From time to time I come across an old post and that I think is worth reposting. It's three and a half years since I wrote this. I now have 1,298 followers and I follow 693 tweeps.
Twitter Followers - Quality or Quantity?
I am sometimes disappointed when I see messages like " Just noticed we're on 995 followers. Can we break thru the barrier?" that was posted on behalf of a government organisation that I admire this morning. Another Australian cultural institution this morning tweeted "Hip hip hooray for our 1000th (don't try to say that out loud) follower." Another Australian organisation recently gave a prize to their 1000th follower.
I realise that these places see Twitter as a marketing tool, and it is a valuable one, but who are they trying to reach? Everyone or those who are likely to benefit from their services via the information they post on Twitter?
I just wonder how adding more users like TowPimp (Free Junk Car Removal Victoria Bc) or M9LipsYouro ♥MyLipsSuxUDry♥ will benefit these organisations.
A lot of individuals who have twitter accounts also blow their trumpets when they reach milestone numbers of followers. I hope that all of my followers gain some value from my tweets but I sincerely doubt that some do and I cannot fathom why they follow me.
I get a real buzz when someone from the worlds of genealogy, education, technology or libraries follows me. When someone I respect from these fields or a family member follows it is cause for a happy dance.
I have amongst my followers a Mobile Mechanic from New Zealand (I'm not floating my car across the Tasman for a service), The unofficial biggest Broncos fan (I detest Rugby League), Leonor Brockmann whose image is a pair of silicon enhanced mammary glands, HotelSuggest a price comparison service for hotels, DealsFromSFO Deals from San Francisco and ConceptionAU -
I realise that these places see Twitter as a marketing tool, and it is a valuable one, but who are they trying to reach? Everyone or those who are likely to benefit from their services via the information they post on Twitter?
I just wonder how adding more users like TowPimp (Free Junk Car Removal Victoria Bc) or M9LipsYouro ♥MyLipsSuxUDry♥ will benefit these organisations.
A lot of individuals who have twitter accounts also blow their trumpets when they reach milestone numbers of followers. I hope that all of my followers gain some value from my tweets but I sincerely doubt that some do and I cannot fathom why they follow me.
I get a real buzz when someone from the worlds of genealogy, education, technology or libraries follows me. When someone I respect from these fields or a family member follows it is cause for a happy dance.
I have amongst my followers a Mobile Mechanic from New Zealand (I'm not floating my car across the Tasman for a service), The unofficial biggest Broncos fan (I detest Rugby League), Leonor Brockmann whose image is a pair of silicon enhanced mammary glands, HotelSuggest a price comparison service for hotels, DealsFromSFO Deals from San Francisco and ConceptionAU -
we have over 1,000 Egg Donors and Surrogates available now. I am flummoxed as to what value these tweeps would get from following me and, as I am not interested in them or their services, I certainly won't be following them. Perhaps they share some of my interests but I doubt it.
I could not and would not shout for joy if and when I reach 500 Twitter followers as some of them are definitely not members of my intended target group.
I'll back Quality over Quantity any time.
Unfortunately, the "weird" followers you get are likely a result of Twitter's rules that your follower/following ratio can't exceed a certain amount. In order for these folks to increase their number of followers, they have to follow more people ... so there you go.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have followers that don't make sense, I usually just ignore them (i.e., don't thank them for following, don't follow back, etc.) and sometimes they go away. I'm happy with my 415 followers because, like you, I'd rather know that my following is legitimate. And until I begin looking for clients and need the whole marketing side of Twitter, I'm comfortable with the status quo.
I too have some "interesting" followers on Twitter. For instance, a crossover band from Italy and an American Bistro Smokehouse. What??? Weird. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate followers who are interested in genealogy and I'll usually follow them back.
Agree wholeheartedly
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ReplyDeleteThis time posting without the typos: I also have some odd followers. Sometimes I accidentally follow with our work social media if I am logged in to them. I'm sure there are people wondering in the USA and UK why a wallpaper importer in Australia is following them.
ReplyDeleteI too have some odd followers and recently had an issue with someone on Twitter who appeared to be a new user and I politely followed back. However, it turned out to be someone using a fake identity.Weird and even more odd than some of my current followers which include one of the UK's largest British and Caribbean grocery wholesalers!
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