Comparative Analysis of Facebook and Twitter

Background

People in the world are likely to have more closed with social platforms; namely facebook  and twitter. In this article, the standardized parts of these social plugs have been lucidly explicated by the article from general point of views. Despite many unique diversified and sameness on the facebook and twitter scene, there are many challenges regarding security case and appropriately use. By considering this situation, this piece of article comprehensively helps to select better platform and enhancement in recognition.

Like me on facebook follow me on twitter

Facebook and twitter are popular social media having large audiences and billions of active users. In simple term, both are online-based user interactive software/platforms which allow exchanging information from one to another directly. Profile and basic settings are also same in facebook and twitter. Some of them are post, promotion, response/comment facility, log-in procedures and verification. Despite many similarities, there are number of differences between them such as available options, ways and limitation regarding communication, etc. Therefore, facebook and twitter can be analyzed on the basis of their features, historical development and many more.

Discussion

Facebook was initially lunched as FaceMash name on 4 February, 2004. In addition, it was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. It was origin was started from name of distributed sheets and now it has been used by more than five billions of active users as best social network. Not with standing that, many governmental agencies are also giving their message through it. On the contrary, twitter had been established by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams on 21 March, 2006 which was formally launched on 15 July, 2006. Facebook started with online message for student’s group and twitter emerged as personal diary in beginning. Later, both social media rapidly expanded their services by launching in almost countries of the world including Nepal. In this article, some dissimilarities and common aspects of the twitter and facebook are presented in simple way to understand perfectly.

Similarities of Facebook and Twitter

There are number of similarities between these two social media, facebook and twitter. As their beginning, twitter is junior than facebook on the basis of establishment date. However; the media has been growing simultaneously with model of proximity. Some of the similar aspects of them are described in briefly within some subtitles of below.

• Post: Post is main weapon to deliver ideas perfectly. Almost media consist of caption and word-based explanation as their first priority regarding message expression. In facebook, there is a box to write whatever its user’s desire. Post composing area of the facebook is also called “what’s on your mind?” which allows to compose your ideas on words. In the case of twitter, there is also a box to compose post which is called “what’s happening” or “tweet”. Both are available after creating account.
• Response: In facebook, there is a way to response immediately and available time. Likewise, a twitter profile’s user can reply to good wishes by many ways even there is quite different. The differences are discussed on “differences” section. In short, facebook and twitter have facility to response about their post/tweet and direct message. Likewise, responses on the post can be controlled before posting something and after published. Unsuitable and offensive responses can also be hidden and deleted from the list.
• Message: Message is a tool to send ideas and certain contents personally/privately.  In facebook and twitter, there is message option which provides white space like post composing box to create message and send target people directly. In twitter, this option is known as “direct message”. Through this option, people can compose up to 20000 characters on facebook and 10000 characters on twitter. But there is no voice chat and video chatting service in twitter.
• React: React means to show personal intension without writing words about the idea. In facebook and twitter, there is “like” button to react as common.
• Mention: Mentioning is a tool which is used to notify person/organization about posted things. In these social media, at (@” sign is used to search the people to add on post/tweet. i.e. when @ sign is pressed, frequently mentioned names are appeared. Randomly, any name can be pressed from there to pick up which instantly adds into composing post. Likewise, particular names are possible to search by typing @ sign than related characters.
• Profile setting: Profile setting of facebook and twitter is nearly same. In these two social media, common profile settings are sign up, log-in process (username and password, phone number and password and e-mail and password), requirement of account opening and profile photo. On the other hand, there is needed to be compliance as registering account, log-in and basic profile setting.
• Unverified and verified accounts: All registered accounts are unverified first. Later, some of them are verified and labeled as blue tick by particular norms. Verified means the social media have reviewed and approved the account as well manner which is commonly understood as high standard profile. Celebrities, public figures, renowned politicians, activist, etc get verified symbol beneath their profile name of page and handle. Social media can remove this verified blue tick symbol any time on the basis of regulations. In twitter, there is a fix rule and criteria to verify any twitter handle. On the other hand, facebook also offers verification for its users but this is for facebook profile and page after meeting certain criteria’s. Facebook and twitter use different ways and procedures to verify account but they provide blue checkmark on verified handles and pages respectively. So all accounts cannot receive verified batch having blue checkmark on facebook and twitter due to hard and fast rule. profile. However; all handles may claim as candidate for verified batch in twitter without extra documents like passport copy and other governmental certificates.
• Emoji: Emojies are used to say more within fewer words. So this is very powerful tool of expression. Therefore, the emojies are used on the post to share ideas and emotion through post and comment in social media. In mobile, there is emoji insertion above of the keyboard or bottom left corner of keyboard but in computer, an option has been kept under post composing box. In the emoji list, there are lots of categories and symbols to select for suitable expression. However; emojies are equal as like as two characters space. Emojies are frequently used on tweets than facebook to deliver clear message as far as possible.

