Since using Twitter in 2008 now the new X, I’ve witnessed firsthand the seismic shifts that have transformed the platform into what we now call X. So what is the secret to following? A lot has changed, compelling me to revisit and update this discussion on the art of following and engagement in this new era.
Under the new ownership of Elon Musk, X has morphed in ways both exciting and challenging. Meanwhile, Jack Dorsey’s Blue Sky has also entered the scene.
I’ll admit, my feelings towards Blue Sky are mixed. Despite supporting its concept, the platform hasn’t quite resonated with me. It feels different, lacking the familiarity that X retains despite its transformations.
The more time I spend on X, the more my feelings are a mix of admiration and frustration. Despite having amassed over eleven thousand followers, achieving the kind of engagement I expect remains elusive. This could be due to a surge in bot activity, disinterested followers, or perhaps the algorithm changes post-Musk’s takeover. It’s hard to pinpoint.
Reflecting on the early days, I remember scoffing at the idea of a 140-character limit. It seemed absurd, yet within eight months, I was fully engaged. Today, X allows up to 280 characters per post, and for those willing to pay $22 a month, even more expansive threads are possible. However, crafting long-winded content for what sometimes feels like shouting into the void doesn’t appeal to everyone.
The secret to following effectively on X isn’t just about accumulating numbers. It’s about building meaningful connections and staying relevant amidst constantly trending topics. This involves optimizing your profile image, engaging with X communities, and actively participating in X threads. Remember, with millions of monthly active users, the potential to reach customers and make an impact is significant — but only if navigated wisely.
Follow No Follow
For those old time Twitter users, I’m sure you each have a certain criterion by which you use this app. There are tons of articles out there on how they got tons of followers, and they all live happily ever after. These are some of the things you will read.
The basic premise
- Increase your tweet frequency
- Share images and videos
- Use relevant hashtags
- Join a specific community
- Interact with comments, retweets, and mentions
- Contribute to and comment on specific threads real time
- Design an appealing profile with profile picture
- Get involved in specific chats
- Attract followers beyond your usual audience
- Schedule your posts strategically
Needless to say, I was surprised at some of the examples. Surely, people aren’t that naïve, ignorant, and, yes, downright idiotic. Imagine attending a cocktail party. You’re not there to meet every single guest, but rather to mingle selectively.
You’ll wander through the room, cocktail in hand, engaging in light-hearted conversations and sharing laughs with a few people. This selective interaction not only makes the experience more enjoyable but also allows you to form meaningful connections with those you do choose to engage with. It’s about quality, not quantity, as you navigate the social landscape of the event.
I still feel that way about X, it’s not that difficult. I pop in for a few minutes using my mobile app respond, tweet, but the important aspect of using X is to grow your readership. At least that’s what I use it for when I add social management into a monthly camping for a client.
Resources For your Social Networking
Another article I had to dig up in the web-archive, “Twitter & the Law of Reciprocity” written by Kristi Colvin. She had a spot-on description of this very topic. She goes so far as to post diagrams to illustrate her point. What it boils down to is this: we are not going to agree with everyone’s suggestions, but everyone is arguably right.
A site I happened upon that also touched on the follow to no-follow examples was a cute video that shatters the honeymoon, but allows you as the viewer to engage and really appreciate the comic side of Twitter. The message is clear: don’t engage by posting noise, but engage by posting valuable information. With that said, let me also say that not everyone is going to like you; it’s just a fact of life.
Therefore, whom do you follow and how can you make a difference with your followers? There are several tools for following people in your niche market. Here are some ideas for “Managing Your Twitter Followers and the People You Follow”.
The Follow No-Follow Rule: Curating Your Network on X
In my humble opinion, following people is simple; it’s about building quality versus quantity. The best way I can describe my follow to no-follow rule is with this break down.
In the world of social media, particularly on platforms like X, the strategy behind whom you choose to follow can significantly impact your online experience and reach. My approach to following is straightforward: prioritize quality over quantity. Here’s a detailed look at my follow to no-follow rule:
Do Follow
- Friends and Familiar Faces: Always keep up with your friends. They are your foundational network.
