Spring Cleaning, Twitter Style
sourceI’m doing some spring cleaning on Twitter. I follow way too many people who tweet about marketing or getting more followers or whatever. I’m guessing I followed them back in my early days on Twitter, when I didn’t realize how annoying seeing the same tweet all day long could be.
Rule No. 1 of Twitter: Engage in conversation.
Too many tweets from those people who use Twitter to promote their motivational speaking or marketing classes or The Best Product In The World And OMG You Need This? You end up looking like this:
Boring. Unfollowed.
When a person doesn’t @reply me too many times (unless it’s someone with a huge following), I unfollow. The point of Twitter isn’t to just to get links to news and other cool things. It’s a conversation. And I figure I wouldn’t keep talking to someone at a cocktail party who’s not willing to chat. Besides, there’s no shortage of people to follow.
I respond to every @notsuperhuman,* though I can’t promise it’s immediate—especially since I’m off Twitter over the weekend. But, frankly, I think it’s rude to brush someone off.
And one more thing. Remember what it was like to have a new Twitter account? You barely had any followers and they were hard to get. Somehow there’s this idea that few followers = not worth it. Whoever said that couldn’t be more wrong.
I make it a point to follow these newer tweeple. I remember how, at only 12 or 20 followers, I got excited every time a new person followed me. Besides, the newer folks are often more likely to chat.
I didn’t intend to do a post about Twitter, but now that I did, how about a list? I like lists. You like lists. So here we go…
Engage in conversation.
You want people to listen to you? Then talk to them.Don’t sell.
How’d you like it if I bombarded you with links for my site/seminar/book/etc. all day long? You wouldn’t. It’s called spam.Form relationships by replying to people who tweet you.
Would you ignore someone at a party who tried to talk to you?Always write a bio. Always.
There’s no excuse for no bio. If I don’t know about you, how am I supposed to gauge whether you’ll tweet about things that interest me?Provide a photo. Always.
I never, ever follow eggs and birds. There may be some great people out there who didn’t get around to uploading a photo, but I don’t care. Most eggs and birds I’ve come across are spammers.Support new tweeters.
Follow people with few followers IF they seem interesting.
And that’s my rant. Or suggestion. Whatever.
If you’re on Twitter, leave your username in the comments!
*OK, not every one. I block spammers without replying.
49 comments
Hi, Tracey! I’m a new reader, and love this post. I feel the same way about Twitter – it’s definitely annoying when people don’t respond (unless, as you mentioned, they have a bazillion followers), because that’s what Twitter is all about! Thanks for putting this out there.
My Twitter name is JessNicklos.
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 9:52 am
Hi Jess! Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your Twitter name. New readers make me happier than double rainbows.
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Jess (In My Healthy Opinion) Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 10:00 am
You’re so welcome! The double rainbow made me smile! lol
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Oh man… I hope I made it through your spring cleaning…
And the breakfast cartoon sort of cracked me up. I didn’t tweet it this morning, but if I did, I assume it would go something like “I ate oatmeal. I am boring in the AM. The end.”
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 9:51 am
Oh please, Amy. I’d never spring clean you away.
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I’m SUCH a Twitter novice! I really have no idea what I’m doing..I kinda got addicted to online giveaways, so I got more active on it b/c of that, but now I have like 40 followers…only 4 of whom I really “know” (you and three others). Even though I’m on Facebook hiatus (except for plugging my food blog)-I can at least credit it with the 400 or so people I have on my friends list are people I legitimately know.
Btw…I’m having a green monster for breakfast…I’ll tweet it soon.
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:52 pm
OMG!!!!! RT @ssgreer826 I’m having a green monster
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I don’t have twitter, but I do sometimes read Seth McFarlanes Twitter feed since he is hilarious.
I did do a Spring Cleaning on my Facebook. If we’re not friends in real life or you don’t have a cute baby I can see pictures of, we don’t need to be Facebook friends.
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:53 pm
What about cute puppy?
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I don’t have Twitter and whenever I think about getting an account, I can’t get past feeling like me “tweeting” something just feels wrong. Like socks with sandals wrong. I think it is the word “tweet” I get hung up on.
Totally laughing at the Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Bermuda triangle. So true!
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:55 pm
I love that graphic. Also, you can always sub “chirp” for “tweet.”
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I don’t use Twitter. I have a hard enough time keeping up with Facebook. And the only reason I have that really is to keep up with my 18yr old sister and 17yr old brother. I like to be in the loop and know things I probably shouldn’t…haha
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:56 pm
I have a hard time with Facebook too. I go long periods of forgetting it exists and then posting for days straight.
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tastyconfidence is my username!
Great tips- the photo thing is a must!
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Thanks! I’m following you now.
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I have been on Twitter forever but JUST learned how to use it! And I’m loving it! It’s fun!!
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I just went on Twitter to see if you deleted me for not going on Twitter for two months. I like those tips and look forward to applying them next time I have five minutes to log onto twitter … so sometime in April
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:58 pm
Ha ha. No, of course not!!
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Definitely agree with this stuff! I am new to Twitter – I joined so I could follow all the bloggers I read daily and also to get the word out for anyone new to read my blog if they might be interested.
