“Are you Kenna Griffin?”
Hmmm… Seems like a loaded question coming from a stranger. After all, I had just walked in to a conference session. I wasn’t on the program. I was about to fulfill my role as a moderator. I knew my anonymity couldn’t last, but this was all happening pretty quickly.
“Yes, I am.”
“I follow you on Twitter! I learn so much from you.”
Huh. I guess my student who teases me (enviously) about my number of Twitter followers must be right. I’m kind of a big deal on Twitter.
No, I’m not the Bronx Zoos Cobra (243,410 followers) or Copyblogger (76,899 followers), but I try to help others. I guess they recognize it.
I also receive a great deal of information from others. I enjoy following others, but sometimes I unfollow too.
Nine reasons I unfollow people on Twitter:
1. They only self-promote. Twitter is a conversation. I love reading great new blog posts, but I enjoy it just as much when people pass on interesting links or respond to something I’ve posted.
2. They offer too much personal information. I don’t care when you brush your teeth (ok, unless I’m talking face-to-face with you). Provide something valuable.
3. They Tweet about inappropriate things. I’m difficult to offend, but even I’m still not interesting in how much alcohol you can drink or who you had sex with when and where.
4. They check-in with every step they take. Telling their followers that they’re at Taco Tico seems to be the only purpose of their Twitter account.
5.They just argue. These Tweeters remind me of those people who love politics just because they like to debate. They virtually pick and shove their way through the Twittersphere, leaving angry followers in their wake.
6. They know everything, at least they think they do. Not matter what the problem, they have a personal blog post ready to fix it. And, of course, they’re all too quick to share.
7. They never Tweet. I’ve followed people out of excitement to learn from them only to discover that they created their account two years ago but haven’t updated in six weeks.
8. They are just an account. Some people Tweet daily, but they never really tell you anything about themselves. Be a resource, but be human too. Show your humanity.
9. Giveaways. I guess a lot of people on Twitter love it when people give stuff away. I hate it. I’ve got enough crap of my own. I don’t want to enter to win your leftovers.
