Stocktwits passes 21,000 Subscribers…What's Next?

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  • on March 13th, 2009

A fantastic vacation comes to an end tomorrow and I am really rested, refreshed and even tanned.

So much has been going on at Stocktwits and the markets that it really is impossible to get away completely, but my hours are always screwy so I can keep up at weird hours.

This week Stocktwits passed 20,000 subscribers which is way ahead of anything we predicted. We are not feeding off Twitter traffic, but driving customers TO Twitter to use our service. That has given us many great ideas that we will share very soon.

The biggest realization we have had the last month is that Facebook must be a part of our plans. Soren and I have not been Facebook fans, but you can’t possibly ignore the numbers and demographics of Facebook. You can’t force people to come to you and so we have a plan. I am an investor in Buddy Media and they know Facebook. They are helping us move very quickly. We will have an integrated approach so you can consume, contribute and communicate from Twitter, Tweetdeck, Stocktwits, iPhone, Blackberry and Facebook and not skip a beat.

Just as Twitter, Facebook and the open web must all be meshed together by new business leaders, ‘short form content will coexist with longer form content because they need one another ‘ Steven Johnson of Outside.In mentions in his keynote at SXSW (via Fred’s blog). We have known this from day one and we are close to launching some much deeper content ideas in the next 30 days.

In addition, I have always wanted a Techmeme for stocks and financial news. Gabe Rivera (Techmeme genius) has told me forever that it can’t be done because we don’t link like the nerds do. He’s the one nerd I just don’t argue with. But, because of Twitter, Stocktwits and URL shrinking proliferation and adoption, we think we have a solution that you will be seeing soon.

There has been a big nerd brouhaha this week over how to get listed in a twitter recommended list. I don’t have the right answer for Twitter, but am disappointed that they have not figured out a better way to recommend companies like Stocktwits when so many new sign-ups would definitely be interested in our service and community. Paying for placement is a very old media, Web 1.0 solution, but what Twitter has done so far is flawed for sure.

At Stocktwits, we have a recommended list so signups can get a quick start. It’s by no means perfect and we have ideas and algorithms in the works, but we are open to your ideas as well.

Twitter is all about communication and feedback so you can imagine the great ideas circulating from the Stocktwits community. It is insane. We are listening and making feature changes and additions as fast as possible. Keep them coming.

The information in this blog post represents my own opinions and does not contain a recommendation for any particular security or investment. I or my affiliates may hold positions or other interests in securities mentioned in the Blog, please see my Disclaimer page for my full disclaimer.

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