Twitter is an alchemy of links, spam, and conversation. Yet one celebrity transcends the pedestrian constraints of the medium: Kanye West.
Kanye West is a rapper, producer, fashion designer, and dates the most popular Kardashian. He has 8.5 million followers on Twitter, and follows just one person (the aforementioned Kardashian). He's talented, eccentric and wealthy. Did I mention he's eccentric?
Kanye's Twitter history
West is gregarious, dynamic, enigmatic celebrity... and he has a history of random Twitter posts. Comedian Aziz Ansari does a couple of fantastic bits about him, especially West's great appreciation of his own talent. Here is an example of his social observations:
Just driving through the city and I see a few thing I hate...
- Kanye West (@kanyewest) May 5, 2012
I Hate big ass striped scarves
- Kanye West (@kanyewest) May 5, 2012
The Kanye-Kanye b**** debate
So the other day, Kanye tweeted a question: he wanted to know how people felt about the use of the pejorative "bitch" in rap songs. He continued to tweet answers to his own questions without replying to anyone. Kayne may have been #eastwooding before it was popular. It was bizarre and compelling.... but not in a good way. Here's a sample of the monologue:
I usually never tweet questions butI struggle with this so here goes...Is the word BITCH acceptable?
- Kanye West (@kanyewest) September 2, 2012
Stevie Wonder never had to use the word bitch to get his point across
- Kanye West (@kanyewest) September 2, 2012
I'm not tweeting to say what we need and what we don't... I just wanted to think out loud with you guys today...
- Kanye West (@kanyewest) September 2, 2012
Bizarre? Absolutely. Insightful? Absolutely not.
What Kanye's Twitter monologues teach us
It's worth examining why we see Kanye West's Twitter behavior as eccentric. It's because there's no interaction. It's notable because he's a celebrity, but it's not unusual. People create latent content everyday.
I'll go through my news feed or Twitter feed and see so much go unacknowledged, and that's where there's an opportunity to connect with people. Many businesses see these tools as a way to interject content into the collective conversation without participating in the conversation. Businesses that are going to achieve success with social media (however they measure it) are going to have to realize how contextually absurd it is to be like Kanye West.
If you sell millions of records, clothes, and are dating one of the most compelling celebrities in the world people will consume your content without reciprocation. For the rest of us: there is ample opportunity to engage. In fact, it's expected.
The post Twitter genius? Kanye West is a self-sustaining social network. by Jim Dougherty appeared first on Leaders West.