What is #UsGuys?
If you know me through Twitter, or use Twitter in a serious, ongoing way it’s likely you’ve stumbled across a tweet or two with the #usguys hashtag in it. After seeing #usguys often enough, you’ve probably wondered “just what the heck is #usguys, anyway?”
A few short weeks ago I was asking that same question, as I watched more than a few dozen tweets fly by with the #usguys hashtag. Intrigued, I dug deeper and ran a twitter search for the hashtag. What I discovered amped up my Twitter experience and might have the same impact on you. But I’m getting ahead of myself…
First, a little background.
Like most great web tools, the #usguys hashtag evolved organically – out of need. As the Gap logo fiasco was going down, five twitter users started chatting amongst themselves about what was happening. As you might imagine, carrying on a “conversation” in twitter with five people at the same time is a bit awkward, as more and more of the 140 characters devoted to twitter handles. So the group devised a shorthand way to identify their group – and the #usguys hashtag was born.
I recommend the following blog posts written by those that were part of the movement from the very beginning.
- http://www.thechasescene.com/the-usguys/
- http://tommoradpour.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/first-day-as-a-blogger-white-belt/
- http://jasonmikula.com/2010/11/usguys-on-social-media-monitoring-metrics-more/
- http://wthashtag.com/Usguys
Now that you have a little background on how #usguys came to be, you’re probably still asking yourself, “that’s all fine and dandy, but what exactly is the #usguys hashtag?”
Well, that’s a great question, and one that does not, to this day, have an easy answer. The mechanics of the hashtag is that it acts as a sort of 24/7 chat room. Most people that use it create a search column in their twitter tool of choice so they can easily refer to what and who is “in the stream”. That’s just one example of how #usguys CAN be used. It is much more than that. I suppose the best way to convey what #usguys represents to me is to share my thinking: first I’ll share with you what it is (to me), then I’ll share with you exactly how I use it.
What is #usguys? Well, to me…
- #Usguys is engaging – I’ve had some great conversations with incredibly smart and talented people on Twitter since I started using the service. #usguys has upped the concentration of those conversations. They now happen daily instead of weekly or monthly. Every day I have have the privilege of engaging with really smart people.
- #Usguys is diverse – To be fair, on the whole Twitter is very diverse. As we learned from recently released Pew Internet Center statistics, there’s a higher percentage of black and latino populations using twitter than there are whites. But to me, my main stream was becoming a bit like an echo chamber. I tend to follow people who are interested in similar things as me. We’re all techno-geeks, seo’s, Internet marketers and social media experts. #usguys has more than a few of those, but there’s also teachers, new age wellness experts and more – oh and #usguys is very diverse geographically. We have more than a few people that are living and work overseas playing in the #usguys stream.
- #Usguys is funny – Because so much of the #usguys stream is based on engaging conversation, there tends to be a lot of ribbing and teasing that goes on. Way more than in my main stream. I like that. A lot.
- #Usguys is magnetic – Because it’s engaging, and because it’s diverse, #usguys has a tendency to attract new members of the “tribe.” Just in the few weeks since I’ve been hanging out in the #usguys stream, at least three of my connections from Twitter have stopped by and joined the conversations. It seems many other Twitter users are longing to feel more connected to their Twitter friends. #usguys seems to provide that feeling.
- #Usguys is intelligent - #Usguys tends to attract a highly intelligent, very engaging bunch of people. And, because of the level of engagement, we tend to talk more deeply about fairly important things. Despite the running commentary on the usefulness of Klout (which is little more than a running gag), there tends to be a very high degree of sophistication within the stream.
- #Usguys is spam free – I’m surprised #usguys hasn’t been infiltrated by a bunch of spammers <KNOCK WOOD>. That may yet happen, but as of today, there’s a much higher signal to noise ratio than there is in the main Twitter stream. #Usguys also lacks much of the self promotion I see quite a bit of on Twitter.
