The Etiquette of Following People on Twitter
Twitter is a social cornucopia for those who choose to engage with the platform. Twitter has been associated with revolutions and the shifting of modern communication as we know it. These feats would not be possible if people did not have a firm grasp of the fundamental elements of how to follow people and what type of engagement is appropriate on Twitter. Understanding how the communication platform works and what the proper etiquette is for following people is a vital tool for using the platform in the most effective manner possible.
Other People Are Reading
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Follow Back with Discretion
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In the early days of Twitter, people commonly reciprocated a follow with every person following them. Some people still follow this protocol, particularly those using the social media platform for marketing purposes, but this behavior is not necessary. In the current Twitter landscape, it is not considered impolite to not follow someone simply because he is following you. Follow people who engage you in conversation, interest you with the information they post and who appear to be people you would genuinely want to engage with in a face-to-face conversation. As your Twitter followers increase, you may find that there is too much noise and chatter occurring in your Twitter feed and you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information occurring in your Twitter stream.
Engage in Conversations Mindfully
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Twitter is a means of conversation, sharing information and networking with like-minded communities. With this in mind, enter all Twitter conversations as you would a face-to-face engagement, and be mindful of your words. When you send out a Tweet, the entire Twitter community can read the content. While the stream of conversations moves rapidly, the information is still accessible at a later date. Be respectful of your followers and your community and be positive and engaging in your content. People are reading your tweets, even if you are unaware of their presence. Also be mindful of the practice of engaging in live updates at special events. If you post tweets infrequently, then decide to give a running commentary of a sporting event one night, the barrage of tweets from your account may be an annoyance to your followers and cause them to unfollow. Retweeting is a fundamental element of Twitter and allows you to republish a tweet you find relevant to your followers. Be sure to actually read any links in the retweets you send and thank others for retweeting your information.
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Use the Appropriate Identification Methods
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Twitter etiquette relies closely on using the proper conversational tools. If used improperly, these methods of interaction can have negative impacts on your community. When referring to someone in a tweet and engaging her in the conversation, be sure to include the "@username" -- also referred to as a Twitter handle -- of the person you wish to tag. This will place the tweet in her mentions column and alert her that you are speaking directly to her. If you neglect to add this handle, she is unlikely to see your tweet. This method is used for public replies and responses to individual followers. If you wish to send a private message to be viewed only by the recipient, use the DM, or direct message, option. This person must be following you for the message to go through.
Interrupt Appropriately and with Information
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If you see two people or friends engaged in a conversation, indicated by the nature of the dialogue and the use of the "@username" tag, enter the conversation in a respectful manner. You are in essence interrupting, so be sure you are contributing to their dialogue with useful insight or information relevant to the discussion. Conduct yourself as you would in a real conversation and acknowledge the fact that you are injecting yourself in the middle of a conversation. Provide URL addresses that may help with their discussion or further support the point you are making. Be sure to tag a person outside of the conversation, if you think he could also contribute to the public dialogue, by using his Twitter handle. Twitter provides a rich platform for connecting people using their handles and links to their websites when conversations relevant to their expertise arise.
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