I’ve received quite a few emails asking me to review the Hummingbird automation software for Twitter. People have been hearing good things about it but are wondering if it’s worth the $197 asking price. After playing with Hummingbird for the past two weeks, I can tell you that it’s the best Twitter automation tool I’ve ever used.
What Is Hummingbird?
Hummingbird is a piece of software that will help you build a large Twitter list by automating the following and unfollowing of Twitter users. Over the pass two weeks, I’ve used Hummingbird to add over 10,000 followers to my Twitter account, which stood at 32,856 at the time of this post. Why would you want so many Twitter followers? Because it makes you money!
Hummingbird has many features and advancements to make it far better than any other Twitter automation tools. It’s these professional level features that justify the software’s higher price tag.
It Follows and Unfollows The Way You Would Do It
The biggest advantage Hummingbird has over other Twitter automation tools is it doesn’t use the Twitter API to follow and unfollow users. Hummingbird follows and unfollow the way you would do it – by clicking the follow and unfollow button on the Twitter website. Hummingbird runs in its own IE styled web browser. The software is extremely easy to use. Watch the screen cast below to see Hummingbird in action.
It Remembers Who You Unfollow
Another really cool feature of Hummingbird is it remembers who you unfollow so you don’t follow them again. Other follow scripts don’t do this and that can get you into trouble. If you follow and unfollow users multiple times, they can report you for spamming and get your Twitter account banned.
Hummingbird also let you set up a VIP list for users who are not following you, but you wish to continue following them. Because Hummingbird unfollows right on the Twitter website by clicking the unfollow button (the way a real human would), it’s a lot more accurate than an unfollow script. It’s also safer as well since it does not make use of the Twitter API.
How To Use Hummingbird
Hummingbird is based on the principle that if you want people to follow you, you should follow them first. The best way to use Hummingbird to build a big follow list is by using Twitter search to find users in your niche. Once you find a user with a few thousand followers, use Hummingbird to follow all their followers. Then wait about 48 and unfollow the users who don’t follow you back. I explain this method in more details in my post on How I Added 5,000+ Targeted Twitter Followers In 6 days. To increase your chance of others following you back, read this post.
15% Off for John Chow dot Com Readers
Hummingbird sells for $197. I say it’s worth it given all the special features. Hummingbird does things that no other Twitter automation tool can. Still, $197 is a pretty high price to pay in a recession. So, Hummingbird gave me a nice coupon code to save you 15% off the price.
Purchase Hummingbird and enter RECESSION at checkout and the price will go to $167.45. The coupon is valid for this month only.
You can download and try Hummingbird free for 37 hours before buying. The trial is a full version with nothing disable. After 37 hours, you will have to purchase and enter a valid license key. By that time, you’ll see how great an automation tool Hummingbird is and will be happy to buy it.
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{ 81 comments }
Wow, impressive tool! My friend uses twitter to build a large community of followers, but always hard to keep track things, I will definitely recommend this software to him!
Kok Choon’s last blog post: FREE Screen Recording Software – ScreenToaster
if you’d recommend this to your friend than I guess it’s worth getting.
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
This is the first I heard of Hummingbird…looks like a really good tool…the price might seem high at the start, but I can see how selling something to such a large audience can pay off large…worth looking into…thanks John!
Aman@BullsBattleBears’s last blog post: Freebie Monday #23 – Free Gillette Fusion Razors and MORE!!
Thanks again too for another insight on how this game is played!
Michael Zhao’s last blog post: End of Second Week.
Yes , even after 15% discount price still seems to me very high.
Shanker Bakshi’s last blog post: Here is Your Lethal Money Making Tool
I guess it depends on your income. It doesn’t seem high to me considering what can be done with all of those followers.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Marie’ Digby Covers ‘Umbrella’
I do agree with your insight but if you think about it the price doesn’t seem very high at all if you consider what you get out of it than its certainly worth the asking price.
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
I will see detail for the offer.
