Brent Pohlman
Want a better experience on Twitter?
Twitter is not the same platform it was five years ago. I joined in 2008 and frankly, I am starting to get tired of the platform. It appears to be a platform where people simply broadcast the latest news and retweet the information submitted by the Famous Twitter People.
I want a better experience… How about you?
This weekend I took some radical steps by really looking at the people I was following, (1050) and I decided to unfollow a large number of people I follow. Now, I am down to 250.
Now my twitter stream is alive with original content. In addition, I see that some people I am following who have 50,000+ followers actually never say anything and simply retweet other people’s information almost 90% of the time. I am unfollowing these type of people too.
If you want quality content, follow the people who are producing quality content. If you are writing content, put yourself in the place of the people following you. What information do they want to hear? What information do they not want to hear.
Here is another piece of advice. Follow people who actually use Twitter on a regular basis. I know this may sound strange, but over the last year I have seen a number of people cut back on the time they spend on Twitter. Also, make sure you acknowledge all people who mention you and reference you in some way. I have never strayed from this over the years and it is clear that many people do not do this. It will separate you quickly from the rest of the people on Twitter.
Another piece of advice. Find the best person in a particular category. I like to follow people who talk about digital marketing, innovation, Kansas City Chiefs, Omaha News, Precision Ag. Yes, its a wide variety of topics, but it helps keep things interesting. Do I always want to talk about marketing everytime I get on Twitter. I used to do that, but after awhile, you become part of the “noise”. Have a life and don’t take yourself so seriously.
Finally, maybe its time to spend more time on other platforms like Linkedin. I see much more value in connecting with business professionals and executives on Linkedin than I do Twitter. This is a decision each person has to make. I am simply telling you how I think. There is no right or wrong answer here, it’s all about your time and where you want to spend it.
The culture of Twitter has changed. It is a great news service and an awesome place to get real-time information. Streaming video live may change Twitter even more in the future. For me it is more about managing time and trying to achieve a great experience. I think following fewer people is the best approach for me on my Personal Twitter Account. As far as a company account, I think it is hit and miss. Remember, people connect with people. It is hard for people to connect with companies. I am still working on this topic and will continue fo rthe foreseable future.
Picture Source: Pixabay
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