Twitter is vs. Mastodon: Which Platform to Choose (plus a more suitable alternative) |
Twitter was created in 2006, and in the decades that followed the little bird tweeted its way into the hearts and minds of 400 million people. Twitter consisted of text-based content composed in "tweets." The long-time followers of the platform will remember the furore when tweets were expanded beyond their 140 characters to 280 and the brief protest that followed.
After Elon Musk's $40 billion Twitter acquisition in the month of October, 2022, lots of people have been fleeing Twitter. Many are opposed to Musk himself, whether it's his political views or his manner of leadership. And some people just don't like his idea of the company's platform.
One of the Twitter alternatives that's made waves recently is Mastadon. In 2016, it was created to be an open-source and uncentralized social platform, Mastodon touts (or we ought to be saying "toots") itself as the better option for long-time Twitter users. With stars such as Kathy Griffin and Stephen Fry switching to Mastodon it's possible you're wondering if it's the right time to give it a go this too.
In this post, we'll talk about Twitter as opposed to. Mastodon. We'll show how the wooly mammoth compares to the little blue bird. Then, we'll about the best option to choose.
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In this article...
The better choice for both Twitter and Mastodon
Real content is a feature of HTML0.
Actual ownership = monetization
What exactly is Mastodon
Mastodon is a decentralized social media platform that is situated on what is referred to by users as to as the "fediverse" - that basically implies that the network is on independent servers that can communicate with each other. This creates a kind of a local to social network vibe. The site was founded in the year 2016 by Eugen Rochko Mastodon feels a bit as if it's a network of independent social networks who are all based on the similar languages.
If the single server portion of Mastadon freaks you out Let's take this for example. Once you get past the hosting that is individual to you (ie. where your information lives) and the experience for users can be compared to Twitter, maybe with the addition of Discord added in. Instead of "tweet" it's a "toot." instead of "liking," you "favorite" the item you like. People who have been using Twitter will probably be familiar with Mastodon, a kind of brand that is similar to Twitter however it has 500 characters.
Mastodon allows you to create your own account. You are able to add a profile photo as well as a link to your website, and other features that people put in their Twitter Bio. Similar to Twitter, you get an overview of your followers, as well as those that you follow. You're able to respond, boost (AKA "retweet"), or star (favorite) an item or even bookmark toots.
The pros and cons of Mastadon
Pros
- Mastadon feels like Twitter. The user experience will be a lot like Twitter, allowing you to get your account set up in a matter of minutes. Posting, uploading photos as well as videos, even polls are almost the same.
- It's got similar interactive functions too. You can send direct messages to persons, monitor them either by blocking them or mention them with an @.
- This decentralised feel offers more options that Twitter for building something like a space, a dedicated server where users interested in a specific topic are able to meet.
- There aren't ads available on Mastodon. Users have been creating servers either with money from their pockets or using crowdfunding. This has some issues to it, that we'll be talking in the next section however it's a nice thing in principle.
- The software that powers Mastodon is open-source. It's generally an excellent thing as people can adopt it and use it to customize their own discussions. Apart from the Mastodon official apps, people are using Mastodon's open-source code to build their own social applications.
- There is no limit to the number of people on your own server. It is possible to follow users all over the world, no matter what servers they're on. Servers can be marked as either open to join, or make potential users request to join.
Cons
- There isn't an algorithm. Posts are displayed as they're published. At first, this sounds wonderful but in general decreases the user-friendliness of the platform.
- There is a cost to paying. It's nice not having ads on Mastodon, but there could be a catch. The process of building your fan base with a server implies that someone must pay, either you pay yourself or you'll be operating on a server which someone else pays for. This is fine if it lasts for long, but when someone thinks it's not worthy of their time and effort to pay for the server, it may be gone.
- Mastodon is a bit difficult to establish when you are looking to launch the channel of your choice. It's important to know the best way to manage your own hosting and install security protocols. If you're not a programmers, you would probably need to find one.
