Twitter vs. Mastodon: Which Platform to Pick (+ a Better Alternative) |
Twitter was launched in the year 2006, and in subsequent decades, the tiny bird tweets its way into the hearts and minds of 400 million of its users. Twitter was made up of famously short, text-based material that was composed of "tweets." The long-time followers of the platform will remember the furore when tweets were expanded from their original 140-character limit to 280 characters and the short anger that ensued.
In the wake of Elon Musk's $40 billion Twitter acquisition of the company in the month of October 2022, a lot of people have been fleeing Twitter. Some object to Musk his own persona, be it his views on politics or management style. Some people don't like his idea of the company's platform.
The one of Twitter alternatives that has been making waves lately is Mastadon. It was launched in 2016 as an open-source, free-of-cost social network, Mastodon touts (or we ought to say "toots") itself as the best option for those who are long-term Twitter users. With stars such as Kathy Griffin and Stephen Fry moving to the platform it's possible you're thinking that it's the right appropriate to test this too.
In this piece it will be discussing Twitter and. Mastodon. It will show how the wooly mammoth compares to the little blue bird. We'll also introduce a better option.
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In this piece...
The better choice for both Twitter AND Mastodon
Actual ownership = monetization
What is Mastodon
Mastodon is a decentralized social media platform that is hosted on what users refer to as the "fediverse" - that basically implies that the network is on independent servers that can communicate with each other. This creates a kind like a social network that is local. The site was founded in the year 2016 by Eugen Rochko Mastodon feels a bit like a social network that is independent and all speak the similar languages.
If the single server part of Mastadon is a source of anxiety Let's take this for example. When you've gotten over the hosting that is individual to you (ie. which is where your personal information is), the user experience is remarkably similar to Twitter perhaps with the addition of Discord added in. Instead of "tweet" it's a "toot." instead than "liking," you "favorite" the item you like. Long-time users of Twitter are likely to identify Mastodon as a type of brand that is similar to Twitter - although with 500 characters.
Mastodon can help you set up your own account. You are able to add a profile photo, a link to your site, or other details that users put in their Twitter Bio. Similar to Twitter it also gives you the number of followers, as well as those you're following. You're able to respond, boost (AKA "retweet"), highlight (favorite) an item, or bookmark toots.
Pros and cons of Mastadon
Pros
- Mastadon has the same feel as Twitter. Its user interface is likely to be similar, allowing you to get the account running quick. Making posts, uploading images as well as videos, even polls feel almost identical.
- It has similar features that interact. You can send direct messages to people, follow them either by blocking them or make them aware by using an @.
- This decentralised feel offers more options that Twitter in building something that resembles a space, a dedicated server on which users who are with a particular interest could meet.
- There aren't advertisements on Mastodon. Users have been creating servers either through a cash payment or with crowdfunding. It has its own problems to it, that we'll be talking about in the future however it's a nice thing to think about it in the long run.
- The software that powers Mastodon is open source. This is generally good news since users can adopt it and use it to tailor their own conversations. In addition to the Mastodon official apps, people have used Mastodon's open-source code to create their own social applications.
- There is no limit to the number of people on your own server. It is possible to follow users on the same platform, regardless of which the server that they are on. It is also possible to mark servers that are open for join or ask potential users to invite to join.
Cons
- There's no algorithm. The users see their posts according to the order in which they were posted. It sounds good at first but in general decreases the user-friendliness of the platform.
- The person who pays has to pay. It's great not having ads on Mastodon, but there could be a catch. Growing your followers on a server means someone must pay, either you pay yourself, or you'll operate on a server which someone is paying for. This is great if the funding lasts, but if someone decides it's not worth their time to pay for the server, it may go away.
- Mastodon is complicated to set up for those who want to create an own YouTube channel. You need to figure out the best way to manage the hosting yourself and set up security protocols. If you're not an expert programmer, you would probably need to engage one.
