This week I read a blog post by Bill Dorman who is lamenting the turn of events in social media – the “no one’s home, but the lights are on” syndrome many of us are feeling. In that same breath, he asked, “Why isn’t #Follow Friday cool anymore?”
Is it? Is the previously popular Twitter weekly hashtag, #FollowFriday or #FF, during which peeps list all their faves so others know whom to follow, now passé?
What’s your take? Here’s mine…
** I welcome and appreciate all #FollowFriday tweets; in fact, it’s darn nice to be acknowledged by someone who takes their time to put a list together and include me. Mark C. Robins is one of the most thoughtful and never misses a Friday. I am in awe of this because people are just not doing it any longer. (Mark is with Lawyer Locate in Canada.)
** Twitter has changed forever. I lament the Twitter of yore. While I wasn’t an early adopter in 2008, I did jump on in early 2009 and was hooked…for life (we’ll see). There were rainy Fridays (kinda like today) that I watched the tweets roll in and interacted all over the world. No longer.
** My Twitter stream is laden with links. That’s why I’m trying not to add links to that many tweets any more. I want to keep my tweets authentic and humanistic. Because you ought not to RT a tweet with a link unless you open it to verify, I have changed my RT patterns, too.
** Back to #FF, as I just digressed…I hasten a guess that relationships on Twitter are more superficial than before? Do peeps take the time they used to to develop in-depth friendships as before? I’m saying no, and this contributes to the lack of recommendations.
** What about time? If your time is as limited as mine, then this is the biggest culprit.
** How about channel overload? G+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Tumblr blogs, your blog, Foursquare, Yelp…OMG! We are at the peak of sensory overload! Our cups runneth over! How can we develop new relationships the way we used to via social media enough to #FF?
** Like any trend, the newness wears off, and the “abuse” (I use this lightly) of #FF caused a bit of negativity. When the bots rolled in and started to add lists of peeps haphazardly with #FF, that’s when we became suspect of #FF recommendations from peeps we didn’t know. Shall we blame it on the bots?
So, finally, Bill, #FollowFriday is still VERY cool when:
1. It comes from a genuine and authentic place – your heart.
2. It recognizes someone for a job well done, gratitude, an impact, an influence, and more.
3. You want to bring a smile to someone’s face who needs a lift.
4. You want to be a coolio friend who recognizes someone else’s accomplishments.
5. You want to plain old #RocksHot.
So, I’m gonna just #FF this entire community right here…you guys do #RockHot. THANKS!
Hi Jayme…excellent post…something that I have been thinking about of late as well. Like you, I joined the social media experience including Twitter in 2009 with one persona. I now have three presences in Twitter and the dynamics have noticeably changed. In the “early” days, I woke early and kept an organized record of who I #FF and who I needed to respond to. It was fun but it was so time consuming. Then I slipped into oblivion for awhile. I came back in the past few months and found myself not participating in the #FF because it felt disingenuous and I got into a bad habit of doing a lot of RTs. To keep my RTing “credible” though, I did read the articles that I RT’d and I added a “personal” comment to the RT for some validity. I see a change in Twitter. It feels much more like self promotion (including myself) than it did in the “early” days. But, that being said, it DOES provide a great platform for increasing the visibility of your blog or business. Your final list was excellent. And (this seems to be my theme today) it’s all about balance. Your #1 was the most important factor to me…#FF, if not all tweets, need to come from a genuine and authentic place in your heart. If your RT’s are truly authentic and genuine, then RT away. If your #FF are authentic and genuine, then #FF on. One of my Twitter “friends” has been my inspiration from the beginning… @MuttiWorld:twitter takes the time on Fridays to do single #FF that include a heartfelt reason as to why she follows the person and why you should too! THAT is the way it should be done!
Thanks for a thoughtful post, Jayme. Truly enjoyed reading it!
Claudia
I admire that you have time to read the links and comment before you send. That’s a wonderful addition to the stream, Claudia. Balance. YES!
I’ve written in various places about authenticity; Twitter is becoming very unauthentic — its growth, its automation, the spammers, etc. That’s why we’re back to rich conversations on the blogs, I think. People are noticing. So, we can’t discount blogging yet, although I’ve also seen mention of the post-blogging era. Not so sure that’s legit.
