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    Kobe Asks Fans: Instagram or Twitter?

    By Sam Laird | Mashable – Mon, Nov 19, 2012

    Kobe Bryant, long the sports world's biggest social media holdout, turned to fans on Sunday to help him solve a nearly existential dilemma: Instagram or Twitter?

    Bryant posed the question on Facebook, where he has built up a consistent presence over the past year while continuing to abstain from other social platforms. In a Sunday morning post, he first updated his 14 million fans on how the Lakers are adjusting to a new system after firing coach Mike Brown just five games into this season.

    [More from Mashable: How an NBA Star’s YouTube Series Gives Fans Inside Access [VIDEO]]

    Then Kobe got to the important stuff:

    On a social media front, I'm thinking about potentially branching out some more and want some feedback, Instagram or Twitter??? Or is there another platform I don't know about.. I will lean on your feedback. My Facebook will remain the same. :-)

    [More from Mashable: Analysis of NFL Analysts: Which ‘Experts’ Get It Right?]

    If Bryant does choose one over the other, it will be a tiny victory for either Twitter or Instagram after an interesting several months between the two services.

    SEE ALSO: Kobe Takes to Facebook to Welcome Lakers' New Superman

    Facebook bought Instagram -- which has absolutely exploded in popularity over the past two years -- for an agreed upon price of $1 billion in April. (That amount dropped to a final mark of $715 million after Facebook's stock price tumbled before the deal was closed.) A clear play for Instagram's mobile user base and popularity, the deal took on added drama when it was revealed that Twitter had previously wanted to acquire the photo sharing network.

    Twitter is now reportedly working on a photo-filtering product to compete with Instagram and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey -- an early Instagram investor and one of its first high-profile users -- hasn't used the app since the day it was sold.

    One more celebrity user obviously wouldn't be a huge deal for either Twitter or Instagram, but "branching out" on social media wouldn't be a bad idea for Bryant. He's one of the world's most well-known athletes and guaranteed to make a lot social-savvy fans happy; in 2011 Bryant actually joined Twitter momentarily, racking up more than 35,000 followers before promptly deleting his account after just a few hours.

    Which would you recommend if you could choose only one -- Instagram or Twitter? Give us your vote in the comments.

    BONUS: 30 Must-Follow Twitter Accounts This NBA SEASON

    1. @NBA

    The NBA is arguably the world's most engaging sports league on social media. Follow its official Twitter account for news, highlights and promotions.

    Click here to view this gallery.

    Thumbnail courtesy Flicker, Keith Allison

    This story originally published on Mashable here.

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