How many is too many?
April 14, 2008
I’m a Twitter Fan
Many know that I am a fan of Twitter. But honestly it is an “after-hours” tool for the most part for me. Twitter is blocked at school, and unless I want to ask a question to my network of Twitter friends during the work day, I don’t have time to login to the filter and then login to Twitter to follow it. My portal allows presence for a short window of time, and who wants to continuously login into the filter to follow it–it is more of a burden to check Twitter at school than the effort is worth, unless I have a question I know I can get answered there.
A Positive Example
Here is an example of how I have really used Twitter at school–a need I knew Twitter could quickly offer assistance with:
And as expected, I received several suggestions in a short amount of time to meet my need. Check it out:
So how many is too many?
Recently I’ve gotten many requests to follow seemingly strangers from Twitter. In the last three days there were 25. I’ve tried to figure out if there was a rhyme or reason, like maybe someone in a workshop demonstrated the power of having a Twitter network, or had the participants create an account and follow anyone in their presenter’s network. I really don’t know. But I thought I would just share how I decide to add people to my network, the ones I can rely on for feedback, support, or quick answers.
How to Cultivate a Network in Twitter
- Does anyone else in my network seem to interact with them? This is easy to see because when I click on their page, I can see the @ on the page. Have to be leery of those using the @ with Will Richardson, David Warlick, and maybe even David Jakes because these guys just do not follow many people. The @ does NOT mean they are interacting, though. It could simply mean they are a “wannabe” friend in Twitter. But in their favor, they are likely twittering about topics of interest if those names appear. Higher attention gets paid to @’s that are from my existing network.
On that same page, I see what information is provided in the profile. Okay I need to make a disclaimer here. I realize people do not always include a lot of specifics. I guess the fear that they will be known in person makes some people use creative names and and strive for anonymity, but gosh darn, if I can’t tell what your professional context is (i.e. educator, etc.) I may just not follow you. Here, though, is a prime example of who I would NEVER follow (whose identity I tried to protect, though I’m guessing this person would not care.):- From the profile I always look at the bio and the number of followers/following. In this example, you can see he or she has questionable (at least to me) hobbies, and is following 25,000+ people. How can anyone follow that many people and get anything out of Twitter?
- Also note for so many people this person is following, he or she has only updated 45 times. Since I use Twitter to interact with other educators, and add to my own learning as well, I don’t see this person making much of a contribution.
- I would go so far as to say these are the people that cause schools to filter tools like Twitter. Glad I can lay off these kind of people. I’m not so sure a middle schooler could though…so I do not argue that Twitter is blocked at school. I’m just glad I have a way access it for needs like the one outlined above.
So what do I want?
I want those in my network who suggest their friends who are new to Twitter follow anyone in their network PLEASE give them an introduction of sorts. If I hear it from you, then I might follow them. Otherwise, I’m content to stay with the group who currently resides in my Twitter network. I am stingy in giving out Twitter “love” (by adding unknown folks.) So if you want me to reconsider you’d better start interacting with others in my network.
Last, Twitter offers the option to make your profile and updates secure. I have done that at one time, but don’t anymore. If I get twitter @’s from people who make me uncomfortable, I block them which is also an option available in the tool. It makes me sad that there are people who get satisfaction from using a tool like Twitter in this way. I blocked this person right away.
Anyone have more tips for using Twitter as a networking tool?
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April 14th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
This is an evolving curriculum and this is a great down payment on a user’s manual. I believe as we start to see a clearer picture of the utility and usefulness of twitter, we must keep our conversation current as to the strengths and pitfalls so that we can help others find their footing and avoid the growing pains we suffered. I guess this is our role anyway. I enjoyed this post.
April 14th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Hi CathyJo
As you know I enjoy twitter — I am cautious of twitter — but I enjoy it. I have made many a friend, learned a great deal, and laughed harder than I ever imagined.
Couple of thoughts.
#1 — The names you mentioned that have few friends (followers) well they do check their replies and they do respond. I am unsure why they limit their number — but then so do I — so I can’t fault them…and perhaps we should ask them instead of just speculating.
#2 — I keep my numbers low for one reason — SANITY. Right now, I am between 60 and 80 — and that is working FOR ME. If I go too much higher, I can’t explain it, but twitter becomes congested and messy. Smiles, I know it sounds a bit weird — but this is how it works for me……
#3 — I do, as you suggest, check often to see who I am follwing and who is following me. I find it interesting though that when a new “Interesting” name (such as MallShopper) follows me, I can’t seem to locate them on my list.
Good post, I enjoyed it.