- There are a lot of security problems in the manner this system is organized. Requiring people to "apply" to a server may help but so too could the "block" options. But there's no real moderation and you can see almost everyone, regardless of which server they're using. Because it's an open community and there's no one to attempt to fix the culture when it's eventually controlled by bots and trolling.
- There's no real way to monetize on Mastodon. In addition to that, but it's not completely free. Anyone hosting the site must pay for it and there's no advertising. In the moment the network is funded by donations, which raises grave concern about the long-term viability of the networks.
- It's an open source and distributed community engine. Open source is good because users can modify and correct problems, but it's also a problem and has been utilized to build problematic networks, like Gab.
A better alternative to both Twitter and Mastodon
As an Twitter alternative to Twitter, the Mastodon offers a lot of the same things. But it's harder to set up, needs self-hosting in order to establish a server and , frankly speaking, doesn't have some of the excellent functions Twitter has. It's easy to dismiss an algorithm, but on a traditional social network it helps users find content that you'd like to see. When your feed is an endless and chaotic mind dump, it can make difficult to engage in conversations and build a community. It is possible to think of Mastodon as a platform instead but it's just not as effective in the same way as reddit which has up-voting and down-voting, which ensures that users are seeing relevant material.
Let's discuss another option. Mighty is a platform that is cultural designed to help build lively communities. But where Twitter is a huge social network , and Mastodon is a huge collection of servers, Mighty lets you build a community that is dedicated to users who share the same visions and goals.
Here are some advantages to establishing the Mighty Network instead.
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True usability
In contrast, Mastodon is a web-based platform that requires programming as well as hosting to create an individual server. Mastodon gives you an impressive community from the start. Anyone is able to easily build, grow, and even make money from a community that blows both Twitter and Mastodon off the board.
Real content features
280 characters? 500? Who cares? A Mighty Network gives you actual Content features. Make posts as you like you, or write long-length articles (blog posts). It is possible to create polls and discussions, organize conversations, stream live as well as add events and build classes. Mighty is a social network designed to help communities work together and to bring a group of strangers together , and assist them become life-long friends.
Spaces, not servers
In contrast to Mastodon in which users reside in servers, but are able to connect over the entire platform and connect to other users, the Mighty Network is an enclosed community. Instead of having to connect multiple servers, conversations and activities can be organized through spaces instead. Each space gives you the option to sell access, host events and add content, an all-member chat, or even try live streaming and classes.
Actual ownership = monetization
If you've gone to the effort to create an online community, and now you're looking to make money from it, then there's nothing to be concerned about. So instead of worrying about the presence of ads on your platform or not - as Mastodon does - why not simply build on an application that allows you to make your community a successful enterprise?
The platform is built with payment integration, making it easy to charge members with a monthly or one-time cost for the privilege (or make it free if you prefer). There are hosts who are able to monetize their free community by charging for live events. They charge access to premium spaces or even offering a course. There's no limit to what you can do however, you cannot perform any of these on or through Twitter and Mastodon.
More secure
A Mighty Network gives you way greater options in terms of security and moderating. It has the same possibilities like Mastodon for getting users to request access or apply to join. Moderators can manage content as well as enlist other hosts as moderators. And since users belong to communities, not the entire platform, you can be secure in your own Network.
Applications and access
It comes with an excellent app that works on all types of devices. With Mighty Pro it is possible to have a customized, personalized app, which offers users a Mighty Network completely under your own brand. We do the building and support for the long-term. Contact us today to discuss the possibilities.
Ready to start?
If you're searching for alternatives to Twitter as well as Mastodon, then the software reviews website G2 is ranked as the top rated community platform. With Mighty it comes with a powerful community engine to connect people for fantastic conversations. However, add tools like events, courses as well as monetization and you've got the tools to build your own powerful social network.
What's the harm in giving the program a go? The trial is cost-free for 14 days and we won't ask for your credit card. Your own social network up and running in the next 20 minutes with no programming required.
Are you ready to begin building communities?