- There are a lot of security problems with the way this platform is designed. It is a requirement for users to "apply" to a server could help as could the "block" functions. However, there isn't any real control and it's possible to see everyone, regardless of what server they're on. Since it's a grassroots community and there's no one to attempt to fix the culture when it's inevitably controlled by bots and trolls.
- There's not a way to make money from Mastodon. In addition to that, it's cost-free. Anyone hosting the site has to pay for it and there's no advertising. In the moment it is currently being funded by donations, which raises grave concern about the long-term viability of the networks.
- is an open-source and decentralized community engine. Open source is good because people can edit and fix bugs, but also bad and has been utilized to build problematic networks, like Gab.
An alternative for both Twitter and Mastodon
As an Twitter alternative, it offers many of the same aspects. But it's harder to use, requires self-hosting if you want to establish a server and frankly, is missing a lot of the good features Twitter has. It's easy to dismiss an algorithm. But on a traditional social network algorithms help you discover content you would like to read. If your feed is unorganized and never-ending mind dump, it can make it tough to have conversations and grow the community. One could imagine Mastodon as a forum instead but it's just not as effective in the same way as reddit, which allows up-voting as well as down-voting, which ensures that users are seeing relevant material.
We'll talk about an alternative. Mighty is a platform that is cultural designed to help build lively communities. While Twitter is a huge social media platform and Mastodon is a vast server collection, Mighty lets you build a community that is dedicated to people who have similar views and objectives.
Here are a few motives to create the Mighty Network instead.
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Usability in the real world
In contrast, Mastodon needs coding and hosting to create an individual server. Mastodon Mastodon gives users a robust community from the beginning. Everyone can create, grow, and even create a thriving community that blows both Twitter and Mastodon out of the water.
Real content is a feature of HTML0.
280 characters? 500? Who cares? A Mighty Network gives you actual Content features. Create posts if you want and also write full-length pieces (blog posts). It is possible to create polls and discussions, set up conversations, stream live, add events, and create classes. Mighty is a social network designed to make community work as well as bring a bunch of strangers together , and assist them become life-long friends.
Spaces are not servers
In contrast to Mastodon in which users reside on servers and can connect across the platform however, a Mighty Network is an enclosed community. Instead of joining multiple servers, conversations and events can be arranged by spaces instead. Every space offers the opportunity to offer access to events, host them and add content, an all-member chat, and even live streaming or courses.
Actual ownership = monetization
If you've gone to the effort of building your community and want to make money from it, then there's nothing wrong with doing that. Therefore, instead of worrying whether your platform has ads or not, as Mastodon is - why don't you just build on a platform that lets you turn community into a thriving enterprise?
The platform is built with payment integration, making it possible to charge your members either a one-time or monthly cost for the privilege (or make it free if you prefer). Or, some Hosts make money from free communities by offering paid live events, charging for access to premium areas, or selling a course. The sky's the limit but you're not able to accomplish this with or through Twitter or Mastodon.
More secure
An Mighty Network gives you way more options for safety and moderating. It has the same possibilities as Mastodon in encouraging users to ask for access or to apply for membership. Moderators can manage content as well as invite other hosts to serve as moderators. And since users belong to an individual community rather than the whole network, you'll feel at ease in the privacy of the privacy of your own Network.
Applications and access
The app is great that works on all types of devices. But with Mighty Pro it is possible to have a customized, personalized app, which offers the user a Mighty Network completely within your brand. We build the app and offer ongoing support. Contact us to learn more.
Are you ready to begin?
If you're looking for an alternative to Twitter and Mastodon, the software review site G2 has been ranked the highest rated community platform. With Mighty G2, you'll get the power of a community engine that will connect people for fantastic conversations. Add in options like courses, events and monetization, and you've got all the elements to make your own social network.
What's the harm in giving it a try? It's absolutely free for 14 days and we'll not require the credit card details of your. Your own personal social network operating in just 20 minutes. No programming is required.
Are you ready to begin building communities?