Skip navigation

Current DateTime: 12:02:30 09 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 23452764
Expiration DateTime: 2/9/2012 12:03:24 AM

Current DateTime: 12:02:32 09 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 23452000
Expiration DateTime: 2/9/2012 12:03:40 AM

Current DateTime: 12:02:32 09 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 24355697

MOST SHARED


Current DateTime: 12:02:32 09 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 31330905
Expiration DateTime: 2/9/2012 12:03:45 AM

MOST POPULAR


Current DateTime: 12:02:32 09 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 35819650
    • Super Bowl, Super Bucks

        Whether it's the Patriots or Giants who actually win the game, the business of the Super Bowl is a touchdown either way.

HOT ON FACEBOOK

Twitter is 40% ‘Pointless Babble’: Report

Published: Monday, 17 Aug 2009 | 10:27 AM ET
Text Size
By: CNBC.com

Twitter followers are more likely to hear about what people are having for their lunch than read anything actually interesting or worthwhile, according to Pear Analytics.

Less than one in ten tweets have any real "pass-along value" and more than 40 percent of tweets are “pointless babble,” a study by the research firm showed.

The research carried out by Pear Analytics was designed to take a snapshot of what people actually used the booming social networking site for.

They delved into the endless steam of tweets every 30 minutes between 11 am and 5 pm Central Standard time on weekdays over two weeks to collect a total of 2,000 messages.

They then grouped the messages into one of six categories: news, spam, self-promotion, pointless babble, conversational and those with pass-along value.

Messages classed as babble included such gems as “I’m having a sandwich,” Pear Analytics said.

Twitter Whale
Source: Twitter

Only 8.7 percent of messages were found to have pass-along value. Pointless babble was the largest category with 40.5 percent. Conversational tweets were 37.5 percent, but self promotion and spam only grabbed 5.9 percent and 3.8 percent respectively.

Fears that the site was becoming overrun with spam and self-promotion from companies getting on the Twitter bandwagon were refuted by the findings, Pear Analytics said.

"With the new face of Twitter, it will be interesting to see if they take a heavier role in news, or continue to be a source for people to share their current activities that have little to do with everyone else," Ryan Kelly, founder of Pear Analytics, said of the findings.

© 2012 CNBC.com

CNBC HIGHLIGHTS

  • Road Warrior - Taxi Magic App
  • These will help you file expenses, sign documents, process orders, book a cab and more.
  • GOP Candidate Rick Santorum
  • Former US senator Rick Santorum rejuvenated his campaign with a sweep of three nominating contests.
  • Most people could be in business for themselves, says expert Kevin Ready, but not everybody should. Here’s why.
  • Cars at port
  • The increase in hiring for the auto industry in the US shows that America has become a huge auto exporter, says Phil LeBeau.
  • house
  • For those thinking of retiring, one step is to rightsize your house now, says our guest blogger.
  • Bacon Milkshake
  • Jack in the Box is going whole hog with its new menu item. That’s right... it's a bacon milkshake.


Current DateTime: 04:55:05 08 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29778428

Current DateTime: 04:23:59 08 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29779196

Current DateTime: 05:02:56 08 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29779197

Current DateTime: 10:53:22 08 Feb 2012
LinksList Documentid: 29779199
CNBCCNBC
About CNBC  |  Site Map  |  Video Reprints   |  Advertise  |  Help  |  Contact
Privacy Policy  |     |  Terms of Service  |  Independent Programming Report
  Data is a real-time snapshot  *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes
Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis

© 2012 CNBC LLC.  All Rights Reserved.
A Division of NBCUniversal
Thomson ReutersThomson Reuters