I’m pretty much with you on most of your thoughts. At times I feel like I’m on autopilot on Twitter. Last year I wrote a post asking people to make their #FF recommendations more personal, and not just send out that laundry list of names. I like to get a #FF mention, but I’d rather it be personal and give people a reason to follow me. Not just a list. I don’t see those anymore. I mean, they are there. But my eyes just glance right over them. If you want me to follow someone, tell me why…
Agree, Ken. That’s why the blogging comments, as The Jack said, are more genuine.
Right back atcha, girlie! Thanks for this post…yes, #FF is still cool and I still smile when I receive one! 🙂
I agree wholeheartedly; people do appreciate it if you take the time to do it manually and with sincerity (at least I do). There is so much automation, and I know some of it is a must, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Change is inevitable but it doesn’t mean we can’t long for the ‘good ol’ days’, does it?
Everybody seems to be churning and burning and maximizing every tool available to be seen and heard on their way to the top of the mountain. I might still be naive enough to make a silly statement, but to me it’s looks like a huge time commitment and endeavor for a precarious position at best. This world can still be very fickle and turn it’s back on you very quickly. I’ve seen and even personally felt and everybody likes Billy, right?
Maybe we should start calling it ‘old school’ #FF now, huh?
Neither of us has a monetization goal (yet) on Twitter, Bill. I wonder if that makes our journey slightly less pressured than others who feel the need to use all the tools?
You make a good point and maybe that is a distinguishing factor. However, being in outside sales, the customer can smell desperation a mile away; I think you have to be careful that’s not your persona.
I love #FF, but I worry about leaving folks out. I already do that enough, due to the organizational challenges I have with social media. I haven’t done a full-out tweep-after-tweep shout-out on Twitter in months, because I like to add what I think of them, and why follow, and all that. I’ve seen some people use apps that allow them to automatically #FF those who’ve engaged, but some of my favorite tweeps I don’t engage on a weekly basis on Twitter. It just comes down to me needing to organize my time better in order to offer #FF love regularly. So basically, still cool, yes.
Gosh. Organization of social media? HOW does that work?
A friend and I were just talking about the impact that Twitter and Facebook had on blog comments. Or should I say we were talking about they “stole” comments and moved the conversation off of blogs, maybe not entirely but the impact was felt.
Lately I have been sensing a move back the other direction. It feels to me like the conversations on Twitter are shrinking a bit and that they are back in the blogosphere. I think that the automation has a lot to do with that.
FULLY agree. Twitter has moved into automaton mode; genuine authenticity is few and far. (The Jack…I’m reading your intro blurbs b/c you always cut me off and ask me to click in and I do on occasion…but I’m feeling you, Friend. Here 4U.)
Follow Friday was cute, and arguably useful, when most of the folks on twitter were new to the service. In the dark ages, when the only way to find other people on twitter with interests similar to your own was to go to the page of a follower and one-by-one look through their contacts, it was pretty tiresome. The #FF posts gave twitter-noobs an easy way to find just the coolest of people being followed by others. Now, there are much more powerful twitter clients, twitter tools, search engines, hash-tag aggregators, heck even the twitter web interface has improved a little.
To answer your question (IMO) No, it’s not cool. It can still be useful for expanding your social network, or as kudos for a twitter friend who’s done well by you. #FF lacks coolness, if anything it’s become the junk-mail of twitter through overuse and misuse.
You’re the first vote to say nay, Ray. Just because you wanted me to rhyme of some such.
As usual, right on. You’ve always got just the right Soulatitude, to borrow your brilliant pun. 🙂 I think Follow Friday was the first Twitter trend I ever took part in, back when I first started Tweeting in 2008. (Yikes, how the time flies…) Your assessment of its applications is very spot-on, too: #ff is really only significant if used properly, perhaps like anything else that comes with Tweeting professionally.
I’m becoming your biggest fan…do I have your blog to come visit and likewise laud your creativity? Because I sense you’re spot on with some high levels of sumthin sumthin!