- #Usguys is supportive – The group is very supportive. We support the efforts of others within the group. We comment on each others’ blogs. We show interest in each others’ personal lives. We’re beginning to connect beyond the bounds of Twitter, by having drinks and meals together. I appreciate that.
Ways I use #usguys
- I use #usguys as my main twitter stream – My main twitter stream remains a bit overwhelming. I spend about 60% of my twitter time checking out the #usguys stream and commenting within that stream. And when I am in the main stream, I’m usually searching for cool links I can share with #usguys.
- I use #usguys instead of lists – I’ve never been a big user of Twitter lists. Creating and maintaining lists seems like a lot of work. Instead, I just look to the #usguys stream.
- I use #usguys as my referral resource – When I need feedback on a software or online app, I turn to #usguys and for feedback on what’s working for them.
- I use #usguys as a primary discovery engine – I find out tons of cool new tools and resources by hanging in the #usguys stream.
- I use #usguys as a modern version of an old school aol chat room – #usguys is like an aol chat room from the old days of the interwebz.
Predictions and open questions about #usguys
It’s too early to tell where #usguys is headed. But I do get nervous. #Usguys has been such a positive force within twitter for those that enjoy the tribe, I’m worried that things can’t continue to go this smoothly forever. Then again, I realize that we have the ability to positively influence the future of the group, and to work towards a positive outcome for all involved. Nevertheless, here are some concerns and/or predictions that have been preoccupying my mind a bit lately.
- #usguys will be replicated (if it hasn’t been already) – There are millions of twitter users, and it’s entirely possible that the phenomenon I know as #usguys has already been replicated somewhere else in a different corner of Twitter. If it hasn’t yet, it will be. What will the characteristics of that group be? Does Twitter have data on these groups?
- #usguys will get too big for its britches – I don’t necessarily mean this in a pejorative sense, but more in a literal sense. As #usguys grows and grows is will begin to take on the negative characteristics of the main stream. One of the reasons #usguys works for me today is the relatively small size of the group. Its easy to extract value from a group of 25-50 people at any one given time. It becomes exceedingly difficult to do so from hundred or thousands. Which raises the question – is there an optimum number of members of a group like #usguys? I honestly don’t know. I’m pretty sure time will tell.
- #usguys will get too big for its britches – OK, now I actually do mean it in a pejorative sense. As the group grows, it’s possible that it will be looked upon as an entity with some form of influence or power. What happens then? Will the colloquial feeling of #usguys go away as members angle for power within and without the group? Way too early to say, but my pessimistic side has some concerns with what might happen. What do you think?
- #usguys will become commercial – There’s one of two things that might happen here. Someone might see an opportunity to come in and “sponsor” #usguys or otherwise try to become intertwined or affiliated with the group. Or someone within might try to find a way to monetize and/or commercialize what’s happening. Not that either of those things are “bad” per se. Far from it. But I suspect the dynamic of the group might change dramatically if either of those two things comes to pass. Either way, it will be fun to watch.
- #usguys will become a feature of Twitter – In the event #usguys starts to be replicated with other hashtags, I wonder if Twitter will try to build similar functionality directly into the system - so that we’re not devoting some of our 140 characters group identification. I’m unsure how that might work, but I’m certain it will come up at Twitter HQ (if it hasn’t already).
I find it difficult to fully communicate the ways in which #usguys has changed the way I interact with my networks. Last week I wrote a post entitled 3 Ways To Engage Your Network For Maximum Results. The post detailed the three changes I’ve made recently and how those changes are helping me connect more deeply with my network. All three of those changes have been taken to new levels since joining the #usguys tribe.
What about you? Have you seen the #usguys hashtag in your stream? Ever wondered what it was all about? Are you a member of the #usguys tribe? Do my predictions resonate with you? Any others you would add? How has #usguys changed you?
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- Quora - What is the group #usguys on Twitter?... The #usguys was founded by five twitter users. Namely, Chase Adams, Tom Moradpor, Cristian ...
