thomascwaters.com

Using Twollow to Auto-follow on Twitter

A while ago I wrote a post about how I’m using twitter and received some great comments. Thanks to my readers! That post was meant to be a precursor to one about the use of Twollow. So, here it is.
Twollow is a way to set up for twitter to auto follow Twitterers based on keywords. When I started Twollow, I was following about 500 people with about 225 followers. Since, the number has risen to almost 680 followed and 275 followers. I want to talk about this in terms of my Twitter experience; and the effect on my goals.
Twollow and other tools for using twitter in marketing will continue to become available as more people seek to use microblogging in business.

Goals

I had two primary goals that I wanted to accomplish with Twollow:
1) I wanted to get a feel for what type of dialogue was already happening out there on twitter in a few general areas and then 2) see if people with like interests to me would find their way to my blogs because of my posts to twitter.
I haven’t put too much energy into managing my keywords on Twollow. I added words, then deleted one and added one and that has been the extent of it. It is impossible to know exactly how these auto follows are working out, but visits to my blogs have been increasing very nicely.
That said I don’t know if I like the change to my Twitter experience. It used to be I would look at Twitter and find a ton of posts that interested me. Now there is so much more personal conversation or chatter. I like the personal exchanges, the @ replies and dm’s, bit so often seeing @ to others isn’t very interesting.

God and Bible

Two of the keywords I added to Twollow were God and Bible because of my blog, Queer Look at the Bible. I wondered how these words were being used on Twitter. I look at everyone who follows me, and if marked as already following then, I try and find their entry that prompted Twollow to auto follow. For these words it has often been entries like, “went to bible study” or “off to church.” There is clearly a healthy community of Christians using Twitter! These may be potential audience for my blog if they are either open to dialogue about the bible or they may comment on my blog even they if disagree with me. Time will tell, though I anticipate that will not be the case.

Gay and Queer

These follow terms brought some of the more enjoyable follows, so pleased with how these words are working. But it isn’t clear if they have brought any readers to either of my blogs. Interestlingly, being on Facebook has brought more identified people to this blog.

Doing Things Differently

If I were to do this again, I’d do things a bit differently. I’d add only one keyword at a time and do a better job evaluating the impact of it. I would work harder to send @ posts and DM’s too.

Are you using Twollow? Tell me about your experience.