- Keep an Eye on Competitors: Following competitors not only keeps you informed about what they’re doing but also helps in understanding industry trends and consumer preferences.
- Interest-Based Searching: Use keywords related to your interests to find accounts that discuss topics you care about. This helps in staying updated and finding new content.
- Engaging Voices in Your Feed: If someone frequently appears in your feed with insightful or engaging content, give them a follow. They’re likely to enrich your feed further.
- Exploring Connections: Occasionally, exploring the followers of profiles you admire can lead to valuable connections. This method has led me to some fruitful interactions and network expansions.
- Active Participants: Pay attention to users who retweet or interact with content similar to yours. They are active participants in your niche and can help amplify your messages.
Consider Unfollowing
- Inactive Accounts: Regularly prune any inactive accounts that no longer add value to your feed.
- Off-Topic Content: If an account shifts away from your interests or begins to post irrelevant content, it might be time to unfollow.
- Overwhelming Volume: Some profiles post excessively without adding meaningful content. It’s okay to unfollow to keep your feed clean and relevant.
Generally, these are wanna be spammers. However, even if they’re not, if the links are always dead and they’re always posting links instead of anything else mixed in, they’re not doing anything for you anyway.
Enhancing Your Strategy
- Optimize Your Profile: Ensure your profile clearly states your interests and what you bring to the table. A compelling profile attracts potential followers and makes your account stand out.
- Leverage User-Generated Content: Engage with and share user-generated content from your followers. This not only boosts engagement but also builds community and loyalty.
- Monitor Engagement: Keep an eye on which types of interactions gain the most traction on your profile and adjust your strategies accordingly to maximize engagement with your user base.
By implementing these strategic choices, you not only curate your digital environment but also enhance your potential to connect with like-minded individuals and potential customers on X. This thoughtful approach to following and unfollowing ensures that your social media experience is both productive and enjoyable.
AI in Your Daily Social
And now most recently with AI in the mix I have seen so many duplicate comments it’s mind boggling. But that’s another article, using AI to send out tweets is not a bad idea, but customize your tweets. I use AI to create Tweets for our services with CTA’s I mix them up add an image and voila, what would have taken me 3- 40 minutes now takes me 5 minutes.
You’ll build your own follow and no follow rules as time goes by, but if you break them down, you’ll find that most no follows are due to boredom, irritation, or disgust.
- Boredom – those that are monotonous. They never have anything to say.
- Irritation – what they have to say is not worth it or sales.
- Disgust – those that auto post. You can tell – they post fifteen messages in a row.
- Ultimately, there are a ton of tools you can use to clean out your X followers.
- Revitalize Your X Account with Smart Management Tools
Navigating your social media landscape can be streamlined with the right tools and strategies, especially on platforms like X.
I’ve been using Social Dog for its straightforward functionality—whether it’s following new intriguing profiles or pruning inactive ones. It’s a game changer for maintaining a vibrant and engaging X account. Let’s dive into the essentials of tidying up your X presence.
- Prune Inactively: Data shows a significant portion of user engagement comes from active accounts. With Social Dog, I can easily identify and unfollow those who are no longer active or relevant to my interests. This keeps my feed fresh and dynamic.
- Security and Privacy Audit: Regularly revisiting your account settings isn’t just good practice—it’s essential. Adjust your privacy settings to protect your information while still engaging effectively with your audience.
- Organize with Lists: Streamlining your feed by organizing accounts into lists can enhance your social media experience. Whether it’s industry leaders, personal friends, or news sources, lists help you manage what you see and when you see it.
- Refresh Your Profile: First impressions matter. Updating your profile with a fresh photo, an engaging bio, and relevant links can attract new followers and re-engage existing ones. Make your profile a reflection of your current interests and professional stance.
- Audit Access Permissions: It’s crucial to periodically check which apps and tools have access to your account. Social Dog facilitates this by highlighting unnecessary or outdated permissions, ensuring your account’s security and integrity.
