louisgray.com - Latest Comments in http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Knikkolette — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:32:26 -0000

Great article... sometimes posting on twitter can be like those "speed-dating" scenes we've seen on t.v. where it should really be more substantial. When I first started tweeting a few months ago - I was all about the numbers... but now I'm working on building connections and having more fun!

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Michael Wacker — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:19:34 -0000

I recently posted about this myself and I seem to be in the minority, but I like to keep my connections tight. I use TWITTER for educational purposes mostly. If you have an inordinate number of people you're following I may even block you. I know that sounds funny when we seem to want more followers, but I'd rather keep it manageable and realistic. i like the people that I'm following, I like their contributions to my network. I don't need my tweet deck bogged down with ads or spam-ish type posts. But that's just me.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

tamihania — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:04:28 -0000

As I said on Twitter: I like article as it is. It underlines the time dimension in group relations.
One may also take into account other dimensions of relations in group and/or group in itself. The size of the group is important. One cannot simply deal effectively over a long time with the crowds (groups over 100-200 members if you are professional or - 20-30 people if you are not).
You cannot talk about connections/ relations in crowds or with them (but you can lead them if you are prepared to, you have a talent or - you have a group of co-workers helping you).
The strategy which can be effective on Twitter is arbitrary choosing people you would like to interact and, well, treat the rest as the crowd or your public...
For further reading:
http://facultystaff.richmon... - excellent resource on Group Dynamics
and (found there):
http://facultystaff.richmon... - Crowds and Collectives
http://facultystaff.richmon... - Individual and the Group.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

damondnollan — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:27:03 -0000

I have surpassed the number of people where reading every post or comment is feasible. Today, I group friends and family and follow those that bring value. By connecting, I open the doors for potential friends. As one person wrote, you never know where or when that special someone will make themselves known to you (or vice versa).

I appreciate the opportunity to meet new people. While many of those I follow will never actually see me, I value their daily input. I may never tell them I appreciate their form of comedy or insight, but I do. The same is possible for me, there may be someone reading my posts/comments thinking how great of a person I am but never tell me.

In the end, I believe we should just continue to contribute to the growing body of internet content. Write, draw, or speak your own brand of stuff and someone, somewhere, may find your work engaging, enlightening, or motivating. The true value of gems is found in its rarity.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

larrylanier — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:27:05 -0000

Long-term connections are taxing my time... but they are most rewarding.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

JanSimpson — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:48:27 -0000

Nice post. Difference strategies for different people. For you maybe fewer connections are the best, for me I love to talk about lots of things, even at the same time. My updates almost equal my connections-lately not so much- because of moving-but I have done the limit many times in one day, not because I am on for hours at a time, but I type fast and I interest in enough subject matters to seek out and speak to as many as 17 at one time. That for me is relaxing.

Thanks for showing what strategy is good for you! That was nice to share with the rest of us.

JanSimpson

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Corvida Raven — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:05:22 -0000

Exactly! However, for long-term connections, do you think this would still be the case as often as it might be for managing short-term connections? Do the same principles still apply? To what level?

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Corvida Raven — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:04:14 -0000

What if the interest is in why the person is following you? There could be a lot of answers to that question. Would you really want to know the answer by making the effort to do so with every person that follows you?

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Wendy Peters — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:16:00 -0000

Building on Mike Elliott's comment - is it a continuous job to then weed out those you have not connected with? Do you take out the blogs and unfollow those users that no longer provide you with value? Or just check in from time to time to see if anything is still there? I like the concept. It's like pruning a tree to ensure it stays healthy and continues to thrive. Taking out some of the old, so new fresh leaves and spout from underneath.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Michael McGimpsey — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:37:48 -0000

It can become rather hard to handle having a lot of connections. That said if you decide to follow someone you should make the effort to take some sort of "interest" in what that they are doing.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

David Libby — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:33:00 -0000

Yeah, but do that over the course of a year and how can you keep up with all of those people? It doesn't make sense...

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Mike Elliott — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:28:00 -0000

The only useful thing I've found with a lot of connections is the opportunity for discovering new connections. I intentionally go through google reader every couple of months and add feeds from little known bloggers that I find through alltop just to hear some new voices. I try to do the same thing with Twitter.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Corvida — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:02:00 -0000

Paul I responded to your comment on the site. :)

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Corvida Raven — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:54:18 -0000

This could be true. For some followers is an extreme ego boost.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Corvida Raven — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:53:37 -0000

True, and this is all about being social. The level of interaction is the key focus of this post. That's the line of thought I was treading along.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Corvida Raven — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:52:31 -0000

No you can't, but you can influence the way you'd like it to turn out.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

KitzW — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:31:29 -0000

I collect only a few tweeters and periodically drop the uninteresting ones. I marvel at people who follow tens of thousands of tweeters. Maybe for them it's the status in their stats.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Mona Nomura — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:28:49 -0000

Hmmm perhaps our definitions of Social Media are different. I take the term as it is: being social in media -- keyword here, being "social". I am not sure how you define social, but to me being social is engaging with all and any who want to connect with me and vice versa. I think it has to do more with finding your own groove and balance. That way, you can maintain relationships without it being a burden. Currently, I have Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, blogs, and e-mail that help me out. I just feel fortunate people want to connect with me that I value every single connection that comes my way.

Bottomline: to each their own.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

paul mooney — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:26:00 -0000

Once you make a connection you don't know how it will turn-out

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/02/fewer-followers-or-more-meaningful.html

Louis Gray — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:18:00 -0000

Post by Corvida: http://www.friendfeed.com/c...