Follow back: yes or no?

[xinga]

hey guys,

i've been wondering if I should be following back or not. There are heaps of people following me each day on their own, but only a small percentage (say 10 percent) actually stick.

I was wondering if I actually should follow them back. I mean, I really could care less about the numbers (at the end clicks on links count and nothing else). But I was figuring that for every 1,000 people I follow back, 1 will actually see my tweet and has a chance to click on it...

Thing is, everyone who unfollow on no-follow-back is using some sort of third party program. Still when they log onto twitter (except they r using just tweet decks etc), there is a chance to see my tweets.

So how do you handle it?

 

[bartosimpsonio]

No.

They're probably just bots wanting you to follow back. They'll likely unfollow you in 7 to 15 days.

 

[Malcolm Max]

They are mostly bots, no point in following them back.

 

[Diskretni]

They will most definetaly unfollow you,don't bother with that at all.

 

[HoNeYBiRD]

I never follow back, but i guess it depends on your end game, but i have the exact same opinion as you: "I really could care less about the numbers (at the end clicks on links count and nothing else)"

Keep in mind, there are limits on following especially lately. If you follow back, it takes up a slot, which could have been used to follow someone new.

 

[xinga]

Thx for the replies guys.

Ofc they are just using bots. Gosh. And there I thought i left my "i'm with stupid" t-shirt at home.
Most of them will, however, not unfollow unless I won't unfollow. Many authority accounts in my niche seem to be using bots, and being followed by them can't hurt. (i am well aware that they won't see my tweets unless I connect with them).

As for blocking my follow limits. It's not like I am getting followed by 1,000s of accounts each day, but rather like 100. If anything, it will inflate my follower-stats. (to clarify - more people follow, but these I am already following).
My account is old and large enough to follow 1,000 people a day. I got roughly 4,000 people difference between follows and following - so limits are really not an issue.

The question is just, will i benefit more from neat stats (meaning less following than follows) or from inflating my follow stats for the chance of a fraction of these people seeing my tweets.

 

[xinga]

I had another a thought.

Assuming a big portion of those people following me is actually using bots, and they will actually unfollow me if i don't follow back within 1-3days (this is pretty much the case btw), and further assuming that a big portion is actually within my niche and I run a high risk of actually targeting them myself through my follow-bot...well following back would actually save me time and limits.

 

[Bobby25]

Not necessarily, it's your own business.I agree that many who use bots and programs and invitations to come not because you have an interesting page ...

 

[davids355]

Most people that unfollow as a result of you not following back are probably bots.

So no I wouldn't worry.

Also, better to have a clean timeline so you can interact with the influential people within your niche rather than having it filled with automated crap from thousands of users that you have followed back.

 

[xinga]

Most people that unfollow as a result of you not following back are probably bots.

So no I wouldn't worry.

Also, better to have a clean timeline so you can interact with the influential people within your niche rather than having it filled with automated crap from thousands of users that you have followed back.

iI am using lists and tweet decks for these...as anyone else. I haven't had a look at my timeline in a year ;-)


Also keep in mind that using bots doesn't equal dead weight either. Especially on twitter MANY people are using third party programs. In fact, I'd say that using twitter without it is actually impossible.

So unfollowing followers actually equals losing a follower (which is why I obviously don't do it). But not falling back probably means wasting time.

I currently set one of my smaller accounts for a side project on follow back. Let's see what happens.

Anyone aware of a way to track this? Meaning i'll export a list of the people I followed back and then match it with my most recent interactions?

 

[davids355]

iI am using lists and tweet decks for these...as anyone else. I haven't had a look at my timeline in a year ;-)


Also keep in mind that using bots doesn't equal dead weight either. Especially on twitter MANY people are using third party programs. In fact, I'd say that using twitter without it is actually impossible.

So unfollowing followers actually equals losing a follower (which is why I obviously don't do it). But not falling back probably means wasting time.

I currently set one of my smaller accounts for a side project on follow back. Let's see what happens.

Anyone aware of a way to track this? Meaning i'll export a list of the people I followed back and then match it with my most recent interactions?

In that case you have no disadvantage of following everyone back - unless you start hitting following limits, but you can always buy some followers just to avoid hitting those limits.

And yes I agree that using bots isn't neccesarily a bad thing.

 

[Mary86]

I think , no need ...

 

[bartosimpsonio]

Don't follow back unless you know the follower or are interested in their content. Cheap followbacks are exactly what those bots are made for.

 

[Alexis Gil]

I agree with others. It's no necessity to follow them all. Only some you know. Others is a waste of time.

 

[heartofgold]

A follow is a follow. If they stick then boom there's another permanent follower. You already use Twitter lists, so you should be already set.