In sum up, the facebook and twitter have similarities in post, response, message, react, way of mention, profile setting, emoji, etc. except some characteristics; there is also sameness in the verification. Thus, a facebook user can easily handle a new twitter handle and twitter user also does as facebook user can do regarding social media. However; twitter is known as micro blogging site whereas facebook is recognized as business growth tool also.

 

Chief Differences between facebook and twitter

Despite having many common things, the facebook and the twitter have several distinguishes. All are not need to be known for users. But if social media account has been registered yet, everyone must take good decision to go abroad by enhancing personality via it. Because a social media account may lead you to global recognition. Likewise, clear understanding also helps to keep the profile securely with proper update and free from fake accounts. Social media have been strictly compliance to make more transparent by tagging blue checkmark, called verified identification. In this short comparative analysis, some major differences are tried to explain under the following subtopics.

1. Offline facility: in facebook and twitter, some features are available on offline mode. Some of them are composing message, creating post/draft, dropping comment on available posts, etc. However; facebook does not have facility to tag and mention on the post as offline mode; this is only available for chat groups. There are many facilities in comparison of facebook as per offline mode regarding twitter. In the twitter, users can compose post, save it as draft, mention selected related authorities, and see about 100 tweets, etc. meanwhile, users of the facebook can get only three times notification which depends on facebook’s schedule. However; the twitter allows to save many post on its draft as customer’s desires. The saved items can be obtained any time at draft box without internet access also.
2. Character limitation on post and comment: In facebook, there is limitation on post’s characters but this is as like as unlimited for twitter. Because a twitter post (tweet) has only 280 characters’ boundary to express whatever the ideas but a facebook post can be maximized (lengthy) up to 63206 letters. On the other hand, a facebook post can clearly express about 225 more tweets; facebook post or article can be composed up to an article of 15 pages. On the contrary, twitter users seem to have tried to include gestures for reduction this large gap to express something.

Although small space to express idea/opinion, twitter is very popular for high profile user such as politicians, leaders of institution, etc. In twitter post, hashtag (term starts from # sign) can be added which creates specific link of this phrase and helps to maximize tweets on twitter. In facebook, hashtag does not offer to boost the contents through it but it makes link of the phrase and helps to appear the hashtag term if anyone search the key words on search bar.

There is no different about writing limitation in tweets and reply/comment. Because twitter has equal space to compose post, comment on retweet and write a comment as reply which consists of 280 letters including space and emoticons. Initially, it was limited up to 140 characters. The facebook offers 8000 character’s limitation to comment about post. In comparison of the twitter, it is nearly 28.5 times more at current time. Likewise, facebook has equal facility to while sharing someone’s post which means lengthy space is available to friends and followers who are interested to share this post also.

In direct message, facebook messenger allows to compose the message up to 20,000 characters whereas twitter gives only 10,000 characters to send a message to anyone directly. At the beginning, facebook had been providing 640 characters and the twitter had 140 characters. As twitter’s analyst views, only about 12% tweets hit 280 characters. Most of the twitter users tweet under 140 characters now days. So twitter might not offer more than 280 character’s limitation on post. Other key differences of facebook and the twitter are pointed out below.

