Twitter = Traffic, a TechCrunch Statistical Breakdown

The main point of this post on TechCrunch is the following – the most common ways people use Twitter are:
1. As a social information filter
2. As a link distributor

TechCrunch has come to this conclusion through first-hand experience - during the last few months, outside traffic to the site from Twitter has grown so much that Twitter is now second only to Google.

Top Sources of Traffic To TechCrunch
1. Google: 32.7%
2. Direct: 22.7%
3. Twitter: 9.7%
4. Digg: 7.4%
5. Techmeme: 2.4%
6. Other: 25.1%

Much of this traffic is generated by TechCrunch's Twitter account, with over 700,000 followers. TechCrunch uses this account to send out story links, driving followers to its site. These tweets spread virally, as followers retweet (forward) the link to others. The main take-away from this post on TechCrunch is this = "Twitter is not just about micro-media. The most powerful Tweets are those which point elsewhere."

While TechCrunch is a unique site, with a demographic that is not representative of the public, there are clearly other opportunities in that statement. As an Arts Administration student, I can see how arts organizations (or sports, any ticketed event) could utilize Twitter to make sure no seats go unsold to any event. As Twitter provides real-time feedback, using Tiny URLs to send out waves of ticketing in tiered prices could allow for an instant gauge of demand and supply, in a perishable environment where the product has a limtited shelf-life.

Click here for the TechCrunch blog post on this topic.

What happens at TechCrunch... or -- when things go sour in a blog

TechCrunch is one of the leading if not the leader blog reporting on internet, innovation and tech issues with an emphasis on start ups, VCs and everything else that is of interest to the Bay Area people (oh yeah... and 2-3 people in NYC).

Posting on Tech Crunch is an essential step for any start up that needs to raise money and an invitation to the Tech Crunch 50 conference is almost a blank VC check.

However, in recent months, following a serious of embarrassing incidents, it seems that Tech Crunch is under a lot of pressure with some of the key people leaving the blog with Editors Michael Arrington and Erick Schonfeld announcing temporary or permanent leave. These changes, coupled with a serious deterioration in posts quality and few inappropriate posts threatens TechCrunch superiority in the space.

Allen Stern from the competing blog CenterNetworks publish a very interesting post today (link here) that touches on the risks that other blogs and companies bear and how cautious should people be before posting.

This is an important lesson for any company that uses the blogosphere:

• be careful when posting - there is no way back once the button is pressed
• be careful when collaborating with blogs and relating your brand with theirs

It seems that TechCrunch lost something on the way to the top -- maybe they just got to arrogant or maybe it is their competition that is trying to trash them.