Are Twitter Lists a New MSM-Type Content Channel?

Twitter is evolving from simple chatter to themed content distribution. The jump was made with the roll out of a new feature - Twitter lists. News media organizations have been fairly fast to utilize this feature. Most notably, the New York Times dedicates a screen on thier site to lists [hat tip Zee]:

The power of Twitter is in the people you follow. Let @nytimes lead you to the best of Twitter: follow our lists or build your own. Suggestions? twitterlists@nytimes.com

The Huffington Post seems pretty well on top of the content it covers with its lists. Other news businesses have started their own lists as well. Among them:

• CNN - not as comprehensive as I would have thought, but they have many Twitter streams
• NBC news - it's a bit meager, with only two lists
• Wall Street Journal - validates its paid premium content brand
• The Economist - plenty of room for content with international flavor
• Time magazine - a good start and an opportunity to truly provide a curated media experience
• BBC - it's very intriguing that they would begin with just BBC channels
• npr news - a bit broader than just npr people
• Newsweek - not impressive given the magnitude of their follower count
• USAToday - they use lists to group resources of important conversations happening right now
• The Washington Post - one list
• The LA Times - excellent example of making useful lists and following user lists, highest so far
• Financial Times - plenty of room for a mor creative use of financial content curation
• The San Francisco Chronicle - demonstrates what's important to readers
• Slate - focused on its own staff
• Wired - ditto, about the magazine and staff
• Fast Company - I was expecting a little better from this magazine, but lists are still so new
• Inc. magazine - ditto, seems to be about itself
• Atlantic Online - good use of thematic content
• Mashable - not surpising that they would display a nice variety
• TechCrunch - signal what's hot so far
• Ars Technica - one so far

There's plenty of opportunity for two publications I track, Business Week and the Philadelphia Inquirer, to create lists, yet. Check out your favorite magazine, local newspaper or news company and see what lists they track, if any. That could be a good indication of direction - and brand.

I do believe in the link economy and, with lists, Twitter has inaugurated a whole new way for all of us, not just news organizations, to create thematic content channels. I'm with Andy Carvin, lists are worth exploring more. Plus, you can use a handy List Widget to make the content portable. Did you make any lists, yet? Have they been useful to you?

You can find my lists here.

© 2006-2009 Valeria Maltoni. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Gini Dietrich]

Valeria, there has been A LOT of debate on this on Twitter (as I'm sure you know). I'm of the belief that creating lists are a colossal waste of time (so much so that @julito77 created a "Grump" list and put me on it for saying so). I can't see the return on the time you'll invest to create lists...unless you're new to Twitter and start them now.

BUT, the point you make about them being themed content distribution is very interesting. Especially for the more traditional media outlets. But as the PR industry changes and we begin helping our clients create content to go directly to their audiences, your point is well taken.

[Valeria Maltoni]

I'm glad the post made you think about implications of lists vis-a-vis new ways of organizing information and resources for greater transparency. In the past, some of these news organizations would keep sources hidden - they still resist linking outside their own stories online. This is a first step.

A list could be a signal that the organization intends to be helpful to customers - and the industry - in a specific field. Imagine hosting a topic and becoming the company that gathers resources about "x" - that is marketing by context building.

Thank you for extending the thought.

[jgraziani]

Twitter has had content distribution (as opposed to chatter) since the very beginning. The list feature now offers users a way to organize that by topic.

It can take a lot of time to create a list with everyone on it that you want, though. It would be great if Twitter would let you sort your following alphabetically.

[Zachary Cohen]

Valeria,
Thanks for the post. Really digging what you are doing here. I have several lists, not trying to go hog wild. I would rather have 8 comprehensive and well edited lists than 20 poorly executed one with lots of doubles etc..My fear is that if my lists are not well edited people will trust me less as a curator. That being said, as a social media strategist working mostly with restaurants and other businesses in the hospitality industry in New York City, i am trying to become the source for comprehensive lists of restaurants, cheese shops, wine bars etc...I think the utility of that is important and I have used the power of twitter to help include brands I may have forgotten to include on my list.

[Adam Sherk]

Last week I took a look at what 30+ major news sites were doing so far with Twitter Lists. At least to-date it's been a slow start both in terms of list creation and more importantly in terms of building up subscribers to those lists. But I think Twitter Lists are a good fit for media sites so I'd expect things to pick up. An Early Look at News Media Twitter Lists: Not Much Traction

[Adam Sherk]

Sorry, the URL didn't come through. An Early Look at News Media Twitter Lists: Not Much Traction http://www.adamsherk.com/social-media/news-site-twitter-lists/

[Digitalinfant]

Excellent review, and thanks for putting this together. Overall, I think the best example is the NYtimes. Why? Because they've aggregated tweeters that they think I should follow to get the latest information on specific categories. I'm sure there are others besides me that trust and value the NYtimes enough to consider following a few of the lists they have put together. They also did the usual in providing a list of NYtimes staffers who are tweeters, but the fact that they push their list of non-NYtimes staffers first is nice to see.

[Valeria Maltoni]

@jgraziani - first off, I totally love the concept of your blog, kudos. It's the male world that wants to jump to problem-solving immediately. Often all a person needs is to be heard. I like the idea of project lists or themed lists - it's a way to signal what you're working on, what interests you. I rely more heavily on well crafted bios for knowing who to follow and what project they might belong to. Two more considerations: 1) Relationships take time, and so do lists; 2) hashtags can help in building themed or news lists, or chat lists.

@Zachary - some thoughts om further content curating. How about a list with Valentine Day's specials? One for a specific neighborhood. One for only Italian restaurants (I'm biased here), you get the idea. Go micro, instead of trying to go macro and you'll find your credibility soar if the list delivers because you will appeal to specific travelers, or visitors - and not try to appeal to everyone. Partner with a concierge service... you see the possibilities growing, don't you?

@Adam - that was an awesome effort. I didn't even think of searching for an existing list, duh! I'm thinking resources are an issue. Even for my own lists, it took time to decide and research what they should be.

@Digitalinfant - I'm so glad you persisted with the comment form. I agree, it's a nice social gesture what the NYT is doing. In this space, with everyone so hungry for case studies and examples, first movers get tremendous coverage and mileage - something worth considering for company branding efforts.

[Brindey Weber]

Hello Valeria,
I think there is a clear difference between the tweeps people follow and the tweeps people "listen" to. I think these lists give us a peek at the latter of the two categories.
I am definitely following people I don't know, and have forgotten why I followed them. (Probably a #followfriday gem.)
Thanks!