1. Name and user name appearance: Facebook always shows full name on top of profile in spite of offering username as profile link. Twitter shows full name and username of the handle on profile and top of tweets. In facebook name, there is limitation of 75 characters with no symbol and emoji. Its username has criteria of minimum 6 and maximum 50 characters to be written which starts like https://facebook.com/akalbahadur25. In twitter, name policy allows to choose symbol, alphanumeric characters and emojies. Likewise, username of twitter starts from at (@) sign which should not be more than 15 characters. The usernames on twitter appear as @BasantJaishi which means https://twitter.com/BasantJaishi.
2. Bio limitation: Bio is created by describing about account handler. Hence, Bio is respected as short but complete picture of the person. In twitter, there is longer space to write about yourself, called bio. Whatever user wants to mention, he/she need to have a tactic to draw that within 159 characters. On the other hand, facebook has no longer space to create all the bio information. The facebook users have to mention their bio-data under 100 characters. So twitter is offering 60% more space than the facebook. In facebook page, this option is known as description. If any link of your profile is inserted on twitter’s bio, it appears as a hyperlink which helps to check out contents of it. But this is not in the facebook. This is because facebook has managed such things on personal details section on the profile.
3. Cover photo: In facebook, there is an optional space to add cover photo. This is used as showing background and interest of personal user and brand, logo, etc for facebook pages. In twitter, there is no cover photo option. So this is one of the perfect dissimilarity. In this sense, there is no extra useful tool in twitter for publicity.
4. Number of link insertion: Hyperlinks are next effective guide to lead right destination as well as introduction part. In twitter, there is only one option to put for single url/link apart utilization of bio box. So that twitter is just for single and complete intro via website. On the other hand, the facebook seems to have many optional fields to insert such hyperlinks which may contains social media profile, website, etc. These fields are managed on intro section/profile of the user and page. So here is quick style to follow; complete your facebook account and put its profile link on twitter account!
5. Friends and followers: People, who are not directly engaging but interested to know their all public activities, are called followers. Likewise, if anyone wants to share his idea via two way interactive mode, she/he is friends. Except that, there is no hard and fast rule to separate them. In facebook, there is “add friend” option and “follow” option in personal profile but only “follow” option is available on page audience; everyone automatically follow after like any facebook page. In short, there are many option such as like, follow, etc under facebook’s “action” but not in twitter.
6. Option of reaction: In the facebook and twitter, there is common thing regarding reaction; that is “like” button. Except this, twitter has no way to appreciate the post. On the contrary, facebook has six options to expression their reaction including like. When we hold like button by pressing it, like (just appreciation), love (enjoy by seeing it), care (less than interest or be alert), sad (expression of sympathy), wow (high admiration), angry (feeling irritation) and ha-ha (full of smoking/positive smile. Thus, in facebook, there is not only single way to appreciate, but also varieties of action to show it.
7. Sensitive media control: in twitter, there is customer based choosing security policy regarding sensitive media (offensive words and contents). This facility can be easily accessed via its setting. In facebook, filtering is not in personal user accounts and pages also. All are need to be cared about sensitive activities on their profile. This means twitter has automatic management system to define and treat offensive contents.
8. Account types: twitter does not have account type due to its single flavor which is twitter handle. Moreover, there is same platform for all either beginner user as personally or advance and large public companies. All may have equal chances to boom their audiences, called followers. Just opposite of that, facebook offers two types of accounts which are personal facebook profile and facebook page. In short, personal profiles are individual contents and relation oriented whereas most of the facebook pages are created to boom the audiences for marketing, large message delivery, collect feedback, etc purpose.
9. Number of wishes to add: in facebook post, up to 50 people can be tagged by user. However; twitter does not allow such tools. So tweets often depend on the follower’s access and reaction on them to boost. To fulfill this lack, twitter users have to try to incorporate more people on tweets/comments as directly mention which notify to mentioned people in “notification” section. The Facebook post often directly goes into timelines of the people whom are being tagged in the post owing to most preference of no review before posting on timeline trend. This increases if page operates such activities. In the case of tag versus mention, a profile user of facebook can tag up to 50 profiles in the post whereas a twitter handle can have possibility to mention up to 18 handles in tweet.
10. Category and extra option: In facebook there are two categories in its accounts. Between them, page has also different types of categories while creating the page. So posts may disperse as per searched and followed desires of people. In the case of twitter, there is also option to help categorize tweets which is known as “hashtag”. In the twitter, creation of topic and adding interested topics are strong tool to receive relevant contents from the world. So there is topic list like hyperlink facility of facebook. So this seems to have close but clearly unique distinguish on the facebook and twitter.