By adopting these practices, using intuitive tools like Social Dog, you can ensure that your X account remains a potent tool for connectivity and engagement.
Remember, a well-maintained social media profile is not just about visibility but about creating meaningful interactions and ensuring a secure digital presence.
Final Thoughts
Despite these changes, my approach remains steadfast, rooted in a deep understanding of the platform’s dynamics. X continues to be an exceptional, scalable tool that, when leveraged correctly, can significantly amplify your visibility and influence online. For anyone looking to harness its full potential, staying adaptable and committed to learning its nuances is key. Embrace the evolving landscape of X, and you’ll find it a powerful ally in the digital age, consistently driving attention to your content and expanding your digital footprint.
18 Responses
I agree with the DM spam. I hate people who send auto DM’s. I had one person send me 40 DM’s in one crack…. WOW. I follow back most everyone then sort later. I try to seed out the porn and other crap on as I go. I do not auto follow back…that causes mass trouble. I do not want to be one of those people who only follows a handful of people..that seems very one sided. I love learning from new people and that’s what its all about ..learning and growing. GREAT ARTICLE!
Excellent post, Gabriella. So happy we met on Twitter! One tip I like to share with tweeps is to remember everyone sees your replies to another, until you take it to direct message. I try to form those open replies in such a way as to give some context to the conversation – lessens the noise factor. I’m with you – Twitter rocks!
Great post Gabriella!
When deciding whether to follow someone, I often find there’s a gap between what is considered ideal practice and what is actually interesting. Twitter etiquette and best practices guides recommend engaging friends and followers in conversation. But when you look at the streams of people who do just that, all you see is a long stream of cryptic conversation that only makes sense to those engaged in it. You can’t crash the chat and put in your two cents’ worth and there’s nothing to RT for others. The flip side are people who don’t engage with anyone posting only their observations or an unending stream of links.
So I look for a little bit of everything: conversations with friends because it shows this is someone with whom you can build a relationship, interesting information and links I can RT and share with others, and lastly, some personal content that gives a glimpse of the real person you are tweeting with.
http://twitter.com/OomphGroup
Hello Johanna, well then you must think my feed is cryptic 🙂 . What I have found useful is when I do want to have a conversation I take it to DM. It keeps the noise to a minimum and it keeps things private. I have to tell you though I have learned how to type & think in 140 characters which I will admit was difficult at first but now even my writing has slimmed down. Btw we have been following each other, nice to see you outside of Twitter. 😉
“Everything goes somewhere, & I go everywhere.” is a quote from Mr. Universe in the movie Serenity. He lives on a secluded moon with his fembot wife, watching all the TV, surveillance video, etc. in the universe.
This is a great post and I’m always interested in seeing what people use as their criteria for finding followers. As in business, I try to surround myself with people who are like me (for good quippy conversation) and those who aren’t like me; these are the people that give your network diversity and cause you to broaden your scope of thinking. Don’t surround yourself with a bunch of “you”.
That being said, I also try to find people who have great tweets with substance that won’t get lost in the stream. The infamous “going to walk the dog” tweet doesn’t provide value to me in the way that I use Twitter. If I see a bunch of these in a stream, I’m less likely to follow because I’m (unfortunately) going to miss your good stuff when you do post a great link or tidbit because I’ll be used to overlooking most of the content.
Find and build a diverse base. Grab a few artists if you’re a techie type. If you’re a hunter, go find someone who is a chef and listen to them. Twitter is a great tool to help you expand your horizons.
Jamie
@jsandford
In order to learn one has to be open to all ideas. There are many things I don’t agree with… From politics, to religion, to dress code. We are human and that in itself is already a mouthful. The beauty of Twitter for me is it’s a big playground, I have been trying to add around 20 new people I follow a week just so I can open my mind to diverse cultures, learn and of course engage. It’s like a big cocktail party except this one never ends. Thanks for dropping by Jamie
I love this post and know you and I agree on this topic.