The tool is quite a new thing to me,I would rather think of using it.
game-girl’s last blog post: Призраки в Коннектикуте скачать фильм онлайн
it seems like a pretty cool tool so why not use it you know what I mean
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
I have thought about this for a while. I might look into it. However, there sure are a lot of free alternatives out there…
TradeProfits.net’s last blog post: TradeProfits Update
Be careful of scripts that use the Twitter API. They can get you banned. The cool thing about Hummingbird is it doesn’t use the API. It follows like you would follow.
Paying so much for software based on scraping is a little scary IMO. There are ways and means of completely stopping scraping if Twitter get annoyed enough. They provided the API for a reason.
Paul B’s last blog post: Midphase Affiliate Program – Easy Money
That’s one of the reasons I don’t use any of the scripts that use their API. You can never be too safe.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Courtney Van Dusen Interview
Completely Agreed to this one. Any script that use API to follow can potentially get you banned from twiter.
yeah he does have a point there bud because that’s not great if you use such free services as they can cause quite a pain to your use of Twitter
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
Well, Hummingbird is really an innovative product you need if you have been thousands of followers to keep track..
It actually helps you to pause when you’ve hit twitter’s limit, keeping you notified and safe from risks.
With built in multiple accounts management and experience the data rich environment of Twitter; noting your following history while using Hummingbird is push button easy.
Derrick Ng dot Com
really this is all new information to me since I’ve never heard of this before until now thats for providing this new information to me
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
A useful tool to get targeted followers in a short period. Thanks John!
Jacob Yap’s last blog post: Barking Dog Alarm
Very innovative product. I guess the Twitter API was designed to create alternative Twitter like interfaces and not for mass following, very cool work around.
Does Hummingbird have a product guarentee? How about for when Twitter changes their pages? IE once a product like this starts hitting mainstream the developers at Twitter will deliberately change the UI just enough to break this product.
Cam Birch’s last blog post: Oprah Endorses Chicken Coupon Riot
If Twitter changes their page, Hummingbird will release an update for it. There’s really nothing Twitter can do about it since it clicks the follow and unfollow button just like you would click it. There is no API involved.
I’m often hired to work from the other side to break tools like this so I’m aware of how easy it can be to break these things (thats why they are kept so secret). A development team thats committed to keep the product running is very refreshing and certainly says alot for such a cheap tool.
Lifetime updates for a tool like this is often 20%+ per year. Very impressive.
Cam Birch’s last blog post: Oprah Endorses Chicken Coupon Riot
thanks for taking the time to clarify this particluar topic it was very helpful
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
I’m still skeptical about these kinds of products. Are these really quality followers?
Chris’s last blog post: PPC Kahuna Review By An Actual Member
I can’t say they’re quality followers but I can say they’re targeted followers. It’s safe to assume that people following me are interested in blogging and Internet marketing. So if you want a list like that, follow those who follow me.
Just like John Chow says targeted, yes absolutely. Quality is a hard to define metric. Are they quality because they spend money? Are they quality because they like what you like? What is your metric for quality? Once you figure that out then you can decide if $200 is worth it or not.
Cam Birch’s last blog post: Oprah Endorses Chicken Coupon Riot
twitter applications are nothing to be skeptical as long as they don’t cost 350-1000 dollars
If you want quality then don’t bother using any of these services. That is why I am not using none. In other words, these services are made for spammers…
I’d say it depends on how you market to them.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Marie’ Digby Covers ‘Umbrella’
Hey, what ever works to promote your product! Let’s get this man!
Michael Zhao’s last blog post: End of Second Week.
i totally agree with you if something works why not take advantage of it
Hi..
I totally agreed with John …
well great post Keep it up ! good work
thank you for recommend useful tools… sounds give good service
its great to find out that their are such tools out there that can bring you a rather large following in twitter which is certainly wanted by everyone
Sounds very cool, hope it’ll work for me
I don’t usually care for Twitter tools, but this looks too good to pass up. I’m going to give the trial a try.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Courtney Van Dusen Interview
I had been using quite a feel tools for twitter nowadays, may be I should try to use this and see how is it since I’m now getting well over 20 to 40 followers a day, if it increase the number then I will get it…..
