Top Twitter and Facebook Trends Of 2009 (similar and different). Where Were You When? http://tr.im/IN3h
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@benparr this article provides insight and info on what we’ve all been talking about online. I’ve highlighted his 3rd insight on the differences between Twitter & Facebook (
full article here): 1. Diseases (Swine Flu) Scare the Hell Out of Us
2. Want a Blockbuster Movie? Sci-fi/Fantasy Is the Way to Go
3. Trends Reflect Differences Between Facebook and Twitter Users
First, let’s understand that Twitter and Facebook used different methodologies to come up with their top trends lists. Twitter’s top trends are likely based on words and phrases appeared the most as Twitter trending topics, while Facebook grouped together related phrases and put more emphasis on “bursts of activity” and percentage changes from 2008 to 2009.
Yet the result is still that we can see some stark differences between what Facebook and Twitter users like to do with their time and what’s on their minds. Here are some of my random observations:
- Facebook is still about personal connections: The fact that family ranks so high indicates that more mothers and fathers have joined the service, mostly to connect with their friends and their kids. The fact that religion popped up as a top trend supports this assertion.
- NFL dominated Fb and Twitter: The Super Bowl appeared on the top 2009 Twitter trend list not once, but twice. The Steelers were a top trend on Facebook.
- Facebookers like baseball, Twitter users like basketball? Well, the Yankees dominated the Facebook discussion just as much as the Steelers did, and on the Twitter side, the Lakers were the #2 sports trend and Koe Bryant was the #4 most discussed person in 2009. More likely, it’s just that basketball games have more tweetable moments than baseball games.
- The #IranElection Crisis was a singular event that Facebook didn’t have: This is probably because Twitter users potentially had the power to change the course of events in Tehran by helping their fellow users in Iran (
). It was a powerful message and one of Twitter’s watershed moments. Facebook definitely didn’t have an event that compared to it.
- How the hell is Lady Gaga not a top Twitter trend? Seriously, was Joe Wilson, A-Rod, and Chuck Norris more discussed than perhaps this year’s fastest rising music star? Maybe Facebook’s trend analysis was more accurate, or maybe Twitter users really just didn’t care about her. But they did care about Susan Boyle… very much.
4. This Year’s Big Technology Wasn’t Google Wave, It Was Twitter
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In this interview with Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget, Jim discusses Cape Wind, a proposed 130-turbine wind farm in Nantucket Sound that has the potential to generate three-quarters of the power needs of Cape Cod - but thus far has generated only controversy.Full article here<script src=”http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?embedCode=VreDI5MTqDkuIGsYdY4urMUz9rn5jDGk&height=314&width=560&deepLinkEmbedCode=VreDI5MTqDkuIGsYdY4urMUz9rn5jDGk” ></script> Areas of Europe have had wind farms since 1991! Why do you think the US is lagging so far behind on these advancements? 