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About Sean McGinnis
Sean McGinnis has been consulting with professional services firms about digital strategy for over 12 years. A lawyer, Sean brings nearly 20 years of business experience across a variety of roles to every engagement. Sean consults, trains and speaks regularly on topics as diverse as digital marketing, SEO, online business generation, and sales.
I love this post seanmcginnis – having just been introduced to #usguys, this totally helps me to read about the history, and I completely relate to your points about what #usguys is to you. I have been overwhelmed by how supportive, friendly, welcoming, and fun everyone is. I use twitter to learn, share, and be inspired by great people, and now I feel much more connected to a group of inspiring, brilliant people. Once I jumped into #usguys I was amazed by the quality of people in the community and am honoured to have been accepted.
Sean, I absolutely love this post @seanmcginnis. Great answer on the magic of usguys- this “mysterious” tribe… 100% on everything you say, #usguys has been an incredible meeting place, and is full of intelligent, positive, forward thinking real people. The magic of usguys has been that it’s “real”. When people are genuine, I think it attracts genuine people and so the energy keeps building and remains positive. There is not much I can add to your phenomenal overview. Thank you for this “updated” and wonderful post – you hit it on the nail. I will leave on the note that it is true that people worry that all good things come to an end, or that change is inevitable. This is true, however I think that with the positive influences in #usguys whatever the future is, I think that like will continue to attract like and the concept of the group and the foundation will continue to support the positive environment that it is. People not getting it, or dancing to a different groove will likely move on. I love all you #usguys and am so happy to be a part of such an awesome think tank, but above all “tribe” of awesome people with vision, drive and passion.
Am new to #UsGuys but am liking it. Like you, I found that mainstream Twitter is overwhelming and not very useful. #UsGuys is filtered down to my (many) interests. I also am afraid that it will get too big. But, we need to wait to see what happens.
I also like the support and humor.
The #usguys stream was recommended to me by a helpful chap at re:DESIGN, Paul Biedermann, after I mentioned finding use and engagement in the various #- – -chat hashtags. To date I haven’t delved in too much – just lurked around – but I felt the urge to learn more tonight and came across this great background post. Thanks for taking the time to write it, Sean.
I expect to take similar value in the area of greater and more insightful communication. Lists are definitely a handy tool, but I’m finding certain hashtags to be more useful as they stem from conversational need. From that it follows that the discussions will flow naturally and, as you mention, there seem to be some very smart folks in the stream. Not sure exactly where I’ll slot in here but I’m glad to have another station to tune into for conversation, when the urge arises. Thanks again!
Steve – glad to be of service. I look forward to seeing you in the #usguys stream.
I haven’t read all the comments, so I apologize if this has been mentioned already. It seems to me, especially with all the talk of regional meetups in the #usguys stream over the past few days, that there may be hashtag offshoots that pop up eventually. #usguysnyc #usguyssocal #usguysboston #usguystexas and so on and so forth. As any “real life” group grows and evolves, there inevitably arise smaller cliques within it, and I don’t think the world of social media is any different. The original #usguys stream will always be there for when we want to communicate with the larger group, but for more localized purposes, we might be able to rely on these splinter streams.
You may very well be right Jeremy. I think its still a little early to say. There has definitely been a push into regional meetups – but I think that been more of an attempt to deepen relationships a bit and take them #beyond140.
My sense of things is that there will be a natural evolution that will take a bit more time. As the group grows and becomes more and more unwieldy (which has not yet occurred by a long shot) we may see a natural segmentation into smaller sub-groups. These can be broken down by geography or by subtopic. I can easily see subgroups like #usguysNE, #usguysSE, #usguysMW, etc… But I can also see topical breakouts like #usguysBRAND #usguysSOCIAL etc….
I wonder if the natural beginnings of these might not be a planned chat, the way regular Twitter chats work. However this evolves, I’m glad to have ridden the roller coaster this far. Its exponentially increased the value I personally receive from Twitter.
Hey Sean!
Thanks for the great post on #usguys- It popped up in my stream a few days ago and I appreciate your detailed breakdown of what’s going on! I was hesitant at first, but have now done my best to jump into the community!
