This is the music I am listening to. These are the people I recommend you follow. Doesn't really matter if the tweets are read, if anyone actually listens, because you've been accepted into the mass of tweeters talking about the same thing. The act is the reward, in a way.
1. BE SPECIFIC
We're all guilty of throwing lists of @myBFF @myBFF'sBF together for #FollowFriday. This is a dangerous method that can inundate your followers feeds with blocks of names. If they already follow one or more of your list then they'll probably ignore the rest. Or if they're not particularly looking to follow new people, they'll just ignore it.
If you really want to recommend a person, why lump them all together in a blind group?
Redheads Unite! #FF @ConanOBrien
You'd probably click on that, right? What if I'd put it like this...
I mean they're snazzy names (and accounts I happily follow), but I bet you're more likely to click and follow the first #FF than the second. Especially if I'd stuck less shiny names in the second batch (couldn't resist the plug, all of those accounts are hilarious).
Specificity makes a tweet more memorable, so a tweeter who's glancing through their feed is more likely to have their interest piqued by a specific reason for the #FF.
Ok partway there, but it's breaking my rule number 2...
2. KEEP IT SIMPLE
Albert Einstein is a smart dude. He's advice was:
Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler
Don't destroy the message, but find the most concise and articulate way to convey it.
This is tough to do, but I have never regretted the time spent trying to simplify something. It's like organizing my apartment. Everything gets thrown about in what appears to be the exact opposite of what I'm trying to achieve, so stopping half-way through is never a good decision, but once I finish it's like a weight is off my back. Not only can I still find everything, but people no longer ask me how I find anything.
You may get the message, like I can find things in my mess, but you're not the only one trying to find meaning. Sending a message out on twitter is like me sending my friend to grab something from my room. It's your message, but they're the ones you're asking to do something with it.
So let's revisit my example #FollowFriday tweet from above.
#FF Great Source of Interesting Social Media / Design Links @Minervity
Within the community I follow (on my several accounts), I rarely see a #FF with just one name, which is a shame! I'd rather see 10 different #FF tweets from one person with specific (not necessarily detailed) intros than a plain mass list.
Here's an exception:
(if you felt the urge to point out how that's more than 140 characters, you're spot on but probably should take a bit of a break from twitter)
If multiple accounts fit your description, might as well lump 'em together. But if you're really trying to get people interested in it maybe a bit of context would help...
3. BE CONCRETE, GIVE CONTEXT
Tell your followers WHY they should follow these people. Making something concrete, giving it context, is like giving it a mental tag (or keyword).
Soccer is played with a ball that you cannot touch with your hands. Knowing that, if you see video of Henry's handball then you understand that something is wrong and are more likely to remember it. Knowing that it was a qualifying match gives it even greater impact on your memory.
If you didn't know the rule, didn't know the sport or cultural context, then you are more likely to forget the video than someone who knows the context.
Not new, not expansion, but BABY. Bit of a burrrrn...less so if you know that they are expansion teams. If not, then you could take "baby" as a reflection of their game-skill etc. Baby is better than no description, but it's a very vague one.
"Favorite teams" doesn't work, it's not taking a stance. WHY are they your favorite? "Best Teams" would work, but is weaker. Why are they the best? I like "Teams to Beat," because it doesn't need a long description and yet it hooks the mind with the promise of competition. Best is passive, team to beat is an active description.
*These lists do not necessarily reflect my opinions regarding the actual teams.
An active description because it creates a competition that you control. It also shows that they are not only a good team in the real world, but in the Twitter-verse, too.
Look back soon for more thoughts on Twitter hashtags, specifically the #HAPPO movement.
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