Many people are calling Twitter the new RSS. When you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. Twitter allows you to build a community that you can communicate directly with. And just like RSS, this community is extremely loyal. However, if you abuse them, they will unfollow you.
Like the previous post which explain what to do if you see your RSS numbers falling, this post will show you the many things you can do to get your Twitter followers to stop following you. If you don’t want that to happen, don’t do these things.
What better way to find out why Twitter users would stop following someone than by asking the Twitters themselves? So I made that the Twitter Question of The Day.
In many ways, the answers could be applied to why would you stop reading a blog. I see many parallels in the responses. Thanks to all the Twitter users who replied to my question.
What Would Make You Unfollow Someone?
@nickthrolson (nickthrolson) says:@JohnChowDotCom What would make me unfollow someone would be to many twitters in one day also when all I see is there face on the first page
@MaxRoeleveld (Max Roeleveld) says:@JohnChowDotCom When I lose interest (duh), or if the tweets start to get on my nerves, like only posting "blog update <url>".
@WesleyTech (Wes Novack) says:@JohnChowDotCom excessive spam or link broadcasting without any real interaction or real updates would make me unfollow
@tomharrison (Tom Harrison) says:@JohnChowDotCom Unnecessary drama, and flooding the service with a gross amount of links to activity/content elsewhere.
@kasiafink (kasiafink) says:@JohnChowDotCom Or if they accidentally hit return in the middle of their tweets.
@kasiafink (kasiafink) says:@JohnChowDotCom I’d unfollow if they start being passively agressively nasty to other twitterers.
@phonewisdom (Brad Molen) says:@JohnChowDotCom not enough content, not enough links. Ask me questions, involve me, or at least provide some relevant value.
@magpiers (magpiers) says:rt: @JohnChowDotCom if they used a lot of foul language or be-a-magpie http://is.gd/c2rn
@edrabbit (Ed Hunsinger) says:@JohnChowDotCom I would stop following a person if a) they only post links, b) they post nothing but ads, or c) they only post @ replies
@GrantGriffiths (Grant Griffiths) says:@JohnChowDotCom If all they do is self-promote and don’t give before they expect to receive on twitter. You have to participate in convo
@RichYasparro (Rich Yasparro) says:@JohnChowDotCom Spamming me with your business or product without even taking the time to say hi or give some indication that you care.
@NewWrldYankee (YankeeinaNewWorld) says:@JohnChowDotCom I unfollow ppl that promote only themselves, and are mean to others.
@WallerBlogDotCm (Jeremy Waller) says:@JohnChowDotCom Update to my previous response: I actually just unfollowed someone because they blased 10 tweets in a row.
@teraom (bharadwaj) says:@JohnChowDotCom : advertisements and sponsored tweets are so annoying. Who wants to see an tweet for "reduce fat" or "cheap real estate"??
@errantx (Tom Morton) says:@JohnChowDotCom self importance: everyone can have something interesting to say – so long as they dont make it all about them!
@blackysky (blackysky) says:@JohnChowDotCom only show up blog post or twit too much … I mean too much
@jpearce01 (Jordan) says:@JohnChowDotCom Too many Tweets talking shop…Show me there is a real person behind those Tweets and not just a PR drone.
@chrisjacobson (Chris Jacobson) says:@JohnChowDotCom If they don’t update their status at least once every few days, or if they’re just non-interesting in their Tweets.
@JoeDavison (JoeDavison.com) says:@JohnChowDotCom I only unfollow twitter accounts that repeatedly send messages that have no meaning to me
@WallerBlogDotCm (Jeremy Waller) says:@JohnChowDotCom When someone repeatedly sends out 5+ tweets at once.
@santoshp (Santosh P) says:@JohnChowDotCom links in every tweet (less as person, more as bot), more thn tolerable updates eating timeline, if replies are chat sessions
@brooksduncan (brooksduncan) says:@JohnChowDotCom People who solely post their own links. Or I unfollowed one guy who just posted quotes that he ripped of from a book.
@AlexFraiser (Alex Fraiser) says:@JohnChowDotCom What annoys me the most is when someone tweets WAY too much about the same thing over and over and over again.
@KyeGrace (Kye_Grace) says:@johnchowdotcom They tweet about making popcorn everytime they make popcorn…it happened. If I ever master Tweetdeck I may never unfollow.
@edawg (Elliot Webb) says:@JohnChowDotCom irrelevant tweets in regard to what I was interested would make me unfollow someone.
@m38967 (Missy) says:@JohnChowDotCom Any violent type remarks or comments. I tolerate just about anything, BUT violence.
@AlexFraiser (Alex Fraiser) says:@JohnChowDotCom You tweet WAY too much about the same thing over and over and over again.
@steitiyeh (steitiyeh) says:@JohnChowDotCom To be honest? nothing, i’ll get used by time whom users to read their msgs and whom not to, for example: i am addicted 2 urs
@hlooman (Hans Looman) says:@JohnChowDotCom A stream of tweets without any interaction, solely to promote their own site or activities
@SpyderCandy (Stace Barrus) says:@JohnChowDotCom I stop following when people provide uselss info repeatedly, such as… just got a cofee, now I’m tying my shoe, etc.
@buzzbishop (buzzbishop) says:@JohnChowDotCom incessant spam (@vatabrasil), or the lack of adding real value to the twitter conversation, incessant pestering
@easytechtalk (easytechtalk) says:@JohnChowDotCom too many updates relating to "deals" or other related sites
@Skitzzo (Ben Cook) says:@JohnChowDotCom lack of interaction and repeated self promotion would do it for me. Or repetitive offensive tweets.
@successprof (successprof) says:@JohnChowDotCom Two things 1. All they do is advertise 2. An insane number of updates in rapid succession
@micheleneylon (Michele Neylon) says:@JohnChowDotCom people talking rubbish constantly ie. buzzwords and no actual content
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