2009 was a year of many unfortunate changes. Lots changed in the world this past year and especially changed in the way business is done, online and offline. Some of the changes were good and others not so good. What triggered most of the bad changes was due to the failed economy. Many business people, places and things regrettably chose to change to take the low road to survival. As a result, online deception and spam increased in 2009 on average of 400%.
In order to function effectively in the every changing online environment I have had to make some changes to how I socialize and do business online. One of the major changes I will make in 2010 is how I deal with the deception and spam on Twitter. The changes will center around making an even harder review of who I follow and who followers me on Twitter.
The studies I did earlier this year by interviewing people who follow me on Twitter confirm that it really does matter who some follows and who is follow that person. Over 90% of the people following me check to see who I am following and who is following me before they decide to follow me.
The predators of the internet have now found that Twitter offers them a vast opportunity to scam people through rambling through a Tweeter’s followers and who they are following. Most sit and wait in people’s Following group and pick on the people being followed. I refer to this as the Spammers Buffet.
I am doing what I can to stop the people who live off other people thru deception and posting of unsolicited Tweets for products and services. I will do this by doing a better job of screening who follows me and naturally who I follow on Twitter. Maybe what I have outlined in my Twitter Manifesto will help you also.
As mentioned in my Twitter Manifesto, I offer no apologies for what I have to do to protect the REAL people I have found on Twitter. My purpose for being on Twitter is to set an example to others of how social media works and it is based the consumer driven requirements of knowing the person who runs or works for a company before doing business or even making friends. If this is not your approach to Twittering, then you probably not someone I will be following or would want to follow me.
I cherish the relationships I have developed with my Followers. I treat their choice to Follow me as a privilege and pledge to not let them down by harboring anyone who produces dribble on Twitter. I Follow only people who demonstrate to me on a consistent bases they really care about who they are and what they provide to the Twitter Community. I also serve notice on my frequent use of the Block and Block Report Spam buttons twitter has offered us and will use them when someone Follows me that is obviously from another planet or under an Old World Market Plan.
In an effort to maintain my sanity and validate my time spent on Twitter, below outlines how I will use Twitter.
Twitter Manifesto 2010
Purpose:
My purpose on Twitter is to build a community of likeminded people in hopes they will want to learn more about me, what I do, what I don’t do along with becoming part of the larger community I am building that is not on Twitter.
I am not out to play the Numbers game on how many followers I can gather or how many people I can follow. Those who do play this game do so not because they are building a community but to develop a way to measure their artificial popularity.
I use Twitter to build relationships and develop friendships. Believe me, I have far more friends online and offline than I show I am following or are following me. I deal with realities of life and business. I will not use my follow/following figures to base my popularity online.
My Mantra is:
- To “Keep It Simple to Get Things Done!”.
- I am inspired by the “Big Ideas” and the people that dream them.
- I choose ONLY to work, associate socially and/or professionally with honorable individuals who believe in making a buck while making a difference.
My Promise is:
I will..
- Only communicate with and FOLLOW someone who I have found to be a REAL person and have had at least three intellectual conversations or responses to my @reply to my post on Twitter.
- Use the 80 – 20 rule in posting Tweets..which means 80% of my posts will be original or @replies with only 20% of my posts having links or Re-Tweets to relevant interesting information.
- Develop an “A List” of people I FOLLOW that I either have met in real life or who I have carried on a spirited conversation on Twitter for more than one post. The others on my Follow list are just as important to me and are Followers I keep track of or have not had a lengthy conversation with yet. Either group should consider themselves lucky since I only Follow people who are REAL people and interest me and my other Followers.
- Not Follow someone who does not post a self photo unless I have met them personally or they come highly endorsed from someone I have met personally.
- BLOCK or UnFollow any Tweet that:
- Has Over 2000 Followers
- Follows Over 2000
- Post ONLY from apps like Tweetfeed, mobile apps or the Web API
- Does not have any @replies on the first page of Twitter Homepage
- Has only 1 Update and following thousands with any number of followers
- Porn Sites
- Direct Marketers
- MLM’s
- or any get rich quick programs based on questionable business models
- Anyone who posts for posting sake
- who only post LINKS, quotes or RT’s
- only posts and does not reply to ANYONE
I will NOT…
- Follow for Following sake.
- Follow Anyone who does not post a
- Photo of self
- Real Name
- Complete Twitter Bio with a link to another non-Twitter site
- Play the ‘Follow as Many People as You Can’ Game
- Follow anyone who uses profanity profusely
- Follow Anyone who @replies to my Tweets in an effort to get me to Follow them
- Use any program or BOT that automatically does anything to generate Followers or Follows Tweets for the sake of following.
- Use any Auto DM
I appreciate the fact that there are many people wanting to Follow Me for whatever reason. For that I am very humbled. However, I do not reciprocate with an Automatic Follow like many misguided people here on Twitter feel they need to do.
It boils down to quality rather than quantity and I value the relationships I have made with people who are out on Twitter to do the same.
I hope that I earn someone’s Follow for:
- Who I am
- What I offer
- What I do not offer
- Making someone laugh
- Bring to their attention somebody and something really worthwhile
- Connecting them to someone who will make their personal or professional life better
I am not out to please everyone and I understand that everyone is not out to please me.
I also know that there will be an exception to every rule including the ones I have outlined here. I accept that and look forward to making an exception because it means I have learned something.
This is how I will use Twitter and I will not apologies with the exception of this one time. Sorry, for anyone who does not agree with how I will be using Twitter. For those who Real People who honor me with their Follow and for allowing me to Follow them..Carry On..and..Let me know how I can help.
