I'm someone who enjoys the "social" side of "social media". Twitter, in particular, has given me a lot of joy since I began getting to know people 140 characters at a time. I love that there is no limit to the kinds of people to interact with, (although the Twitter rules sometimes limit the amount of people I can interact with!)
For me, it's like being invited to a really cool party. The best parties have always been the ones where I get to meet a lot of people I may not have known before. I've learned a lot over the years because I spoke with people whose acquaintance I just made. And some of the funniest stuff ever has come from people who just relax and let their hair down a little.
I don't much care for rules. I don't show up at parties and tell people what they should or shouldn't talk about. I don't like to dictate the rules of engagement. We've all been places where maybe someone is talking about something we don't care to listen to. I simply move on to the next group and see what's happening there. I would not deign to tell anyone how to conduct their social behavior. Not my place to do that. It's not my party, I'm just an attendee like everyone else.
Now if I'm conducting some sort of business meeting, sure, this is a time for decorum and protocol. Meeting are formal, after all, and they have a business purpose. Rules should and do apply. And if I'm running the show, I'm dictating the topic, the rules, the agenda.
Twitter for me is fun. And while there's nothing wrong with learning something new at any time, I come there to be social. I speak to people of every possible age-group, nationality, gender, creed and orientation. Why? Because they speak to me. Sure, sometimes we run into the bots and spammers and phishermen. So what? It happens in life too. We've all run into the insurance salesman over cocktails, right? We wait for the right moment, and find an excuse to move on. Live for the moment, so to speak, and enjoy.
So why will follow you on Twitter?
1. You're nice. "Nice" is underrated these days.
2. You are apparently aware that the Earth is populated by other people too.
3. I like random. I have about 100 people I follow who crack me up at least once a day with a random outburst. I do love me some "WTF" moments.
4. I do like to know what you're up to. I like the fact that at some moment, someone in Germany fills me in on what's for dinner. Gives me ideas for dinner of my own! I'm in charge of feeding some finicky kids!
5. You take time to occasionally share something you've learned. Remember, very few of us are born knowing everything about everything.
6. You're not too worried about everyone's rules. Free speech, to me, means that people can say things I might not agree with, or care about, but I'd hate to think of any medium where everything is exactly the same, day in and day out.
7. Pictures. I love pictures of people who like to share a little of their everyday lives. Sometimes I like to think they're even smiling just for me.
8. You understand two-way communication. We all have those friends who haven't figured out that their phone is capable of dialing out as well.
9. I like hearing what kind of day you're having. Maybe I have a trick up my sleeve that might lighten your mood if you need it, or maybe I like sharing a little of the joy in your day.
10. You're social. Yes, sometimes I'd love to know how great an expert you are in the Social Media realm, but sometimes the "social" gets left out. When I want to be "all business", I usually go to work for that. They pay me there. I don't make much money on Twitter. I don't think that's why I joined.
I will follow you because I like you. I will follow you because you're someone I'd be friends with in "real" life too. I will follow you because you do what Twitter lets us do: share some of our days together. I will follow you on Twitter for the same reasons I'd talk to you at a party.
So, let's have some fun,OK?
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