microblogging is something used on a much more personal level while i think forum style social media is mostly for looking for answers and posting things you do, but microblogging social media sites are for that too. also, this is not meant to be offensive, but i think that since mastodon has been in the works for like a long time, it looks more polished than modern websites, so that can be an advantage it has
Compared to web-forum sites?
Half-dozen of one, 6 of the other, I’d say. It’s like they both don’t want to BE UseNET, but want the same federation and reach.
At least a few webfora tools work as mere WebUIs backing onto UseNET NNTP backbone, and that’s got the potential to use, preserve and extend the life of that protocol and interchange. But a federation that’s older than a few years may not get the love for shine that the neu protocols get.