My follow rules are:
* People who have photos as avatars
* People who took time to write a 160 character bio and include both business and professional
* Those who are recommended to me by people I talk to daily…not on FollowFriday with a bunch of other people
* Those who have split personalities on Twitter (cough, cough @SEOCopy)
* Those friends who have their animals on Twitter, just because I think it’s funny
* CEOs, entrepreneurs, small business owners, kick butt women
I will not follow you if you have a logo as an avatar, haven’t bothered with a bio, and only tweet about your company’s happenings…UNLESS someone I know and trust has told me I’d enjoy conversation with that person/company/building…whatever the heck they are.
Thanks for a thoughtful post!
http:://twitter.com/ginidietrich
There you go again… talking about my split personality. Lets think about the wisdom behind the madness. I run three online companies. They all have a definite niche and they are all producing an income. How could I ask someone, anyone to be me? It’s not easy. So rather than miss opportunities, I try to reach my market with different a different approach. The fact I read and write 5 languages almost inspired me to have 5 twitter accounts. But I resisted. My favorite saying is “Everything goes somewhere, & I go everywhere”… Not sure who said that but it shows strength, vision, and someone who is a go getter. That would be me!
Like you said there are several articles out there that can tell you how to decide who to follow and who not to follow, but like you said in the end it is a skill that you will develope on your own over time.
Great read on following. I am working on a posting similar – feel like I need to get it out there, why I do and do not follow certain people. Since Twitter has come along (to me anyway) I have just been taken over by learning and using this tool to grow my website and network with like-people. The key” like-people. I have read and am following some of the tweeps you mentioned!
http://twitter.com/printedproof
May I suggest you throw the net a bit farther than “like minded people” what I mean by that is lets say you follow someone that is in real estate investments in London, it may have nothing to do with your business but, if you have a certain relationship with them show some interest in what they are doing, spend time cultivating somewhat of a mutual respect I can almost guarantee you will be the first person he asks if the question arises about your service. I hope that makes sense. Plus the fact you could learn about Real estate investments in London.. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
Sometimes jumping into things is not a warm and fuzzy feeling. That is human nature I think they call it the “fear of the unknown” Personally I have never been afraid to try something at least once… If I don’t like it I move on it’s rare but it does happen. Thanks for posting Christian I will be following you now.:)
You know, I just went through and cleaned out my followers from all the people who are just generating noise. I was trying to figure out a way to simplify the process of whether or not to follow and it looks like you did a great job here. I think I also need to start looking further back in people’s tweets to see if they constantly post good info. I noticed that many people I follow have one or two good tweets and the rest are rediculous, but I follow them because I figure they might say more useful stuff…alas, this is not the case.
Sometimes I wonder how many times I can change my mind about using Twitter. Look bottom line is you use Twitter the best way it works for you. Sure some of us are still trying to figure out what that is but that’s the beauty of a new toy, you keep playing with it till it fits. 🙂 thanks guys for your input!
Very relevant. A social gadget is meant to get ‘social’ and not about bots or auto messaging (unless there are GOOD explanations for that). I admit when I started tweeting, I knew nothing, so basically just followed a friend’s following list, now I’ll do much digging about their bios, conversations & contents (their sites as well) before adding. For the followers, if I could I’ll try to follow back, not all in some extent but I’ll try to give myself a chance to know more people/expose to the topics I’m interested in if possible.
Still learning though, and tactics would change over time. Always, quality over quantity — that’s a motto I’d like to bear in mind. ^^ I’m sure you’ll agree on that too. Great post, enlightening.
@wchingya
-Social Media/Blogging
Wonderful post. Great points addressed. The good,the bad, the ugly. On twitted I always review all followers. Can be time consuming but is needed. I want quality not quantity. I look for folks in my field of work as well as those that are just plain interesting, funny and are not spammers. I like the different views of people as well. May not always agree, but that is what life is made of.
That is my 3 cents. ( inflation causes me to charge more for my thoughts)
Bonnie – burnsie_seo. Sorry for spelling errors. Doing this on iPhone and it is a pain at times
wow thats a nice post i follow everyone who follows me most of the time but there are exceptions like people with no profilepic, people with no website address and people with no bio etc
follow me twitter
http://twitter.com/zoooni