Sina Versus Twitter, Fight!

Twitter is based in the US and has about 200 million global users.  Sina Weibo is based in China and has about 50 million users (as of Oct 2010).  Both of these platforms are known as microblogs which allow users to publish instant text messages on the internet within a 140-character limit.

Over the past few weeks our web application was enhanced to integrate with these two social media platforms and we notice some similarities and differences that may be of interest to others.  However this blog post isn't meant to be an exhaustive comparison.

Similarities

1. Has a 140-character text message limit (although in the Chinese language, one can express a lot with 140 characters)
2. Adopt the followers, following, mentions etc for the friends' social graph structure.
3. Has API for many languages (php, python etc) for developers to integrate applications into these services
4. Has URL shorterning services.
5. Supports OAuth 1.0a (a secure authorization standard).

Differences

1. Sina Weibo allows uploading pictures (in JPG, PNG etc formats) in a text message.  Twitter requires the use of a 3rd party service such as Twitpic.
2. Sina Weibo supports identity verification.  Users which are tagged with the letter V are verified users.  Well-known celebrities seem to have their screen names tagged with the letter V.  For regular users to be verified, they need to submit identification to prove who they say they are.  When a new user signs up at Sina Weibo, a list of verified users is recommended to be added to his/her follower list.  At Twitter, we had a few spammy users automatically following us after we first signed up.  
3. Developers who are building applications to integrate with Sina Weibo are required to get verification in order to have their application logo/image shown during the authorization process.  This may mean submitting their business licenses or certificates to Sina.  Twitter allows application logos to be shown without any verification process and there's no verification for individual users.
4. Sina Weibo supports commenting on text messages.  Twitter does not.
5. Sina Weibo supports saving anyone's text messages.  Twitter requires the use of a 3rd party service such as BackupMyTweets which only seems to save a user's own tweets.
6. We work with the Python SDK for both services.  Twitter's python SDK is Tweepy developed by a 3rd party.  Sina Weibo Python SDK is supported officially by Sina, and is basically a slightly modified copy of an old version of Tweepy.
7. Twitter is blocked in China while Sina Weibo is accessible globally.
8. Sina is listed in NASDAQ in the US stock market.  Twitter is a privately held company.

So which services should your web application integrate with?  In our experience, once you get Sina Weibo integrated, the integration with Twitter is very similar (in other words, buy one get one free).  Sina Weibo is your friend if you want to reach your potential customers in China.