After reading all the arguments, I agree that what really matters are your specific goals in using Twitter and how far along you are in reaching those goals.

I do appreciate the candor & sincerity evident in the posts of Michel & Tiffany, as well as the other contributors. I plan to weigh it all to help evaluate what approach seems best for me when I do get to Twitter.

Sure in a perfect world, which it’s not. Point is, many people WILL be upset. You can appease them or not. If you’re a marketer teaching marketers, which you said you’re not, then it may matter.

In other niche markets, I don’t think it matters as much. IE: I don’t think a fan of a simple celebrity expects to be followed back. I think the fans of a marketer in the IM niche using a social network DO expect a follow back because they’re being taught about social networking and the relationship building process, etc.

Pete – I wouldn’t worry about the age of the Tweople following you at all

There’s another point here which stacks against auto-follows, and that’s the fact that there are many ‘very young’ people using Twitter now.

I regularly have young teenagers following me, and as I’m in my late 50’s I would find it uncomfortable ‘following’ them back. If I was using auto-follow I wouldn’t have the option to select them ‘out’ of my feed.

Perhaps I’m being too over-cautious, and I know there are many youngsters who are absolute genius internet marketers, and I have chosen to follow a couple for that very reason. But I’d hate to find out one day that I was following a whole bunch of random youngsters: What would the ‘thought Police’ think of that??

Just a thought – Hmmmmm

Pete.

Thanks for the spirited, yet civil and courteous debate. I really appreciate it.

My final last plea to the auto-follow camp is to consider the other way(s) to use twitter that might go against your own interpretation of social networks.

As Tiffany said in reply:

“Marko, no Twetiquette isn’t universal, but if I go to a country and I know about a cultural issue, I’ll do my best to conform to their way of life as long as it’s not in violation of my own ethics or whatever.”

Tiffany, did you use that sentence to imply that auto-follow is the universal, natural way to use Twitter? Or do I misunderstand you here?

You are hurting my feelings.

No, seriously, couldn’t this also mean that I can expect people to conform to my usage of Twitter? Or at least be mature enough to consider the possibility of a non-follow without getting upset?

After all, the little button that people click says “Follow” NOT “Get Followed.”

And since you asked a 2nd time, no, I wouldn’t call myself a marketer, although marketing is part of what any free-lancer does to generate business.

Take care,

Marko

I’m barely past the newbie stage so it’s funny to see hundreds of my mentors following me. How can I not follow back! For advanced marketers, this could be good. For us beginners, it’s just another way to fill the inboxes that we no longer have time to read.

As to messages, I think a 140 word riddle will attract the curious. But what do I have to show to other more advanced marketers?

Michel isn’t wrong in his approach. Nor is he right. Tiffany isn’t wrong or right either. They are just different.

Will Twitter go the way of Free For All Classified sites? I doubt it. People said the same about MySpace and Facebook and it hasn’t happened yet.

But if it does, so what? Just as no one is “entitled” to a return follow, social media sites like Twitter aren’t “entitled” to be anything other than what they become.

Social media isn’t “sacred.” It’s a business. A business to make money. A business that depends on USER generated content to survive. Everyone who uses Twitter has an agenda of some sort. The sites have to balance their own interests with those of the users. And that means they have to allow some marketing. Otherwise, they wouldn’t see the numbers they see now.

There is no right way to use Twitter. There are only a wide variety of ways.

In the end, it’s not that big a deal. Twitter is only a website – a tool – nothing more. There is no reason for anyone to get all bent out of shape when others disagree with their OPINION on how it should be used.

After all, that’s what a truly QUALITY connection/relationship is all about.

If not, if after the auto-follow I’m simply delegated to the back-end of a filter, how is that polite?

Knowing that my stream is ending up in your virtual ‘file 13′, is not something I even remotely consider socially acceptable or proper etiquette – for ANY reason!