Jen
April 14th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
@kevin–yes, I think I’m under the twitter spam attack. Sigh. My hope is that maybe this post will make its way to the minds of those presenting, reminding them not to throw folks into the Twitter ocean without some kind of guidance.
@Jen- Didn’t mean to sound like I’m faulting the guys. I follow them and I enjoy their contributions. But I’ve looked at the numbers following them, especially DW, and so can’t fathom that anyone gets much of a response from him. But then again, he is just a different cookie with mildly familiar southern charm. I know that Will and David J reply to people. My point up there was that one cannot even trust all the @’s used. If you have a suggestion for how I can clarify that, I’ll edit the post. Jeepers I hate to sound negative.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Smiles
You didn’t sound negative —
I might have kneejerked.
I think there is confusion (not on your blog) with twitter on what followers and following really mean — and to each person, it is different.
If I knew that DJ or WR or DW DID NOT respond, I might feel differently — but since I know they do, I can’t fault them for their choice on how they handle twitter. Smiles, maybe a panel at NECC on this?
What did we talk about before twitter??
Jen
April 15th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Hey Cathy,
In reading your post I was able to find you on Twitter and just connected to your account. I was the one who wrote the post about Librarians and Digital Literacy on thesablog.org.
Keep up the great stuff! Tom
April 15th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Cathy,
I have a tendency to lean towards anyone who is in education. I check my new followers every week or so. Before I follow or block I check out their info … if they are not in education or with a company and I don’t know them… they get blocked. But id they are in education… I don’t mind following or just allowing them to follow me.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
@MaryAnn – I do really scope out my requesters. I have received a huge amount of what I want to call twitter spam. I’m also glad you are in my network.
April 18th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I am a recent convert to Twitter and I think a lot of educators are just beginning to understand its power. Perhaps that explains the increase in requests to follow? I agree, as a professional tool it is fantastic. I was following a few educational blogs, including this one (which I love!) and discovered a lot of the same people twittering. Now I really do feel like I’ve wandered into a global virtual staffroom!
I recently blogged ‘The Power of Twitter’ http://bookjewel.edublogs.org/
April 18th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
@bookjewel That was PERFECT timing for the end of a fairly rough week. Thanks for the kind comment. In looking at profiles to the wannabe followers, most are not even remotely education-related. Pure Twitter spam. Glad, though, that u r in my network, especially since u r a teacher-librarian like me.
April 19th, 2008 at 12:07 am
I follow lots of people and lots of people follow me. So far it really isn’t a problem. I guess I like to expect the best and block the worst. If someone follows me and they look like an actual person involved in education or in Web 2.0, I follow them back. If it becomes a problem – profanity, noise etc., I know I can always stop following them. I feel like, as a person who raves about Twitter, I can’t justify not following someone back.
I agree that those people who plug Twitter need to also explain that Twitter is a give and take. If you want followers you have to add something to the conversation. It is also important to include some kind of bio.
I miss lots of what happens when I’m not Online. I take a Zen approach to Twitter. I always check my @ replies and try to respond to things I miss. Other than that, if I’m not there it didn’t happen
-Liz
April 19th, 2008 at 8:16 am
@Liz
Love the zen approach, and have to admit I do the same. When I am away for an extended time, i check replies to respond to but not much more. If something piques my curiosity, or has stirred conversation that I need to put into context, I’ll use that site Twitter Conversations (Quotability) that allows you to out a threaded conversation together. Then I can figure it out. I don’t have to use it much, but I do like what it offers. Otherwise i just pick up right where I’ve joined Twitter. Thanks for the comment. Oh and the twitter conversation link, just in case you or others I read aren’t familiar with it, is http://quotably.com/
April 20th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I love twitter but also am careful about who I follow. I won’t follow anyone without a profile so I tell all the colleagues I teach to create at least a simple profile to start. I also won’t follow anyone who follows too many people. I doubt they could add to my collective knowledge. But I do check my replies often. Many people who follow me show up there to respond to a tweet I sent out. It gives me a broader network and I often will start to follow someone who responds to me intelligently or kindly.
You were one of the first people I started following. I wish I could remember how I found you but I sure am glad I did.
April 26th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I am just getting into twitter now and get very excited when someone asks to follow me. But I have realised that there is a lot of spam and also competitions for people to see how many people they can follow – mad or what?
I follow educators but would love to have a network made up of my own profession (midwives) but cannot see that happening for a while. cheers Sarah
April 30th, 2008 at 12:46 am
I think I’m more interested in following people than worrying about who follows me because I feel I have so much to learn from others. I tend to follow people who mention education in their profile or I see them in a conversation about education. If someone follows me and they are not in education, I don’t usually follow them. Just recently I found out from my twitter friends that it is okay to block people, I have started to block people who just want to sell me something.