Twitter numbers fall 60 percent

It seems the “tweets” are slowly fading, with Nielsen Online research indicating that Twitter follower numbers have fallen by 60 percent.

According to the research, Twitter users who signed up in one month are failing to return the next month.

Nielson Online vice president for primary research, David Martin believes that any new uptake of social media is quick to begin with and always has a tendency to drop off. He said Twitter is facing an uphill battle, and needs more exposure to maintain interest.

“Twitter has grown exponentially in the past few months with no small thanks to celebrity exposure. But despite the hockey-stick growth chart, Twitter faces an uphill battle in making sure these flocks of new users are enticed to return to the nest.”

Twitter numbers were boosted when Ashton Kutcher set out to gain the most followers on the micro-blogging site. Oprah Winfrey also promoted the site on her talk show, which helped to boost numbers, with the retention rate sitting at 40 percent, up 10 percent pre-Oprah.

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