The Transactional Problem With Twitter Users

Today is July 10, 2011. My Twitter unfollowing is close to halfway done, as I sit firmly at 12,133 following.

While I stated before that my only post about the process would be the one above, I’ve felt the need to write another post on the topic.

All Twitter users take different approaches as to who they choose to follow, who they follow back and who they list. After all, it’s up to the user to decide how he/she wants to use their own account.

The idea of “following everyone back” greatly disturbs me. In a way, the follow-back-everyone approach turns Twitter into a mere transactional game. You follow me, I’ll follow you back. This idea, regardless of wherever it first originated, is flawed significantly and has resulted in more Twitter spam, “follow back” trains and “Team #Followback” bull.

The approach is simple. If you choose to follow me, follow me because I provide you value through the timeline or other means and YOU WANT TO. Not because of reciprocation. Not because you feel the urge to. Not because you don’t want to hurt my feelings.

Part of the reason I’ve decided to unfollow to zero is to eliminate anyone that believes the flawed approach. The one that takes the point out of Twitter, which is to build meaningful relationships and share.

I can’t wait to start fresh and follow users that provide updates of great interest to me.

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