11. Obligated things: At the registering process, some mandatory information is required to access social media account, called obligated things. In facebook, mobile number/e-mail, gender, date of birth, full name (first, middle and last) and one time verification via mobile are compulsory. These things are also compulsory for twitter signup but date of birth can be removed and hide from follower which may not eligible for verification issue.
12. Extra information on post: With the post, there may be additional information such as location, emotional feeling and activities, etc. in twitter, location is optional information to be included/shared with every tweets. Furthermore, this is similar to facebook post also. Despite that feature, there is much extra information on facebook posts which are not compulsory to put. In twitter, jif is additional tool to focus on post. But in facebook post, there are many sub section which clearly express ideas than tweets. Therefore, facebook is better to add related feelings through post.
13. Limitation of posting photos number: A facebook post or article can be composed up to 63,206 characters which is approximately an article of 15 pages. Likewise tweets contain less than 280 characters to comprise and deliver things. In the facebook, up to 30 photos can be posted as single post with captions or without captions. In the context of tweets, there is no space to add more than four photos in tweets. So that tweets are more key ideas oriented which try to give central matter through small contents.
14. Post engagement: Post engagement provides details about how much time people interacted on it. So this is like view count in videos. In twitter, there is an option “view tweet’s activities” which allows to see number of click on the tweets. However; facebook groups and pages show statistical data which is just post viewers only. Even though it does not represent clear analysis as our possible audiences. Personal facebook user (having individual profile) is doing not get such facility in facebook. Hence, twitter users can experience tweets as youtube.
15. Description of photo: In facebook, there is not appearance caption on photos before view its full size. Likewise, most of the people write caption as post in facebook. In the case of twitter, there is photo description which can be written up to 1000 characters through many language including Nepali. This description/caption clearly emerges as name of photo on screen of the tweet. This shows that the photo description quality is better in twitter than facebook.
16. Tag on photo: Facebook has tagging service, known as “tag friends”. In the facebook there is no option to tag photo only to wishes/ related people. But friends and followers can like and react by selecting particular pictures from post/albums. In twitter, photos can be tagged up to 10 handle in a tweet/post. This service of twitter quite enables to reduce vagueness of reaching people. Even though particular photo cannot be interpreted by reaction.
17. Action of live: live is dynamic and real fetching technological change. In facebook, there is not necessary to labour hard to go live and start streaming; just open facebook account and click on go live option and fill up live streaming related information. Thus, general literate people can do it very easily. In the case of twitter users, they should have another application to proceed live streaming, periscope. So additional maintenance efficiency is to be practiced. Hence, facebook is simpler than twitter to go live streaming. Likewise, live streaming audiovisual contents may not support as post on twitter timelines.
18. Video post limitation: In twitter, no one can upload videos more than 512 megabyte size. Even though there is live recording facility in twitter via self device camera.
19. Accessibility to post: in tweets, there is no ‘see more’ to see full text because of small and fit space to compose. So this helps to access overall contents of the tweet within single click on it. In the facebook, everyone must press ‘see more” button to see full text of the post. Because there is a large box to say something’s and if someone perfectly writes whatever comes in mind within 421 characters, it will more beneficial for its viewers. This is because most of the people are likely to be following scanning and surface reading style in social media. It may be vital cause to have popular the twitter among those kinds of people quickly.
20. Post composing facility or draft: post may be composed either online or offline mode. In developmental countries like Nepal, internet is not affordable for all and data prices are expensive to stay online for long time. So people take advantage by editing their works in offline mode as far as possible. From this point of view, twitter is better than facebook due to offline facility to compose and store drafts. These drafts can be re-edited and deleted any time on twitter. But facebook sends notification up to three times to consider about their pending drafts for either discard or post them. Meanwhile, these kinds of notifications come as per schedule of facebook application. Mentioning, tagging, etc things are also not available on facebook while operating in offline mode. In this way, twitter drafts work as Gmail draft.
21. Additional resources: In this article, additional resources mean other tools to operate facebook and twitter. In twitter, periscope log-in is compulsory to broadcast live. Furthermore, no option to keep periscope if live streaming is necessary. Likewise, facebook itself does not complete to use all services like message and call. Everyone must install and log-in with messenger as extra software to operate message and call service. In spite of occupying 100% more storage, periscope for twitter and messenger for facebook are obligated complementary tools. So except having account on social media, people have to keep other applications related to them, called additional instruments. Quantitatively, such tools have made for facebook than twitter.

