Some Unconventional Twitter Advice

Posted by Chris Garrett on 30th Sep 09

It’s getting a little silly now …

Make a fortune with Twitter!!

Grow your followers by gajillions a day!!!

ZOMG! Secret Ninja Twitter System Runs On Autopilot!!!!!!

Well I have to say, I have done my research … and these “systems” are junk.

Do they work to increase your follower count? Yes. I have checked some Twitter accounts who use these systems and they do have big Twitter follower numbers.

Can you make money with Twitter? Yes. I do and I know others who do.

Can you make money using these Twitter systems? I very much doubt it!

Confused? Don’t be, I will explain.

These systems exploit and promote a certain behavior that is present in Twitter use. That of “follow me and I will follow you”.

If someone follows you, you follow them right back, all automated.

OK so far? Sure, there are legitimate rationalizations for doing this. I tried it once and didn’t like it, too much direct message spam for my liking, but others I know like this approach so fair play.

This alone can increase your follower numbers because people will follow you to get a follow back. You might even get onto a list of “people who will follow you back just for following them”.

See where this is going?

So the next step in “Teh Todally Awsum Ninja Style Follow Count Boosting Strategy” is to go and follow a whole bunch of folks who are guaranteed to follow you right back. Turn the tables and get some of that reciprocal follow lovin’ for yourself.

Can you see the problem with this?

“I have zero interest in you or anything you have to say, but by following you I get an additional follow on my follower list which in some way will pay off down the line and make me look more popular than I really am – win!”

There is a third step, another “Ninja Move” … ready?

Unfollow anyone who doesn’t follow you back.

Why waste following folks who do not follow me, the theory goes, that is a “wasted follow”.

Erm … is that what Twitter has become? A search for an inflated follower count?

So, ok, you now have a gajillion+ followers, where does the money come in?

In this system? It doesn’t.

At no point have we grown a follower base of people who know, like and trust you. None of these folks care about what you have to say, and certainly will not take your recommendations or buy what you have to sell.

Why would they? They are not even human many of them!

It is automated bots following automated bots.

The correct approach is to engage real human beings and interact. Show some value, have conversations, and most of all … avoid the short cuts.

What do you think? Have I got it all wrong? Are you about to buy your next beach front property with all your Twitter millions? Please share in the comments …

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"This article is spot on! I'm very particular about who I follow, and while it means I don't have a ton of followers, I feel that I have a much more meaningful relationship with them. If all we're doing is auto-following and unfollowing, then what's the point?"

"Great post Chris and I couldn't agree more ... I have met and networked with some great people I've met on Twitter but I'm not terribly concerned with "how many" people are following me (especially not automated bots! LOL). Would you please share how you do monetize Twitter? Thanks! *SmiLes* Suzanne"

"There are real human beings on twitter? It's sometimes hard to believe that with all the botting that goes on. I hate the DM spam. I don't even check my DM's anymore. You're absolutely right about the follow reciprocation too. I joined a follow me train for a whooping week, realize how many spammers I was following, and left. Human interaction is where it is at!"

"No Chris, not wrong, totally correct. I even say now on forums "Here is my twitter link, I will not follow people back unless you let me know who you are & I find you interesting", not because I'm cruel, but because I get gazillions of followers a day, and therefore I don't always know who's bots & who aren't. It's the way I've used twitter always, some people call it "revolutionary", I thought it was just the way it was supposed to be run :) As an aside, why would anybody want to be a "Marketing Ninja"? I mean, Ninjas are quiet and stealthy, surely the purpose of marketing is to make as much noise as possible to as many people as possible, to make people notice you. Something Ninjas don't do! I'd much rather be a "Marketing Viking" or something."

"I agree completely. I think that Twitter is like everything else in life - you can get quality and eventually quantity or you can get quantity and not worry about quality. I have not been on Twitter very long but the more I comment, RT, #FF and reply then the more people begin to follow me - people that I have something in common with and that I am interested in following as well. Also, the use of hashtags has helped me find some people that I might otherwise have missed."