The Bad Blogger’s last blog post: An Open Post To Anyone Who Is Serious To Make His First Dollar Online And Is Now Ready To Make His First Serious Step !
It looks like a cool software to download, but again it is very expensive so I won’t be buying that. Thanks Greg Ellison
Greg Ellison’s last blog post: Natural Appetite Suppressant Foods
oh come on why not try it its only going to help you
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
I think you should at least do the trial. I’m doing it & it’s amazing so far.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Marie’ Digby Covers ‘Umbrella’
Very interesting. I agree with Greg above. Cool software but not worth the price to me right now.
if you realize that it can really help you out than i don’t see how it wouldn’t work for you
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
Em..I think it is not everyone could use twitter to earn money. Making money online is not as you said easy.
Bati’s blog tips’s last blog post: 5 Details Bloggers Must Care
I think if a person spams to a large enough group, they can make money. Nothing is ‘easy’ but everything is certainly possible.
Aman@BullsBattleBears’s last blog post: Freebie Monday #23 – Free Gillette Fusion Razors and MORE!!
Making money for people who know how to is easy, for those who don’t know how to it’s hard. If you want it to be easy it needs to be hard first.
Michael@TheBloggerSource’s last blog post: WordPress Plugins That Work For You
Youno its not but it can be if you make a lot of friends online and when you gain the trust of your readers
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
I find it to be pretty easy. I don’t spam either.
I tried to use twitter to make money as well. However it’s definitely not easy.
LithiumMind’s last blog post: Choose The Right Method To Make Money Online The First Time
well nothing is easy if it was everyone would be rich
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
I have tried it, but it was too much a tool for me.
would ever do you mean it was too much of a tool for you?
Can you elaborate? It really doesn’t seem crowded to me.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Marie’ Digby Covers ‘Umbrella’
I’m thinking of buying why didn’t you like it? At the moment I use a string of other sites.. quite time consuming..
Tim @ Blog Tips For Beginners’s last blog post: 5 Things You Should Know About Making The Digg Front Page
Great recommendation John. If this tool can save you time, that’s time saved so that you can spend it on the other hundreds of things you have to do.
Thanks for the post and video, it’s great that we’re able to see a demo of the product.
John’s last blog post: Time Management Part I
it was used basically to give you an understanding of the products and to show its true value
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
strange , now what will happen to your twitterfollower project. hummingbird has some really cool unfollow and follow tools.
Shanker Bakshi’s last blog post: Here is Your Lethal Money Making Tool
Nothing is going to happen to Twitter Follower. After all, it’s free!
its funny how many twitter tools are out there
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
Thanks for the review John! About 3 days before you posted this review our team decided to pull the plug on the free trial due to a high level of fraud ( people selling cracks, creating a free trial for life ). I’d be more then happy to answer any questions anyone might have about hummingbird.
Things to take note of: Hummingbird affiliates have already earned $39,000 collectively since March.. Many simply purchase it and then use the application to resell the software.
Hummingbird is the market leader in this niche. Check the compete.com stats here: http://rt.nu/n8vg
wow unbelievable considering people were able to get away from it
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
Wow, affiliates earned 39k? I have to get in on this.
Just buy it then start a few twitter accounts just for reselling it? I guess that would work.. Would like to try a free trial though :p
Tim @ Blog Tips For Beginners’s last blog post: 5 Things You Should Know About Making The Digg Front Page
How come you can follow 10,000 followers when twitter is only allowing up to 2000 which you can follow?
Paulubiadas’s last blog post: Miscellaneos Ramblings
He already explained in a previous blog posts about how Twitter following works.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Courtney Van Dusen Interview
well there are so may ways to beat systems out there and yes in one of his posts he does mention this
social bookmarking demon’s last blog post: Review Of The Email Messenger “Mostly Known” As AWEBER
An Innovative product worth trying out.
Prince Sioni’s last blog post: Start Your Own Blog
Looks like some nice software, but anything that automates a social network makes me nervous. I’ve seen too many accounts get banned with automated Facebook and MySpace bots. Maybe I’m just a chicken.
