Twitter, a micro-blogging service which allows users to post up to 140 characters at a time, is still in its research phase, but in Web 2.0 terms, its fast becoming a juggernaut. You may have noticed its use in mass media like CNN and NPR. Although Twitter usage has grown 1689% in the last year (2008), it is still dwarfed by Facebook which has more than 175 million users compared to Twitter’s 1.78 million. It may be unfair to compare the two however, as they are two completely different types of services. Facebook is more full featured while Twitter does one thing, but does it very well. One thing they don’t offer is a directory services, so a few companies have been filling that need and piggybacking on Twitter’s success by creating Twitter directories.
Currently the five major Twitter directories are Just Tweet It, We Follow, Twit Town, Twit Dir, and Twibs. Just Tweet It is currently the most popular, but Twibs and We Follow have a strong chance of overtaking Just Tweet It. Twibs is a business directory and is currently paying for online advertising until their SEO base can allow their site to rise to the top. We Follow is ran by Digg founder, Kevin Rose so it is sure to be a player, but in this Economy 2.0, nothing is for certain. One thing you can count on is content and right now the only ones creating it are the Twitter users themselves. If that dries up, Twitter, and all its directories, go with it. That does not seem to be happening though. Even MySpace, which has stopped growing as fast, has not started to decline even in the face of its biggest competitor, Facebook. There is probably even room for Twitter competition like Plurk in this vast, virtual place we call the Internet.