I always respond to0! It’s so exciting to see a little bird icon pop up on my droid because someone mentioned me or replied to a tweet! Like christmas once a day or something.
I don’t have many followers today but I try to follow those who follow me unless they just market or spam about the same thing all day. I don’t need to read that 21890 times!
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:59 pm
High-five for always replying!
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Agree with all of these! Gosh…I have missed you!
Your sense of humor always always makes me smile!
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Aw, Kelly I MISSED YOU. I’m glad I caught you today.
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Following you now. @thornshaveroses Feel free to tweet my ear off. I’m usually pretty bored at work.
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Perhaps I’ll tweet you one word at a time to keep things exciting.
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fabulous! I totally agree girl!!!!!!!!!!!!! =) I heart chatting it up on twitter anyways – I thought THAT was annoying to other people but im so glad it isn’t!
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I’m with on hating when people don’t respond to my tweets. It seems so… uncool.
You can follow me on twitter (@kara975), but as a warning, I often tweet about baby poop, chafing issues, and tirades against humanity in general.
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Score. I love hearing tirades against humanity. And chafing, of course.
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I saw this post through Jenn’s retweeting and loved it.
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Thanks, Carly!
Have you ever read Shanna Like Bananas‘ blog? You guys are like blog sisters.
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I always wonder when it’s okay to end the conversation. After all, someone has to have the last word (Tweet!), right?
I follow you, in case you’re wondering who the hell I am. I’m @kalhendr!
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 2:43 pm
ME TOO!!! I thought I was the only one! I think I need to throw this question out to everyone tomorrow.
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Great tips! I definitely need to clean up my twitter!
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Thanks for reading, Stefanie!
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this is SO good. It took me a LONG time to even get on twitter, but now I LOVE it. I remember being BRAND new to tweeting, and not really getting hashtags, etc… I retweeted something someone said, not knowing that the hashtag was part of a twitterchat, and suddenly I was welcomed by 4 or 5 people, I was in this conversation that went on for over a half an hour! I’m still following all those people (really fun people!) and looking back, it’s pretty funny I was in on this chat without really knowing… silly.
I JUST got some random “follow me” tweet yesterday… come on, be a little more interesting! I’m not just out to “collect” followers!
I cleaned up mine recently, it was nice! I’m @spabettie and found this through Peas + Crayons Jenn
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Jenn L @ Peas and Crayons Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 4:53 pm
hey girl heyyyyyyy!
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Nice Carrot!
bahahahahaha
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:02 pm
HA HA HA HA HA.
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Like a few other readers, I don’t have a Twitter account, but now that YOU mention it, I might have to set one up. But you already have had a glimpse of how un-tech savvy I can be (forgetting to include my snail mail address-DOH).
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Tracey Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Eh, I forget to attach half the things I send via email. You’re good!
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Tweet Tweet. I took a break from twitter this week because it was sucking my time and this post reminded me that I probably follow a bunch of junk. Spring cleaning means twitter cleaning.
BTW I’m @itallchanges. I don’t talk a ton because I can’t get on at work and don’t have a smart phone but I love reading and chatting when I can.
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Tracey Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:16 pm
I’m already following you! I have days of lots of tweeting and other times when I’m off for days at a time. Life sometimes gets in the way.
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I agree–don’t understand why someone would never reply to mentions (especially questions). And it’s good to support cool newbies. I know some who are amazing. Anyway, I’m @lesliequander. Always nice to tweet you!
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Tracey Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:18 pm
I love your tweets because they always have the most useful links. (I’m talking writing here.)
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Just found your blog but I had to say that I agree with everything you’ve said! If I ask someone a question about their post or comment and they don’t respond, it annoys the crap out of me. Don’t put it out there if you don’t want feedback or to engage in a conversation!
Anyways, thanks for the tips. @VegBakeaholic …I’m headed to go work on my bio.
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Tracey Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:39 pm
So glad you found my blog. And thank you for your comment! I’m following you now.
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I unfollow people who just love the sound of their own voice and tweet constantly. I only follow literally a handful of people- I get overwhelmed with too much chatter, so I pretty much limit my twitter following to friends and blog peeps that I already know. usually I’m too busy or on-the-go to check out everyone who follows me, but if I do and I see too many @s I don’t follow. Plus they need to make me laugh or it’s a no-go.
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Tracey Reply:
April 4th, 2011 at 10:52 am
Yeah, people who just talk at you because they think they’re that interesting are so boring to follow.
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Deb (SmoothieGirlEatsToo) Reply:
April 6th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Very true. And it’s not like a have a lot of followers, but it always seems that I get a glut of them JUST as I’m getting on a plane overseas and won’t be doing Twitter/Facebook for weeks. Then I forget.
FUnny enough, I just randomly got someone follow me today and had the time to check her out- she had the BEST suggestion on how to beat egg-whites to stiff peaks when using a sugar substitute (GUAR GUM!!) so I feel like if it’s meant to be, I’ll be hooked up with the right people at the right time
(I’m beyond excited about this trick btw!!)
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Tracey Reply:
April 6th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Awesome trick, though I’m not sure how I’d apply it. I’m not much of a baker!
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