Updated June, 2009 because things change. 
Comments posted before June, 2, 2009 refer to the original version posted last July.
I just finished going through a stack of email notifications for my new Twitter followers and it prompted me to let followers know how I decide whether or not to follow in return.
Some Twitter users believe that etiquette dictates that one return the favor by following anyone who follows you. As much as I’d like to always return the favor of following, I just can’t. I can only read so many tweets so I just can’t follow everyone.
At least once a week I go through my Twitter notifications and look at the profiles of everyone who is following me. Here’s how I decide whether or not to follow you:
- If I know you personally or have developed an online relationship with you through some other online venue, I’ll follow you.
- If I don’t know you, but your profile and tweets reveal who you are, and you are someone I think I can relate to either personally or professionally, I’ll follow you.
- If you interact regularly with someone I already follow, I’ll probably follow you.
NOTE: Post edited in early June, 2009 to add:
- If it seems like you use programs to automatically follow anyone and everyone you possibly can, I won’t follow you. It’s my preference to use Twitter in a more personal manner and therefore I do all my following and unfollowing manually.
- I don’t mind if you personally recommend products and use affiliate links. I do mind if you allow a service to send ads through your Twitter account. I try not to follow anyone who participates in some sort of auto advertising program for Twitter.
- If I follow you but you don’t follow back, it’s okay. I understand and I won’t automatically unfollow you.
If I don’t follow you, please don’t hesitate to ask me to reconsider after you update your profile or when you start tweeting more. Or if you think I overlooked the notification or made a mistake because you meet one of my decision criteria above drop me a line. I can be persuaded to change my mind.
If you are following me, thank you. I appreciate it.
If you aren’t following me and you’d like to see what I tweet about, you can click here to find and follow me on twitter.. If I don’t meet your expectations, you can always stop following me. (Don’t worry, I won’t feel bad about it.)
How do you decide who to follow on Twitter?
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July 25th, 2008 at 8:35 PM
Great post Linda!
I feel the same way. I use Twitter for business, so if some one is always Tweeting about what they ate for breakfast, I don’t follow.
I believe when we Tweet we should offer value, not to say you can be yourself and have fun, but you know…
Have a great weekend Linda!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:44 PM
I am new to twitter and I think this is great. I have been torn between do I need a lot of followers or do I want quality. I am leaning toward quality.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:33 PM
I have more than one twitter account, but on my personal and most frequently used Twitter account I like to follow and unfollow manually so I don’t get all overwhelmed and distracted.
I don’t follow everyone that follows me either, and I’ve been yelled @ a few times for it -lol- As if tweeting “why aren’t you following me” is going to make me want to follow someone LOL
June 9th, 2009 at 12:00 PM
LOL Loretta,
People seem to forget that their way isn’t the only way to do something. Of course I’m always open to suggestions, but the beauty of Twitter is that if you don’t like how I’m using it, you are free to hit the “unfollow” button. If people start unfollowing me in droves, I’ll get the message and change my ways.
June 26th, 2009 at 7:33 AM
I totally agree Linda, it’s no use trying to follow everyone as it’s impossible. Twitter is different to FB in the fact that there are followers, not friends. This is for the reason that sometimes people may want to follow a celebrity, business or person of interest such as you. Yet that person may not necessarily be able to or want to follow their followers lives and tweets.