Cheers,
Tyrell Mara
Tyrell – thanks for stopping by the stream and the blog. I look forward to your contribution to the #usguys tribe, and to getting to know you better over time. Thanks again.
Hey there Sean! Thanks for the introduction to the #usguys. I was wondering what it was as I looked at my main stream, seeing mostly tweets from you, Chase Adams and Nick Kellet .. to name a few. It’s really a great thing to start. At first I thought that it was mostly for guys in the US to bond with each other. Was a little bit “afraid” to test the waters. So just didn’t dive in. Thanks for sharing again!! Shall stop by soon to check things out XD
By all means, stop by the #usguys hashtag and drop a few comments. Overall we’re an immensely fun group and very accepting – nothing at all limiting participation to just US folks.
Excellent post Sean—you raise a lot of questions that a lot of people have obviously been pondering.
I think you’re right—in that the way #UsGuys seems to be evolving is forming its own separate mini communities from the original place that started it all. It’s as if the roots were put in place, and from there, the bark and foundation continues to evolve while little mini branches and leaves begin to sprout off from the tree.
I’m excited to see how it’s evolving, and what it may hold for the future.
Re-tweeting this tomorrow. Great read.
Great analogy Christian. I’m so glad we met through the tribe. I appreciate your insights on this, and many other topics through your blog.
Sean,
Great post. I appreciate your insights and concerns. One thing i would add to the benefits you have already suggested, at least for me, is the opportunity to get to know people. With 140 it is difficult. With added connections through FB and Linked In i feel like i’m starting to get a much better idea of who folks are.
This tribe has personally changed my whole Twitter experience.
I really enjoy your thoughtful comments and musings. Really glad we have met.
Best
Joe
You’re so right to focus on deeper interactions Joe. Since writing this post, I’ve had lunch with @mikulaja and long phone conversations with @Josepf, @prosperitygal & @mantywebdesign. Each interaction has enabled to get to know these people on a deeper level, which is something I was sure I’d ever be able to get out of Twitter.
Like you, #usguys has changed my Twitter experience.
Be well. See ya around the #usguys stream and Twitter!
Great write up Sean!
It’s funny, the concerns that you have are opportunities that I’ve considered.
I hope with my whole heart that what we’ve done can not only be replicated, but refined. There are a lot of ‘holes’ in how we’ve gotten here. I hope others see that, plug it, and start their own.
The growing too big thing, I’d like to see us create subtribes. I envision a college model, a place where we splinter (positively, not out of negativity) in many directions collaborate, then come back together for big parties weekly. Maybe it’s a grandiose vision.
I don’t think commercializing by grabbing sponsors would be an option, but what if we figured out a way to create collaborative projects where we could monetize the group? I’d love to find a way to be fully engaged with people because I was making money through forming sub-businesses with other #UsGuys.
My greatest concern: We lose sight of the twitter river as a whole. This is something Margie Clayman and I have talked about and it’s a totally valid point. We focus so much on responding/replying to #UsGuys the stream that we become myopic and miss the point of twitter as a forest.
Great post Sean, I hope you continue to find value in our little tribe.
~Chief Cat Herder
Thanks so much for stopping by Chase!
I think like anything this organic, there will be things you wished you’d thought of as you look back on the creation of #usguys. You’re right, there certainly are holes, but they aren’t very big and they certainly aren’t stopping the growth curve or enjoyment of the stream – by me or by the people I’ve influenced to come along for the ride.
The idea of using the group as a monetization platform is certainly interesting. I see two ways to do that, I think. I need to think things through a bit further before I share them, but like you I’ve been trying to imagine what that might look like.
Thanks again for pulling me into the stream full force. When I was thirsty, you handed me a beer. I owe you one.
I’ve used #usguys as a source for knowledge and inspiration. It’s one of the more valuable hashtags or groups ive stumbled on in a while. I try not to define it but rather to roll with it as it evolves.
