Comments on: Building Your Twitter Presence Part 3 – TweetBaiting

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:36:33 +0000

I think I mistakenly Tweetbaited people when I first joined Twitter because I followed a lot of popular people and tried to engage them. I had no idea that they were considered celebrities on Twitter. All it took was for me to be ignored a couple of times for me to drop that effort.

Now that I know what it is, it seems kind of desperate unless the person is adding a sincere comment to make on an ongoing conversation. After all, that’s how you meet people.

But, going after some popular person or maligning their reputation to gain followers, while pathetic, is actually successful if all you’re after is more followers. Most popular people will feel compelled to defend themselves and that seems to justify that the other person is worth responding to. I’ve seen it happen a couple of times. It’s hard to resist bait when someone is calling you out unfairly.

By: charles

charles — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:52:41 +0000

I use twitter naturally and i don’t want use tweetbaiting. Twitter is a good networking media. Connect with several people and maybe gain the best and work with them.

By: Tim H

Tim H — Mon, 12 May 2008 18:50:34 +0000

So, it seems that there are some people who actively search out those in their niche and follow them, or only follow some specifically, and hope for feedback from them while utilizing their blogs to gain followers, and then there are some who friend everyone in their niche they can find. I guess these two groups are more out of necessity than anything else, as those of us who are not exceptionally well known in the niche have to put in the extra effort.

On that note, anyone who loves comics, comic books, webcomics should follow me here:

http://twitter.com/Tim_H

Also be noted, there is a high level of science discussion here, so those with those interests take note.

I guess this brings up another point, a lot of people here are listing their tweet accounts, which makes sense. But along the lines of tweetbaiting, is this not a similar thing (which I am now guilty of as well). Isn’t this just one step removed from tweetbaiting? Utilizing a high profile blog, and leaving your own link in the comment?

By: Missy

Missy — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:28:43 +0000

I use to follow everyone who followed me, but have since retracted and fast. Big mistake, dont do it.

Because of the noise this creates in your tweet stream, plus not knowing what the heck someone YOU DONT KNOW is taling about, can get annoying fast.

So now i make it a point to only follow those in my niche and or know (and like) well.

If youre a vegetarian, into green living, or a fellow entrepreneurial blogger then follow me here:

http://twitter.com/m38967

If the above doesn’t interest you, then DO NOT FOLLOW ME. Thx!

Missy.

By: Hjörtur Smárason

Hjörtur Smárason — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:43:25 +0000

I guess a good way to decide if your reply is a tweet bait or a tweet stalk is if you would send that same comment to someone you didn’t have a clue who that person was. If yes, than it’s probably because it’s of value to the discussion and would not be considered stalking.

@aaron, I probably wouldn’t have followed you with that ratio, unless your profile was particularly interesting (and then I mean profile, not picture). Or after a successful tweet bait :)

http://twitter.com/hjortur

By: Claudia

Claudia — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:35:05 +0000

Now I definately don’t know what to tweet about. I find myself following other people like problogger and joel comm because i learn so much from them.

By: Katybeth

Katybeth — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:00:48 +0000

I’m not sure if use twitter “right” but I enjoy it. I am a dog person who follows people who interest me and offer me information on things I am interested in–usually having very little to do with dogs. I know about dogs and am willing to share what I know–but I twitter to find out what I don’t know in other areas of my life computers, blogs, mom stuff, and links that spark my imagination and creativity.

I have justed started answering and replying–twitter may be the only place in my life where I listen more than I talk. I really don’t care who follows me–or growing my followers–send me more cool people to follow!

Thanks you!

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:08:51 +0000

http://www.twitter.com/macewan

Follow me and I’ll follow you. =)

By: Rob Brydon

Rob Brydon — Sun, 11 May 2008 20:29:04 +0000

TweetStalking. If only I were popular enough for a tweet stalker.

