Twitter, and the follow back thing

When I first joined Twitter, I used standard follow back protocol: if you followed me, I followed back. It was considered common courtesy. But these days, I'm much more discerning so you won't get an automatic follow back from me.

Am I being a Twitter snob? Not really.

Like any new technology, Twitter has evolved dramatically in the short time it's been around. Once upon a time, I could log on to Twitter and form genuine, virtual connections with really awesome people — easily. Today, those really awesome people still exist, but Twitter has turned into a spammer's paradise so I have to wade through a bunch of nonsense first. It's annoying. It's time consuming. And I neither like to be annoyed nor waste my time, so I've had to devise some ways to weed out the would be garbage.

The Basics

The offline adage, "Make a good first impression," holds in the online world and it starts with having some basics down on your Twitter profile:

• Tell me about yourself: I want to know your real name, not some made up persona you came up with after a drunken stupor with friends. So give it to me straight: first name and last name. Then, let me know what makes you uniquely you in your bio. You've got 160 characters to pique my interest, so make it succinct and compelling.
• Show me your face: Unless you're tweeting for a major brand, then I want to see a picture of you. In the absence of a real, face-to-face connection, your picture is all I've got. And I'd prefer not to see a cartoon metaphor of you or an abstract image of your big toe. Just your face, thank you.
• Link me to more: …and it better not be some lame-o spam page. I know 160 characters isn't much space to express the whole of who you are, so link me to someplace where I can learn more about you and get a little social proof that you're not some spam-bot.

You've Passed Level 1

Real name — check! Bio — check! Avatar — check! URL — check! Alrighty, you've made it to the next round of competition (somehow this feels like an episode of American Idol) and it's crucial. Here's where decision meets action: Will I click the "Follow" button?

Yes, if:

• Your tweets are current: I never understand people who follow me, but have a tweet stream that's well over 90 days old. I mean, what's the point? There are times when I take a Twitter sabbatical leaving a few days without a peep (I mean, tweet). So, I get it. But if we're going to connect on Twitter, you've got to say something.
• I see a mutual interest: My Twitter profile makes it pretty clear what I do and where my interests lie. We don't have to be exactly the same, but it helps if we're into similar things. We can form a loose bond before we really get to know one another.
• You have something to teach me: I love to learn. Twitter is a place where I build connections, but it's also where I gather intel for my personal and business growth. If it looks like you have something valuable to add to my life, then chances are I'll follow you back.

My follow back tactics aren't scientifically based or perfect by any means. So there are times when I fail to follow back someone who could be a terrific connection for me. It happens. My bad. Hopefully, I'll meander upon your Twitter profile down the road and destiny will forge the connection I failed to make.

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In the meantime, if you're really itching to connect with me, just send me an @ reply. I answer back, unless you're just spamming me junk (i.e. I tweeted about my daughter getting an iPad the other day and received a flurry of @ replies from spammers – yuck!). Once we start a dialogue, I usually follow back. And if I really like you, I'll add you to one of my private Twitter lists where my inner circle hangs.

What about you? How do you decide who to follow back?