Tuesday, September 29, 2009

10 Reasons You Lose Twitter Followers

While new media like twitter gets more popular each week in Kenya, I find myself adding more interesting friends, but only to unfollow some for different reasons. So I may have un-followed you recently because:

1. You send too many tweets in a few minutes, crowding my small nokia window; maybe you’re just in a foul mood, I may check and re-follow in a few days time
2. Too may re-tweets I want to know what you're thinking, not just reading elsewhere
3. Your account has been taken over by a monster twitter e.g. wefollow mafiawars
4. Too many boring tweets (if you've nothing to say there’s no penalty for saying less)
5. Too many back & forth with another twitter who's more interesting than you - one of you has to go you should take the argument sideways (chat, e-mail, DM)
6. You fit the profile of a stalker – you follow you follow Oprah, Ashton Kutcher and me and send me DM messages constantly
7. You take up a cause and hype it to death I may follow you after the cause/event/conference has passed
8. All activist, all the time #HIV #NGO #healtheworld #savethe kids #savethechimps
9. If you fit the profile of a spammer or send lethal links
10. u ryt gbrsh lk ths – there’s actually a proper abbreviations dictionary, but its’ much easier to just write complete words

So unlike with facebook, I can’t turn off your updates (or can I?) so I probably un-followed you for one of these reasons.

13 comments:

PKW said...

Almost missed this nikisoma KQ AGM.
Just went and ensured that Bankelele is still following me :0)

NiKolaS said...

dude, spot on. i could not have put it better myself. i do notice that i may have crossed out one or two of those on your list at some point...

jke said...

These mafia war messages are really annoying. And the "activists" thing is also horrible, especially from the US.

I was recently trying to find some interesting tweets on water and sanitation, but the truth is that those who tweet the most and the loudest, often are also those who either just RT or publish boring content. But then, also, how can you put something interesting in 140 characters that isn't just a link? Water&Sanitation issues often can't be explained in 140 characters. And those who could aren't on Twitter or even Facebook.

Another detail is the conversation: I think that Twitter also is a tool for conversations in a Cluetrain way. Not just one-way status updates.

About the 10th point: I find it quite amusing to see ths knd of wrtg style on Facebook. Some younger Kenyans tend to comment on Facebook Status Updates like as if they were writing short messages. It is ridikulaas.

How popular is Twitter actually getting in Kenya these days? And is Gravity the tool?

Kahenya said...

I have crossed 10/10 on Banks list. Non wonder u unfollowed me. :(

3CB said...

hehehe noted :-)

Unknown said...

Try Brizzly if you want to mute loud tweeps...but that's just if u r using a pc.

Archer said...

Good post Banks. There are a lot of tweepo I've unfollowed for many of the reasons you've listed. I find it easier to put my profile on private, which allows me to vet prospective followers.

Lakini Banks, if I find that you've unfollowed me, I will NKT you so loudly!!

MainaT said...

Tell them what time it is bankelele...

Anonymous said...

(Standing up in the pew) Amen!!!

What's funny is that I thought you'd copy-paste some "10 Reasons you lose Twitter Followers" list...

A short, sweet, straightup reality check for all tweeps.

I don't know what a NKT is, but I'll stand behind Archer as he does it! (That is, if you unfollowed a brother - not that I have anything to be afraid of, right?)

Anonymous said...

Twitter Applications for Business Purposes..http://thetwittersecret.com/blog/?cat=18

Phil said...

so I'd rather not join twitter, ama?

savvy said...

This explains a lot..my tweets can be many and not so interesting, I have stalker habits (so I sent you one DM), my account was taken over by mafia...sigh!

mrsmwiti said...

How true. I though I was the only one who gets put off by no. 5. Its so annoying!

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