To those who don’t know about it, there is a weekly tradition every Friday on Twitter where people recommend usernames (for people like Mark Drapeau, organizations like Whole Foods, and things like R2D2) to follow.
Begun on January 16, 2009 by Micah Baldwin, the idea is if I suggest John should be followed, and you already follow me, then you may decide to follow John.
Relevant tweets are marked and tracked with a #FollowFriday tag. The meme has its believers–but does it work?
Stacy Lukas is one of many who stopped recommending #FollowFriday tweeps in March.
My sense of self-worth isn’t correlated with the number of people that follow me on Twitter, and if yours is, then you have much bigger problems.
If that resonates with you, keep reading for it’s about to get personal. Here is a tally of people who’ve recommended me over the past 16 hours:
Is your name there?
Consider that while researching this piece, I saw a net increase of only 10 or so followers in the past 16 hours. I think the tag is pretty to look at it and I’m thankful to those who respect me enough to tweet me on as part of a tradition. But if few are following me (presuming they’re not already), I’ll hazard a guess few are following you, too.
In which case I argue #FollowFriday is silly and fails to satisfy.
If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, email delivery, or Kindle subscription.
Related posts:
- How to March in the #FollowFriday Twitter Parade
- When Record-Keeping Fails
- What is Congress Doing? Twitter!
Comments:
Ari Herzog is an online media strategist and Newburyport City Councilor-Elect.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
While I agree that FollowFriday has lost some of its early appeal and raison d’etre, one thing that you may want to consider is that people look at your follower to following ratio, think “He won’t follow me back”, and be put off?
Obviously people use Twitter differently, and I’m not saying that it’s a right or wrong reason for not following you. But it could be a reason?
Danny Brown´s last blog post..Because #FollowFriday Isn’t Just for Twitter
Ari, sometimes I participate in FollowFriday, sometimes I don’t. But the value I place on it is tantamount to the level of importance I place on seeing Clam Chowder on a menu: If it’s there, great. If not, no big deal.
CGabriel´s last blog post..CGabriel and Blog Harbor: Change is in the Air
I no longer do many #followfriday posts. I rarely do the mass #followfriday lists.
There are some exceptions.
1) Individuals – I sometimes take advantage of the frenzy to spotlight an individual peeps should follow. The post usually adds why they are good to follow – mention they are blogger/podcaster/anti-virus expert etc.
2) my #followstl posts – I’m encouraging folks to follow locals as much as they do random strangers. The likely hood they’ll have some common ground with fellow St. Louisans is hopefully pretty good. It also helps out folks that have not really been found or indoctrinated into the community.
I discourage others from dropping my name into #followfriday posts as well. In reality though, it still happens quite a bit. Fridays are one of my days where I gain the most followers as well. The problem as you’ve stated though, is those folks will follow anyone mentioned. I’d wager there are bots waiting on #followfriday posts to add peeps automatically. That’s a big bad #FAIL.
Cheers to the insights here.
Todd Jordan´s last blog post..Sarcastic Gamer – Microsoft Future Video
For the most part, I’m inclined to agree that follow friday has become a generic list-building exercise. The @replies served much the same purpose: see who someone is talking to, and if you found them interesting, follow them also.
That said, I can attribute one recent location-based follower as likely being the direct result of being mentioned by someone I respect. So, I don’t wholly write off the practice.
I’m curious why, if you use Twitter as you indicate, you don’t include your Twitter name in the comment field.
Hey Ari,
I’m using Twitter more and more but I don’t use Twitter everyday and apparently I don’t use it much on Fridays because I didn’t notice #FollowFriday until a couple weeks ago. I have however been on Twitter the last few Fridays and my name has been mentioned a fair amount of times and I had no idea why. I didn’t return the favor of #FollowFriday to anyone because I didn’t know what it meant.
I have no idea if I’ve gained any followers because of this new tradition but I will be on the watch just to see what happens on Fridays now to see if this works.
I did send a reply to a direct message that someone sent me and asked them to explain what #FollowFriday meant never got an answer.
So I thank you Ari for your post explaining this new tradition.
Oh, one last thing. I found your blog from Twitter. I thought you might want to know that.
Later,
Jeff Sargent
Jeff Sargent´s last blog post..Is Using Automated Twitter Tools To Gain Followers Appropriate?
I understand your concern but I look at it differently. I see it as a nice way for people to tell you that they like you!
greg cryns´s last blog post..Interview with Mike Long – successful article marketer
Eh…kind of not sold on the whole thing anymore. Just reeks of desperation/gaming.
Stuart Foster´s last blog post..7 Posts Where I Learned Something This Week
I have several Twitter accounts and for the last month or so have struggled with #followfriday.
Of course I want to find cool and interesting folks to follow and I still find reading through peoples’ FF lists is one way to do that. But more often than not I don’t have time to click on Twitter name after Twitter name to see who this person is and if they would be cool to follow.
One of my Twitter pals @gracesmith began formatting her FF suggestions differently; she limited her suggestions to 3 people per week and gave a reason why we should follow. A tweet a person. I found this approach much more useful.
My dog @sadieshihtzu has a particularly difficult time because critters are big into FF. We find new animals for Sadie but again there are SO many names to go through that I’m sure many interesting Twitterers get overlooked.
Providing long lists of folks you think others should follow on Twitter is not very useful for your readers/followers. I wish more people would provide a solid reason why I should check out another person on Twitter.
Like you Ari, I’m always very grateful if someone mentions me in a FF tweet but I struggle to offer my own FF suggestions because I don’t want to offend those that I don’t mention. Many people bring value to my Twitter stream for as many different reasons. I find it hard to single out a few in what can feel a bit like a popularity contest.
Liz Hover´s last blog post..Celebrity Twitter overkill
The only time I ever do Follow Friday is when I do it on Saturday and call it Super Saturday. I pick one, or two max and write a little blurb on the person to let others know about them. I think the mass Follow Fridays are inauthentic and impersonal. I’m not into that style.
Jeremy McMinn´s last blog post..Chiropractic Extravaganza Majorca
I sometimes think, more than the actual hope that more people will follow someone you suggest, it is about letting the fellow Twitter user know that you enjoy their tweets and would recommend them to all of their followers. I think as of late, the trend is losing steam, as it has spread into three different incarnations and doesn’t even make the top trend for Fridays, but it’s still a nice way to let a Twitter user know you like what they say and share.
~ Kristi
Kikolani´s last blog post..Fetching Friday – Resources, #FollowFriday, More Security Issues, & Timelapses
Can I be added to the #FollowFriday? For no particular reason other than I think that it might be fun. Thanks!