Comments on: Twitter, Stay vertical-Stay relevant

By: Eugen Ilie

Eugen Ilie — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:24:26 +0000

Marc,
I found this post while searching online for the twitter use. I just started using it, and I realized that will take a great deal of time to write and to follow people online. The way I am approaching it, us by narrowing it down to the verticals I am interested in. Of course, if I am at the starbucks in a Sunday morning, checking my email and the news, I might look at “everyone” posts , as I would like to learn more about the “world” out there. Your pints make sense though, and it’s definitely a good start. After a while, people will find their own way to interact with the twitter, and it’s community.
Good job with the post, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Eugen Ilie – VP Leadpile
Twitter – vp_leadpile

By: flipgonzo

flipgonzo — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:27:56 +0000

Do you have children? Would you impose rules on your toddler? Don’t put that in your mouth! Don’t stand up! Don’t learn hoe to walk! Your child would learn nothing. It would starve, never leave the house and de-evolve to death.
Your rules are incredibly restrictive. I get your point. It is myopic and irresponsible.
you are helping no one except to inflate your own sense of worth.

By: mixtmedia

mixtmedia — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:21:51 +0000

Good, thought-provoking discussion. Thanks for pointing me here via a reply to my Twitter question, Ari.
I agree that it’s important to allow yourself the latitude to use Twitter as a discovery and learning tool as well as one for reality checks, collaboration and industry banter. Sometimes the most interesting tweets come from someone who wouldn’t normally be on my radar screen, within my social or business circle. Variety is, indeed, the spice of life, offline and online.
I must admit, that sometimes I’m thoughtful about my decisions to follow or not to follow, but sometimes I just need to get through my e-mails and my decisions are not strategic, but really just functions of time and mood.
I also find geographic location playing into my decisions: if someone is in my greater-DC metro area, they get an extra look. This is an interesting thing because on Twitter geography shouldn’t matter, but one of the reasons I use Twitter is to expand and enrich my business network.

By: Daria Steigman

Daria Steigman — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:25:30 +0000

Hi Marc,

Like you, I don’t automatically follow. Before following someone on Twitter, a person needs to pass one simple test: Are you interesting? I don’t care what you had for lunch.

I choose to follow people who are smart, make me think, and point me to other smart people and to interesting articles and blog posts.

Also, FYI: I just wrote a blog post asking – how many followers are too many? The key to a smart Twitter strategy is conversation, value, and engagement.

And, yes, @bethharte is one of the smart people.

Best,
Daria

By: Ari Herzog

Ari Herzog — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:36:26 +0000

Looking at the responding comments, here’s a thought, Marc:

Why do you view Twitter as a social networking platform? Why don’t you view it as an echo of quote-unquote reality? Twitter was partially developed after SMS technology between bike messengers and the home office as a means to improve communications. So, while it’s being branded as a social network, I’m increasingly being led to believe Twitter is much more — and may be the foundation of a new ecosystem of socio-technological culture.

Thus, by limiting those you follow on Twitter would resemble the people you would have a beer with at a bar.

By: Alan Wolk

Alan Wolk — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:37:50 +0000

You are way kinder than I am Marc.

I have a 3-step process.

1. Do I actually know the person following me, either in real life or virtually (e.g. have we exchanged emails/blog comments or similar)? If yes, then I follow them back.

2. Are they clearly a spammer with 2,000+ people they’re following and one tweet to a site that promotes Sexy Hot Russian Girls? If yes, then I block them.

3. If I begin having fairly frequent @conversations with someone who is following me, to the point where I feel I know them, I will follow them back.

That said, people use Twitter for very different reasons and get different things out of it. I use it to stay in touch with my friends and possibly make new ones. Others see it more as a business or promotional tool and for them having large numbers of followers is a plus.

And of course there’s always TweetDeck

By: The Long Tail of Twitter « Direct Marketing Observations

The Long Tail of Twitter « Direct Marketing Observations — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:52:46 +0000

[...] About the author « Twitter, Stay vertical-Stay relevant [...]

By: marc meyer

marc meyer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:31:27 +0000

@Ron, I think it all depends on your Mo, or how you want to use Twitter. Do you want Twitter to use you? then go ahead and follow thousands and vice versa. Do you want to try and develop relationships? Then stay vertical and learn more about your space and the people that are in it. The long tail of twitter.

By: ClickBank Marketing Guy Ron Davies

ClickBank Marketing Guy Ron Davies — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:54:24 +0000

I have to agree with Ari.

Going vertical is cutting off about 75% of your potential secondary areas of influence.

I call it the “Tim Horton’s” mistake. For context, Tim Horton’s is the largest donut franchise in Canada, and their marketing people could not figure out why they were losing lunch crowds to the burger players, etc.

Recognizing their “verticality” (if that is a word) in the coffee/donut sector, they introduced hosrizontal products lines to broaden their service delivery platform.

Same here, though I suspect I wandered a little far there, need a coffee right now I guess :>)

Twitter is an opportunity to find and solicit influential social networkers not only in your market sector, but in those that are adjacent to yours, and out from there in rings.

An influential leader is an influential leader, whether he is an IM’s, or a military commander. If this leader influences a following of people that respect their thoughts, decisions, and actions, and it only makes sense not to sever oneself from them.

Just my 2 cents, reduced by the exchange rate, of course :>)

Ron Davies
http://www.RonaldDavies.ca

By: marc meyer

marc meyer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:37:59 +0000

@Esteban I’m of the same mindset, i love dialogue’s and have no time for monologues unless I’m listening to a podcast. This is obviously a very heartfel subject for all involved. But I welcome your opinion.