Ah, the age-old question: to follow or not to follow new friends on Twitter?
Er... OK, well, it's not really "age-old," it's maybe a year or two old. But the question remains--how do you decide whom to follow back on Twitter? Or do you go looking for new, interesting people to follow?
Internet marketing specialist and author Seth Godin says:
So how do you determine whom to follow, whom to reach out and help achieve their goals? My Twitter rules are pretty loose:
- If I have time, I check my email and visit the sites of new followers. If she Twitters anything interesting, if I like the way he describes himself, or if she's in my field or pretty much strikes my fancy in any way, I follow her back.
- If I don't have time, I don't worry about checking out new followers. Period.
- If I meet someone in person at a networking event and find him interesting, I ask for his Twitter ID and follow him.
- If I read an interesting blog entry or hear an interesting podcast and the author gives his Twitter ID, I follow him.
- If one of my Twitter buddies reTweets something interesting from someone I don't follow, I add her.
- I don't use Qwitter. Unless people start unfollowing me in droves, I don't much care if a buddy or two drops off.
The reasoning behind this is simple: I use Twitter almost as a substitute for Google Reader these days. I want to follow people who will Twitter links to articles, podcasts and videos that will edify me as a social media consultant. I want to find out the latest on Ning, Facebook, Twitter and how companies, not for profits and individuals are using old and new media tools to build online communities, to reach out, and to provide better information and better customer service.
What about you? What are your Twitter rules for following or unfollowing? Are they hard and fast or loosey goosey?
Oh, and if you like, I'm heidimiller on Twitter. ;-)