Ten reasons why you should unfollow me

Ten Reasons Why You Should Unfollow Me

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: Image by johnscotthaydon via Flickr

Welcome to another post describing how I use social media. In this case, it’s Twitter (again).

Any social networking tool you use should serve a purpose. You need to make it useful to you. I’ve found myself re-evaluating how I’ve used Twitter over the past three or so years and have made changes. Maybe it’s time you looked at how you use Twitter as well.

The title of this post is meant to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but it’s also serious. I believe that many people who follow me on Twitter might be better off if they didn’t. Your use of social media will vary from mine, and that’s okay.

So, without further delay, here they are:

10. You prefer to get updates from people you follow via a mobile device. I update very frequently, several times throughout the day. You might want to unfollow me via your mobile device, or at least turn off your mobile notifications. I only have direct messages sent to my phone.

9. You don’t follow many people, and my updates take up most of your page at Twitter.com. Yes, I update a lot, especially at certain times during the week. If this bothers you, you could a) follow more people or b) unfollow me, even temporarily. I believe there’s even a tool called TwitterSnooze.

8. You want updates from those you follow to be on-topic, all the time. I update Twitter with random things I’m thinking of on the spur of the moment. Many people say that’s one reason why they stick around. If this isn’t you, please unfollow.

7. You don’t want to get updates from an event to which you have no desire attending or watching. I have occasionally updated from events, using specific hashtags to contextualize my updates and for easy reference. If this is too much for you, you might want to unfollow.

6. It bothers you to see someone you follow talk about God, religion, or spirituality. I openly share my faith using Twitter. It’s just another communication vehicle for me, and I am the same online as I am offline. Unfollow if this bothers you.

5. You expect me to follow back when you follow me. I’m sorry, but I cannot keep up with all the notification emails, so I’ve turned them off. Send me an “@” mention to get my attention. If that’s not enough for you, you might want to unfollow.

4. You are bothered when I report my location through a service such as Brightkite. I do occasionally update Brightkite with my location, and I find it useful to track where I’ve been that way. You might want to unfollow if this bothers you.

3. You are not interested in hearing about any of the specific projects I’m working on. I openly talk about some of the new media projects I’m working on, including How I Got My Job, New Media Cincinnati, Journey Inside My Mind, Get That Job, etc. If this sort of thing bores you, please unfollow.

2. You find it impossible and maybe even annoying that someone can be determined to make every day a great day. Yes, it’s true. I do tend to ooze positivity. I’m sorry if this offends you. Please unfollow.

1. For some reason, you don’t want to unfollow because you’re afraid it will hurt my feelings. Seriously? Twitter has always been permission-based. Make the tool useful for you. If what I’m saying isn’t interesting or useful to you, then unfollow. I think too many people in the Twitter space get emotionally wrapped up in who’s following them and who’s not. Maybe it’s got something to do with the ability to send a direct message (DM) to someone. Maybe it’s something else.

So there you have it. I’ve made the decision easy for you. If what I’m doing on Twitter isn’t useful to you, then it’s okay to unfollow. You might consider checking back in from time to time or even using Twitter Search to keep up. I know some people who do that.

[photo credit: johnscotthaydon]

Blogs, tweets can change live events (lansner.freedomblogging.com)
Unfollow Non Followers on Twitter (mwd.com)
Twitter’s new Terms of Service (heidi-miller.com)
Why I Unfollowed 55,000 Twitter Users (johnchow.com)
Building Community – A Tale of Two Approaches (danieljohnsonjr.com)

Tags: social media strategy, twitter, unfollow

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 7:59 am and is filed under Featured, how I use Twitter, social media networks, strategy, twitter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Name

Remind me again why anyone would follow you after that “blog” post? Try working on getting a life, seriously!
http://bit.ly/23sleK Michelle

Awesome list! Great for experienced and novice Tweeters alike to evaluate how they are using Twitter. I have old friends from high school who have recently jumped on the Twitter bandwagon for the novelty of it and are following me. I warn them up front about your #9 because if they are only following a few people initially, I am truly going to take up their entire stream. Too much of anyone is not a good thing!! Love the T-shirt! Ya know….I have a marketing idea………
Friendly Note

While I think this is yet another overreaction to Newer Media Cincy's poking fun at you, it is a good point to make. A lot more people on Twitter should be so open about their objectives.

And really, Dan, just take it in stride. Don't feed the trolls – they're just having fun and it isn't worth even mentioning.
http://danieljohnsonjr.com danieljohnsonjr

Exactly!
http://danieljohnsonjr.com danieljohnsonjr

I've actually had a post like this in mind for several months now. But, it's okay if you want to see it that way. Free world and all.
Scott

Great blogs, keep doing what your doing. You have my eyes and ears and thats pretty good considering I was deleting people more and more. Don't listen to the negative sniops that say ignorant things. Good luck with everything!
http://fjhat.com Joshua Hatfield

Atleast you aren't a Scoble or an Arrington of the media world. You aren't posting to monetize. You are posting for the good of the group.

I think anyone with an open mind should give anyone like you a chance. It's not that often you find well spoken people with original ideas like New Media Cincinnati! Keep up the good work, and I'll keep listening in!
http://fjhat.com Joshua Hatfield

Atleast you aren't a Scoble or an Arrington of the media world. You aren't posting to monetize. You are posting for the good of the group.

I think anyone with an open mind should give anyone like you a chance. It's not that often you find well spoken people with original ideas like New Media Cincinnati! Keep up the good work, and I'll keep listening in!
http://www.innersync.com/ J. Morgan

Here, here. Well-articulated and classy. I like the “ooozing positivity” part. I may have to shove this post around twitter and facebook myself.
http://www.innersync.com/ J. Morgan

Here, here. Well-articulated and classy. I like the “ooozing positivity” part. I may have to shove this post around twitter and facebook myself.
http://www.innersync.com/ J. Morgan

Here, here. Well-articulated and classy. I like the “ooozing positivity” part. I may have to shove this post around twitter and facebook myself.
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Daniel Johnson, Jr.