Organic Twitter Or Organic Fertilizer?
With Twitter being the biggest micro-blogging site online today, there are all sorts of questions and controversies coming up about it. For instance, should you “organically” pick your niche followers, or should you let all the stops out and follow the masses?
I was just speaking with an acquaintance of mine and the subject of Twitter came up. He is self described as a Twitter fanatic and his goal, as he puts it, is to “organically” grow his base.
First of all, before we even approach the subject, I just have to ask: What is it with people that somehow believe that they are separate and above others simply because they have chosen a certain way of doing things? So, you’ve chosen a path less followed…but WHY did you choose the path less followed? Was it because you think the ROI is better, or is it because you need to be the one singled out and on a pedestal? I would ask for an honest answer, but doubt I would get one.
So, let’s go over what “organic” Twitter building is, (at least in the eyes of my narcissistic acquaintance), and I’ll give some pros and cons I feel are relevant:
Only using the Twitter web application itself. (No 3rd party apps)
Pro: You can quickly see how many new followers you have
Con: Thousands of tweets to sift through, increasing chance of missing tweets from key people
You must maneuver through several pages to see @replies, DM’s, etc.
You are subject to worms such as the one that put everyone on alert over Easter weekend.
This is like using your old typewriter to type a 200 page report because you don’t want to get all caught up in those fancy fandagled things they got out now called computers. There are so many free applications to simplify and organize Twitter to your own preferences so you never miss a tweet from a business contact or your closest friend. Time = Money. Bottom line.
Personally answer every Direct Message (DM)
Pro: You are building your relationship with the follower
Con: 99% of DM’s are automated spam with no substance except self promotion
If you use TweetDeck you can set filters on your DM’s so that it only shows messages that include your personal name. It helps get through the BS so you can see who is really trying to reach out to you. You can also opt out of auto DM’s. Ahh, but this would mean using some fancy apps that you have sworn off.
Visit every DM’s profile AND website as research before replying
Pro: You will be able to connect to your followers on a more emotional basis.
Con: Not every DM is deserving of your time.
Here is where balance plays in. Yes, do your homework and get to know your followers. I do this by scanning through all my follower’s tweets and looking for ones I connect with. From there I do my research and get to know them better. If their tweets are about their latest dentist appointment or how bored they are, and just generally have little value to me I won’t take the time to dig any deeper.
Follow only those specifically in your target niche
Pro: You will be “fishing in the right pond”
Con: You are limiting yourself to a smaller network and smaller word of mouth recommendation.
While it is always a good marketing practice to focus on your niche market for better conversion, you are limiting the chances of building new networks and creating friends. Again, if you are using an app like TweetDeck you can separate your followers into groups so you could have one column for your Business and one for Other Favorite Tweeters.
Block all those that do not tweet about your target niche
Pro: You appear to be the jerk that you are so that we all know
Con: You appear to the jerk that you are.
Blocking is an extreme. I don’t block someone unless they are spamming or being offensive. If I don’t want to see their tweets, I simply UNfollow. Simple as that. If you’re blocking for no good reason it just raises suspicion that you have something to hide or maybe not proud of.
What are your feelings on growing an organic Twitter base? Would you describe “organic” differently?
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Tagged as: Marketing · Online Marketing · Social Media Marketing
What great information. I am new to twitter and have found that my page hits have gone up since starting, but I was a bit lost with what to do with all those people. Thank you for your insight.
Twitter: DennisEdell
(63 comments) says:
It’s a bit over thought if you ask me. Of course you need some 3rd party apps to merely make life simpler and more efficient.
The organic debate however seems more apt for how followers are gained. In that case, I really don’t get the difficulty people are having. Organic means natural, right? So should it be as simple as just doing it yourself, through your own promotional efforts, picking who you do or don’t want and so forth.
Those 3rd party apps where you can get 13445676 followers in 30 seconds are ridiculous.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..Understanding The New Rules Of SEO
@Dennis May have been overthought on my part? Hmm..guess it’s just that emotional and impulsive streak that comes out every once in awhile! And this was after I’d calmed down for a while.
@SuperGroovyGirlie: Twitter is an awesome social networking tool. I have to admit I am addicted. Glad to hear you were able to put some good use to the tips!
thanks for the tips, I just recently started twitter myself and am still getting the hang of it. I’m also still trying to figure out how many people should I really follow…
Great post. When I got started on twitter, I targeted people in my fields of interest and then I branched out. I look at Twitter as everyday life. The people you’re connected to or have long-standing friendships with are not necessarily people who work in your industry, or even like what you like. They’re people who add value to you life, and personal development. We all know Twitter is a great tool for brand evangelism, achieving 1 million followers, etc…I network but I’m really interested in people. I want to learn from others, how they see the world, their quirky behavior, etc…It can’t always be about my agenda.
Shara’s last blog post..hellobeauty: Mary J. Blige and Big Boi ‘Bringing Hope Home’ to Atlanta http://bit.ly/B5hZI
@Adalynn: Beware, Twitter is addictive!
Deciding on how many people to follow is a personal preference. Ask yourself why you are on Twitter (or any social network) and your answer should help you make a clearer decision on how to use your network and how big of a network you would like to grow.
@Shara: You make a great point: It can’t always be about your agenda. I like talking with all sorts of people from all walks of life. Where I do believe referrals are the backbone of any business, I think if people just focused a bit more on WHO they are talking to rather than WHY they are talking to them they would build a natural base of friends willing to pass along your name. You never know what blessing may come your way from the least expected source and you’ll enjoy yourself along the way.