Sean, I loved this. I’ve experienced precisely the things you say! Great minds and all that.
I tried thinking through a huge #usguys group, and couldn’t find a way to keep it as valuable as it has been. As Sam said, a migration is occurring, and that might be a great thing for some or many, depending on the purpose. The only problem with that is that it takes away the thinkers and inspirers, leaving the #usguys stream a lot less meaningful to those who were there for the content and value of the thoughts expressed. It becomes more of a chat place, and less of a thought and relationship builder.
So the thinkers will have great talks elsewhere, which is good for them, but not so good for the people who enjoyed their conversations, but aren’t in the inner circle and aren’t welcome to participate. That’s the problem with such a public venue. A solution might be an invitation only group on another platform, because twitter is, well, PUBLIC! What is done is seen.
It’s a conundrum. I got myself in some trouble by speaking out about this, because I did it poorly and in a public way, which is very bad. Live and learn. When upset or hurt, it’s all too easy to respond without thinking things through on Twitter. I broke the law, and will pay the consequences, sadly.
I also learned, I hope, and won’t make that mistake again.
I think even now this dilemma is being talked about and thought through. I’m sure good things are in the future for all involved with the early stages of #usguys. I just loved the heck out of it! I’ll miss it a great deal.
Don’t miss it. Still use it! #usguys are a forgiving group. Yay!
Sean, thank you for such a well thought out/though provoking post. I am in solid agreement with you on your major points, particularly your predictions and open questions. I too for a time used the #usguys hashtag as my primary Twitter stream, but a couple of weeks ago I abandoned this as I found the stream to be getting a bit too dilute at times. There are definite ebbs and flows to the #usguys stream, and I found that the signal-to-noise ratio has decreased a bit as of late.
This is not to say that the quality of conversation in #usguys is not still outstanding, it absolutely is a great resource, for all the reasons you have mentioned – but I too wonder if it will suffer as it scales – perhaps due more to it having Twitter as its foundation vs. sheer growth in number of participants
I can see increasing hints of an organic migration of the community to other complimentary platforms: more blog posts, offline connections, etc. Time will tell, but it is an interesting experiment in community building via Twitter that I am happy to have had a chance to be a very small part of.
You raise a good point Terence. In fact, #usguys really is all about community building (and all that entails). As such, it will be interesting to see it grow and morph (as it is all communities). Thanks for your insightful comment, and for proving my point about the incredibly smart people that make us #usguys.
Great point Terence.
For me, I envision #UsGuys as a springboard/true stream.
Twitter, being the platform that it is, doesn’t provide for a lot of meat except as a ‘springboard’ into other platforms (blogs, facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, email, phone, IRL). 140 characters is a great way to engage at first and begin to create communities outside of twitter.
When we started it over a month ago, we had no idea we’d go from 5 guys just shooting the breeze to 500+ contributors (both RTs & original content) wanting to move fluidly towards a common goal. Our original ambiguity scaled and now it’s people talking…whether about general life, cutting up or contributing great content.
Thanks for a bit of insight into how you see the stream.
hmmm…other than the fact that much of the good-intentioned ribbing referenced in the “#UsGuys is Funny” section has been at my expense lately, I appreciate your views on the #UsGuys tribe.
I wholeheartedly agreed that it will become too big at some point. Too many people tweeting within the tribe will mean there will be little difference to a general Twitter stream. So what will make it different? I believe the evolving #beyond140-chant/philosophy of the group will take care of that.
#UsGuys is developing beyond the 140-character tweet and is becoming more about the community. Already Facebook, LinkedIN and PearlTree communities are springing up and the relationships that are forming will continue to push the group forward and make it an influence leader in the digital space.
Sam Fiorella
#UsGuys tribesman
That’s an interesting angle Sam. I like the idea of taking #usguys into the real workls (heck, i just had lunch last week with @mikulaja) but I’m not certain if that will be enough to overcome the issues that might come from a ginormous #usguys stream. Hmmmm. I need to noodle on this some more.