Chris Jacobson’s last blog post: PayPerPost Gets a Makeover
If you use software like this to spam then you are totally correct to be nervous. Places like Facebook, Twitter and others have automated processes in place to detect spamming regardless of if a tool is used. Twitter especially has the ability for users to easily report you if they belive you are following inappropriately as well.
If used carefully a tool like this is mostly a replacement for manual effort. People like John Chow are continuously seeking ways to make money online and one of those is having a large Twitter following. To have a large following you have to attract followers and this simply does what people like John have been doing manually. People have been banned for spam following manually so they will be banned for using a tool like this to spam follow.
Quite simply if you spam follow people who are in no way interested you can expect to be banned. If they might be interested you have a chance of being banned if you are spamming (aka following too many at a time), when you are really good at picking the right group of people this is a tool that saves you time so that you can make money elsewhere.
If you look at this products forums they talk about being banned and what not to do. Bascially it comes down to common sense, don’t try to eat the whole cake at once, greedy people get hurt.
Cam Birch’s last blog post: Steps To Business Success – Choosing Your Business
It is first time I heard about hummingbird.
It looks like a really realible tools for twitter.
My brother did purchase this product last week and showed me how it work. I’m really impressed with it and with that price tag, it’s really hard to just say yes. But if you have a business model and understand that having a large number of followers will benefit it, this tool is for you.
Awesome review John!
Rob Angeles’s last blog post: Should We Allow Social Networking In The Workplace
It’s also my first time hearing about this marketing tool for twitter. Well, based on the review, it’s the best twitter automation tool…but it’s a bit costly for me. Hope I could try this tool one day to check out if it’s really the best and worth buying!
Internet Marketing Tips’s last blog post: Maverick Money Makers Review – Is it legit or counterfeit?
Seems like another fantastic Twitter tools…but a new one seems to come out every single day…maybe should wait for the next one ^-^
Andi’s last blog post: Twitter Marketing – Tweet Me You Must!
While you have a better tool (Twitter Follower) which is 100% FREE, why would I want to go for a paid version?
Anyway, there are some features which you have already covered here and I agree with that.
Thanks John for this informative review post.
Keep up the good work!
Hooshmand
Hooshmand Moslemi’s last blog post: How To Make a Travel Guide Website
Hey John, well done! There is a window of opportunity with products like this, it is likely that Twitter will continue to clamp down on accounts that grow too fast.
Travis Campbell’s last blog post: 3 Tips to Capitalize on Google’s Latest Social Media Move – Get on Page 1 of Google
It’d be nice to have this but I can’t afford it. I use a similar script that does everything besides remembering who I unfollow though.
Hmm … this one is sounding some great tool which can give benefit to my business and all.
I will give it a try.
ZK @ Web Marketing Blog’s last blog post: SEO Marketing by Digital Third Coast
I am new to internet lead from Twitter, but looks like worth investemnt to get targetted follower.
Vijay’s last blog post: Wii sensor to enhance controls
I use a free tool Huitter.com to un follow who are not following me.But Hummingbird is pretty good tool.But price is high which i can’t afford.
For best twitter tips,tricks to make money from twitter profile check out http://bit.ly/TlXWr
Does hummingbird follow based on what people are saying like search.twitter.com like twitter snipe does? Or just by following other peoples followers?
Tim @ Blog Tips For Beginners’s last blog post: 5 Things You Should Know About Making The Digg Front Page
Hi John,
I want to invite you to check out our competing product, Bird Feeder. It’s similar to Hummingbird, but with many more powerful features that allow you to follow highly targeted users, and at a much cheaper price. It’s also free to try, so I’d welcome you to check it out and see what you think. (link on my name)
And of course, we’d love it if you felt up to writing a review to contrast your Hummingbird experience with Bird Feeder.
josh’s last blog post: New Product: Bird Feeder released!
Just letting you know, Tweet Adder has been released as of the end of may. Would love some feedback
Jamie’s last blog post: ..it is just so damn good