair to reach, like the top of a cupboard or up in the roof through the manhole. That way, once you’ve had your fill, you won’t be able to get up there. Sure, you’ll try. But you’ll fall off the chair a few times, get a concussion and break some expensive items on your way down.

You certainly won’t be getting anywhere near that cable.

2. Install Linux

Here’s a surefire way to make sure you never make it to the desktop. Install Linux on your computer, and make sure it’s one of those versions that spews out heaps of unreadable machine-speak as it boots up. You know the sort, white text on a black background, a modern day reminder of your DOS years.

I’ll guarantee it, if you’ve had enough to drink, you won’t make it to the login screen. All that fast scrolling text will have you dizzy and nauseous. With any luck, you’ll perform a power chuck all over the screen, making it impossible to write an email or tweet something terrible.

And come on. Don’t tell me you can just clean up the chuck when you’re that drunk.

3. Follow Security Best Practices

You know those security best practices instructions from the IT department that you ignored? Follow them. Don’t let your machine save passwords. Come up with meticulously crafted passwords with impossible-to-memorize strings of numbers and letters. Then, don’t store your passwords anywhere.

Sure, you won’t remember those excruciatingly long strings even when you’re sober, not without writing them down. But isn’t it all worth it? Now you can’t get yourself fired or destroy your relationship by posting the wrong photo to Facebook.

4. Play Waterfall Tracks

Go to the nearest new age shop and grab a CD of waterfall and wildlife sounds. Rip the CD and put the tracks on loop. You know how waterfall sounds work—every time you go anywhere near the computer, you’ll have to rush to the bathroom. You won’t be able to hang around long enough to stop the track or turn off the speakers—ah, the simple power of beer.

5. Go to the Pub

Seriously, does nobody go out to drink anymore? Also, have you ever noticed that the last item in a list is always the most obvious idea? It’s expensive to drink out, I know, but it certainly doesn’t cost as much as losing your job. The other benefit is that your spouse won’t be on your back all night about picking up the beer caps you keep throwing across the room.

There’s still a danger: the smartphone. The smartphone that allows you to take an embarrassing photo and send it to all your friends by email, or publicly tweet it. Leave the smartphone at home.

Image courtesy of iStockPhoto, iwan_drago

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Twitterank Might Not Have Been a Phishing Scam, But It Was Fascinating

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:30:33 +0000

Source:Mashable!

This week has seen an incredible amount of interest around Twitterank, a new tool that popped up that computes a numerical score of … something.

At first, no one was really too sure what Twitterank was computing, but, it related to Twitter, one’s perceived popularity, and had a quirky site, so, why not enter in your credentials and see what the site had to say about you seemed to be the thinking.

Alas, as word of Twitterank spread (through automatic tweets of people’s scores), concerns arose that the site might be stealing user passwords, as Twitter users began seeing Tweets pop up in their timeline that they thought they didn’t make themselves. The phenomenon is perhaps best summarized by one of our commenters, Michael Bailey, who wrote:

“This whole password stealing rumor got started when a few people who did NOT bother to uncheck the box for sending their Twitterank to Twitter. Then it became a matter of self-preservation expressed in the form of “I did NOT give them permission to send that to Twitter” - well, yes they did because of the default setting, which they didn’t bother to read.

So, as most self-preservation of ones ego goes, many people began the rumors that the site must be stealing their passwords, even rumors of DM’s being sent from their account.”

In other words, the user flow on Twitterank – automatically tweeting one’s score unless the user explicitly opts out – was apparently enough to confuse a lot of people into thinking their accounts had been compromised. Additionally, you could (and still can) enter anything into the “password” box on Twitterank and have your score computed, although this won’t post your score to Twitter since it can’t be authenticated (although several commenters dispute this).

Twitterank’s developer, now known to be Ryo Chijiiwa (@ryochiji), has noted in his blog that he regrets these decisions, writing “I probably would’ve done 2 things differently. Firstly, I would’ve come up with an algorithm that works with Twitter’s Search API, which doesn’t require authentication. Secondly, I would’ve handled posting to twitter differently, which would’ve sacrificed virality, but after today, I’m not so sure insane rapid growth is really worth it.”

Indeed, the design of Twitterank certainly had much to do with its massive word-of-mouth spread, and it’s still Twitter’s #1 trending topic today. This design is also what led to speculation that it might be a phishing scam – a fire we added fuel to by simply asking our readers: “Is Twitterank Ranking Your Popularity or Stealing Your Password?”

The answer now appears to be the former, though the design flaws of Twitterank are certainly a valuable lesson for anyone building a Twitter application, or, on a more serious note, applications that actually do important stuff (as a recent victim of being opted into a credit card scam, I can relate). And for users, the Twitterank “scare” was an important reminder to keep your passwords safe, and use a diversity of them. After all, if something as innocuous as Twitterank was actually a phishing scam, it could easily be parlayed into accessing email, bank accounts, and other sensitive data.

As for Twitterank’s future, it’s self-deprecating developer probably describes it best: “by tomorrow, most of Twitterdom will have forgotten about Twitterank. Thank goodness for short attention spans.”

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