 

There are other small differences between facebook and twitter. Likewise, many similarities are also in these two social media. To understand such things very well, main distinguishes have been presented in the following table.

Table 1: Similarities and differences between twitter and facebook

Serial number	Aspect	Similarity	Twitter	Facebook
1.	Founder	Both were belonged to American	Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams	Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes
2.	Character limitation except name and username	Both have character limitation to write post and comment	280 characters for post–comment and 10,000 characters for messaging	63,206 characters for post, 8,000 characters for comment and 20,000 characters for messaging
3.	Things on profile	Name, bio, number of followers/friends and profile photo	Username, a web/url link and working location	Cover photo, all working areas, current and home town, etc
4.	Bio	Both have small space to describe	160 character limitation and mentioned links are available to go	101 character limitation
5.	Good wishes	Interested person can add and remove any profile	Unlimited numbers of followers and following (followed by handler)	Up to 5,000 friends in personal account and no limitation for followers on personal profile and facebook page
6.	Reaction	Like and unlike	Except like, no alternative	Love, ha-ha, sad, angry, wow and like
7.	Nature of account	Personal and public	No category, all are just like individual account	Personal account and pages in which the page is based on personal account
8.	Message response	Quick and delay as user’s availability as well as importance and interest, image can be sent	No information is received to sender about its delivery, auto reply cannot be set	Delivery status, auto reply for page and voice message
9.	Live streaming and video post	Available for all	Extra application and shorter caption should be managed, video can be recorded and posted less than 512 MB, only single video is allowed to post on timeline once	No extra app is required and no boundary for video post regarding size and number
10.	Obligated information	Mobile number/e-mail, full name, password and gender	Special phrase for security and verification of authorized site	Date of birth (only two chances to change)
11.	Information on post	Author, published time and location	Type of device (computer, android, iphone,tweetdec, etc) pole creation and username	Number of tagged friends/followers, emotional feelings background colour (if post is less than 420 characters)
12.	Limitation of photo and video post		One video or maximum four pictures may be posted in a tweet	Up to 30 photos and 10 videos can be added on the post
13.	Post composing facility	Offline and online	Maximum features of online are available	Writing, uploading video/photo saving are allowed
14.	Account verification	Blue batch on next of profile name	All can be verified as per account’s status meeting criteria without governmental proof.	Only citizenship holder, driving license holder and passport holder can apply for verification process after meeting certain criteria and submitting copy of any governmental issued copy.
15.	Complementary instruments	Application of the company/browser	Periscope, twitter media studio, business advertiser web publishing, etc	Facebook messenger, facebook light, facebook manager, etc

 

 

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