By: Sandy Naidu

Sandy Naidu — Sun, 11 May 2008 19:31:07 +0000

Though TweetStalking has not happened to me, I can kind of imagine how some people can use it for spammy purposes – What are these people thinking…Well in the case of email spam, most of the times we can’t do anything about it (other than control it form our side)…But with twitter they can get caught out so easily plus the person they are targetting can make them public…Obviously they are not thinking long term.

By: Justin Smestad

Justin Smestad — Sun, 11 May 2008 19:11:35 +0000

Anyone interested in talking about technology please add me to twitter.

http://www.twitter.com/jsmestad

Justin Smestad
http://www.resourcefulidiot.com

By: Daniel Richard

Daniel Richard — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:16:58 +0000

I don’t mind getting more followers than now. :)

http://twitter.com/Daniel_Richard

By: Aaron from Webspear

Aaron from Webspear — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:14:44 +0000

Tim H, I was looking for potential readers, not just any random person, so I was trying to follow followers of good blogs on my topic.

I too have my doubts on this method. I am in the stage of experimenting with this method. I have also decided to Not add randomly for some time in the future. Because I realize that my “follower/following” ratio is pretty bad.

The beauty of twitter is that you can experiment without annoying other folks. What the other person gets is a simple email saying that he/she is being followed. That’s all. So this approach is not intrusive (like tweet baiting). But whether it works is a big question.

By: Tim H

Tim H — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:54:29 +0000

@Aaron. (it seemed apt) Gotcha, yeah, I understand what you mean. When you went on your mass-following scheme did you tailor it to people in particular? Or just in mass?

By: Mert Erkal

Mert Erkal — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:10:27 +0000

This is completely useless approach. I can not see any difference between having silly (bounced!) traffic from StumbleUpon and being followed by someone who has thousands of followers in Twitter. I prefer 50 loyal followers to 1000 followers.

By: david cheong

david cheong — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:06:04 +0000

Darren, is it my browser problem or is it on purpose? I saw the last part of this post all like the font is bigger and red in color. But it is also very clear post.

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:55:39 +0000

Is this what’s happening those times I’m messaged that so-n-so is now following me? In checking them out I see they are following several thousand people.

By: Aaron from Webspear

Aaron from Webspear — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:13:08 +0000

Tim H, yes 50 out of 1700 is very low. But the 50 is a good base to start building upon. Now when I ask questions/help on twitter at least couple of folks respond back.

I plan to revisit all those 1700 people who I am following and remove folks who I may not be interested in the long run.

I should have added people in small chunks, may be 50 a week.

http://twitter.com/webspear

By: Ruth Marie Sylte

Ruth Marie Sylte — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:57:48 +0000

It’s interesting to look at this from an historical perspective. In the days when USENET was (arguably) more relevant, we used to call those trying to negatively bait others “trolls” or “flamers”. So now people believe they can use similar techniques to increase traffic for the purposes of their own profit?

I believe that personal reputation still means something and that those using these techniques won’t benefit — or at least not for long.

Like you, I prefer quality over quantity. After all, it’s not just “how many” may be engaging in conversation with you, it’s also “who” is engaging with you.

And I think it’s important to show some basic courtesy and respect for those you choose to follow. I’m quite cautious about directly approaching those I follow on Twitter. Which is why, Darren, I follow you on Twitter but have not tried to engage you. (Well, other than being completely taken in by your April 1st Pay-Per-Tweet posting. Sorry! :)

While I learn a lot from your blog and your Twitters (Thank you!), I would never presume that my Twitters or blog are of any interest to you. Perhaps keeping a realistic sense of humility about what we have to offer to others is a good starting point.

By: SIGEPJEDI

SIGEPJEDI — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:56:43 +0000

Engaging another twitter user is odd. How do you engage one with thousands of followers when they are likely to never see a single tweet of yours in their timeline, and they are even more likely to not follow you back.

You are spot on regarding a twitters tweeting theme. I often find myself following someone who I thought was in my “similar interest” space, only to Be anoyed with their pointless tweets

Http://twitter.com/sigepjedi