Shari Lopatin

I’ve seen a Twitter trend lately … and it’s been driving me crazy. You do this to me, expect an unfollow right away!

Wondering what it is?

Don’t follow me just to get a follow-back, then stop following me days later!

I can’t tell you how many times this has happened. And the individuals who do this, I’ve noticed, have a rather high “follower” count, with a rather low “following” count.

How do these con-artists work?

I’ll tell you:

• They follow you. Since they have a decent following with a small number of “tweeps” they follow back, you automatically feel flattered. You must be special, in that case, right?
• You naturally thank them with a follow-back.
• A few days go by, and you notice they’ve refused to acknowledge you, even when you’ve re-tweeted or mentioned them.
• After a week or two, you realize you’ve lost a follower. When you check, you realize they were the ones who left.

And this, my friends, is precisely how these individuals develop a great following, with a small “follower” count on Twitter. It’s rude, it’s crude. DON’T DO IT.

It’s the fastest way to get me to click “unfollow” and lose all respect for you. And I’m sure many others feel the same way, too.

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST TWITTER PET PEEVE? What drives you bonkers, and will prompt an automatic “unfollow?” Comment below and add to the list!

Hi! I’m Shari. I’ve worked for more than 15 years as a professional writer, editor, and communications consultant. Follow my blog for more posts about writing tips, writing craft, how to make a living as a writer, and how to build your following as a writer.