Alright, I’m sure Tiffany is tired of this, so I’ll say goodbye again.

You said “they must be following you ’cause they’re interested in what you have to offer” and I’d like to briefly correct this misconception, if I may.

This is a common misconception, and the primary reason people use auto-follow.

But the facts do not support it.

The fact is that many who have been teaching people to auto-follow as a form of “netiquette” are teaching this for nefarious reasons.

They want you to believe it is rude not to follow everyone who follows you.

Why?

Because on the flip side of that scenario they are using automated software and mass following thousands upon thousands of twitter users, knowing full well that many are following everyone who follows them. This software harvests thousands of twitter users and automatically follows them, waits for the “reciprocal follow” and if it doesn’t happen, the software (not the person) automatically un-follows.

Same as spam harvesting software, isn’t it?

THIS is what’s really happening. And THIS is what Michel and I are both very much alarmed by.

You are made to believe that if someone follows you, they are real people, genuinely interested in what you have to say. But the facts do not support this belief.

Michel and I both love Twitter, but not as a means of building a false list of automated robots all trying to blast their links at one another.

We love it because it gives us a concise, meaningful way of communicating with like minded PEOPLE.

Our method of only following people we are genuinely interested in, people who have reached out to personally communicate with us, is the only way we can see a use for Twitter.

Like Michel said, it is heading towards becoming yet another FFA link farm, and we would hate to see it go that route.

It’s heading there, not because genuine people are using “reciprocal follow” methods, but because nefarious folks are preaching to innocent bystanders a new religion…one of “twitterquette” and implying that those who are using it for genuine personal SOCIAL reasons are being rude or snobs.

That some people don’t see logic when it stares them in the face, astounds me.

Like Michel…I give up. The arguments are on the table. See the facts or don’t.

But understand that nefarious folks will always find a way to convince nice people that their methods work.

One of the problems in this debate is that people feel they have a sense of entitlement. I think that’s the real issue, here. (And it’s appalling.)

People feel entitled to a follow back, to access to some marketer or celebrity, to free help or advice.

I’m sorry, but those things are earned, not automatic. They are not to be taken for granted. Nor should they be expected.

And if you feel entitled to them, then you are blocking your own growth and success, because you will never feel able to truly earn it. Your delusions come out from a scarcity mindset rather than a prosperity mindset.

Personally, I find it insulting that someone would feel entitled to my follow back, let along to my time or attention.

And guess what? If you really, really, really want to make money in this biz, so SHOULD YOU. So should you feel insulted, stop auto-following, and starting to value your time and efforts.

If I follow you it’s because… get this… I want to follow you. (What a neat concept, huh?)

I’m following you because I’m genuinely interested in what you have to say. In fact, auto-follow is the opposite. It’s disingenuous.

Remember, Twitter itself said it. Not me.

And auto-follow is killing Twitter. Will it die? Probably not. But it might become another free-for-all wasteland like MySpace where spammers roam freely.

And those who still continue to fight this, are using extraneous concepts, senseless filler, and irrational myths to prove their delusions.

Such as the idea that it’s discourteous or it hurts other people’s feelings. I’m shocked that I’m made to feel RESPONSIBLE for everyone’s little insecurities. And shame on you if you try to make me feel so.

And folks, that’s the MYTH that’s being propagated. Especially by spammers.

It’s not my responsibility.

I’m a marketer, not a psychologist.

And using this as an excuse?

Oh, please. Grow up.

I guess that’s the same as someone who loves to receive spam, because getting a lot of email makes them feel special. C’mon on.

It’s B.S. And fighting this topic, especially with people with a vested interest in winning such a specious argument — especially if they have, for example, a product for sale in which they recommend auto-follow, and rather than accepting defeat or the plausibility in the other person’s argument they need to save face — then it’s a losing battle.

So I give up.

I’ll end this here.

But please, use your heads.

Use logic and common sense.

And enjoy Twitter in whatever way you like to.