Jena McGregor, The Washington Post, November 21, 2014
When Uber CEO Travis Kalanick rattled off a series of 14 tweets Tuesday afternoon, most of the attention was on what he said rather than how he said it. While Kalanick may have intended to apologize for the controversy that erupted after one of Uber’s executives suggested digging into the personal lives of journalists, he was chided for the sorry-not-sorry nature of his remarks.
Yet his decision to issue that apology via a “tweetstorm” — a series of tweets on a single subject — was also a head scratcher. Using a series of tweets, rather than a single one that links to a blog post or press release for more information, has become an increasingly popular vehicle for corporate communications. But that might be misguided.
Davia Temin says she generally likes the idea of executives using a tweetstorm: It has a feel of spontaneity and authenticity, and the flood of comments can prompt greater visibility for the CEO’s remarks. If an executive is using it to lay out a position or discuss an industry issue, it can be “a brilliant use of the medium,” she says. “People report on a tweetstorm more than a blog.” […read more]