Scott Karp, co-founder & CEO of Publish2, Inc, recently published a blog on How Google Stole Control Over Content Distribution By Stealing Links.
In the war between print and online content, he makes a valid point: Google’s role is to not steal content but to promote links.
Taking this point one step further, then, Twitter brings even more value to online search than Google. On Twitter, individuals–and more likely than not, experts in their fields–vet and identify relevant links. FOR FREE.
For instance, I would more rely on my friend @Glambert’s recommendation to Karp’s article than Google’s top search results for “Google stole links.” Because I value @Glambert’s opinion, I believe his endorsement.
On Twitter, those that I follow are my influencers. I have self-selected my own personal panel of experts that I choose to trust. They tell me a link is good and they prove it over and over again by continuously recommending good content, they are golden to me.
This, in a nutshell, is the beauty of Twitter and the threat to Google.