As Twitter is rapidly becoming a more widely used social networking platform, well publicised by the celeb twitters such as Stephen Fry, Phillip Schofield and Jonathan Ross, many more people are being attracted to it.
This is fantastic, and can only be good for the platform (as long as it can handle the traffic!), but with this traffic comes many people who, for whatever reason, can end up wasting your time (and their for that matter) on Twitter. When you are starting on Twitter for the first time, it can be hard to know where to start, to find people to follow. If you have a large network of people on Twitter already then it is easier, but for many that is not the case. You can use tools like Twitter Search or Twellow where you can find people you might like to follow. Alternatively, you can jump on to Google and find expert advice on building your followers from people like Kevin Rose .
One of the reasons why Twitter is so powerful is that if you appear to be interesting, have great things to say, have an interesting job and are trying hard to be a participant within Twitter, then when you follow people they will typically follow you back. Obviously it doesn't happen every time, but as a general rule of thumb - depending on who you choose to follow - people will follow you back.
But over the last month, with the increased traffic numbers, I have chosen to become a little more careful in who I follow. The reason is a simple one - most of the time I just don't know who you are or what you look like - and called me 'old-fashioned' but I like to know these things.
So here are my criteria as to whether I follow people on Twitter or not:
1. You have a picture of your dog as your Image
While I have no problems with cats or dogs, I struggle to see why people would use a picture of their cat or dog (or worse) as their picture image on Twitter. Surely being on Twitter is about engaging with everyone - and if that is the case then why don't you show everyone what you look like! If you don't want to show us the real you, then why should I follow you back? I WANT to see what you look like, who I am following and who I am conversing with.
There is only one thing worse than a picture of your dog, and that is no picture at all. So get out you camera, webcam or phone take a picture and get it online on Twitter. After all can it be worse that mine?
2. According to your bio you don't exist
This is usually a Twitter newbie error. If you want people to follow you, then tell us about yourself. Even if you are an axe-murdering grandma, put it in your bio, at least then we know who you are! (maybe drop the axe murdering bit!!)
If you have no details in the bio then you are just a faceless link, that could well be a spammer, timewaster or even an alien - we just won't know.
So whatever you do, like, are, want to be etc tell me about it in your bio. Don't worry if you don't like it to start with, you can always change it later. But whatever you do, DON'T leave it blank!
3. You are obviously going to sell me something (or try)
My biggest gripe with these types of followers, is that you don't even try to disguise the fact you are going to try and sell me something! Some of the things that give you away:
a) Your numbers are all wrong - 895 following | 15 followers | 3 updates
b) Your Twittername is "@Iwantyourbusiness"; "@makeeasymoney"; "@instantmillionaire"
c) All your tweets are sell, sell, sell - no mention of anything other than your product or service
So if you are an obvious seller of product or service and you don't want to invest time and effort on engaging with your prospects that forget it, I am not going to follow you!
4. You are not not playing by Twitter 'rules'
Twitter is a social network, it is about getting involved with a community. So get involved, talk to other tweeters, engage with them and show some character! What I want to see when I check peoples tweets (when deciding to follow you) is just that - website links, interesting comment, posts from their blogs, replies to other tweeters, re-tweets of posts that you have enjoyed or think are worth sharing with your followers.
If you are are just not going to make the effort and become part of the Twittersphere, then, sorry, I won't be following you back.
Twitter is such a brilliant tool, and I have to say that I am getting close to addiction, and I hope that some of my comments (from an active tweeter) will be of help to you.
So after reading this post, you want to follow me - @andyheadworth, then it would be great to hear from you.