I still think they are cool! Like @EricaAllison:disqus said, I still smile when I get one! I do prefer the Follow Fridays that take the time to tell you why to follow someone!
Yes, fully agree!
It’s nice to see your name in lights for sure (human nature) – but I very rarely read other people’s #FF unless there is accompanying explanation… Everyone has their own method I guess, but I think it helps to explain your #FF feeling…….
Hi, Nic! Thanks for coming by…you’re so right on the blast list…it seems almost like marketing in a way, rather than giving a gift.
LIke everything, I think personalization is what sets something apart. A gift that isn’t “off the rack” but chosen specifically for that person. A handwritten note, put in an envelope with a stamp…yes, I still do that. A #FF with a few words that speaks volumes about that person and why you should follow. (Yes, I do feel good when/if someone mentions me in a #FF) A few special words that augment a RT that indicate a bit of a tip of the hat to the article and the person.
There are only so many hours in a day, and I think that we choose our methods and make our choices based on time, energy, inclination and interest.
I don’t send out #FF lists. If I’m going to mention someone, I’m going to mention some ONE, or I’m going to make a group type #FF, like my near and dear #TeamBlogJack:) And @soulati:disqus , your list rocks hot: ditto it all! But hey…I’m not gonna turn down a #FF of this entire community, haha! Cheers! Kaarina
Thanks for popping in as you’ve been like popcorn lately — mostly in your hull. Hope you come out to pop again soon!! Miss you!
Miss you too! Will keep popping!
First off let me thank you for your kind words it is so nice to be acknowledged.
Next I am curious as to when the use of any social networking vehicle was cool or uncool?
In my case those that follow and read my posts know I am not in it to be cool or P.C.
And I continue to use FF to acknowldge my business friends, people I respect and feel can help others and of course my social friends.
Have we forgot that the basis if Twitter,G+ etc is pure and simple Networking without the breakfast.
Networking without breakfast! LIKE! Thanks for coming over, Mark…at my insistence…but I wanted you also to be acknowledged, as well. Thanks for your frequent support.
I don’t think #FF is dead, but the way that most people use it most certainly is. I don’t think it adds much value when people just list 10 names and add a #FF hashtag to the end. What’s worse is that those 10 people then go on to retweet that list and say TYSM! (Thank you so much) so they can let all of their followers know that someone else listed them.
Why would you decide to follow someone new based on a random list with #FF attached?!?
This is much better – “Check out because she’s smart, fun and really understands PR”
I appreciate every time someone thinks to recommend me. It really means a lot. However, it seems a bit hollow when it’s just a long list (esp. when you see 10 other tweets in row with similar lists). If you want to recommend people, take the time to make it genuine. It will make you really stand out.
You’re spot on, Laura! I often see bots doing the list thing; it’s pretty annoying. A quick delete…! Thanks for coming by this evening.
I agree. Being on someone’s #ff mention makes you feel appreciated, and tells you people actually enjoy reading your tweets. I think its a great idea, and myself and my followers all do it every Friday. Thanks for this. I enjoy reading your posts!
Thanks, for sharing Rochelle! Was on the road and comments unable; appreciate your patience. I am glad to see your network engages with #FF; when everyone is tracking together, it’s acceptable, welcome, personal, and brings a smile.
Better late than never. So what if they’re not cool, they can still work – when done well. Like everyone said, spamming out a list of names without rhyme or reason, that is uncool. Listing folks and the reasons why you, why you think others might benefit from following them – that still works for me. I have a few in draft, will get around to someday but had been keeping on ice lest they were uncool for me to recognize some folks that frankly, people who follow me are already following. But there’s the rub: I’ve connected folks this way, everyone surprised they weren’t following folks, hadn’t read each others blogs yet, etc. It is nice to be complimented by this, and great to help someone else get something out of their networking.
BTW I’m not exactly cutting back on my link shares (I really don’t tweet that much in a 12-hour day) but I do totally get what you’re saying. What I am doing is making an effort to 1) vary the links, the sources and 2) add more of just me, my thoughts, reactions, pearls of wisdom and bits of stupidity, in 140 or less. Also trying to play nice w/ other networks, not just repeat and repost everywhere. FWIW.
At least it sounds like you have a plan, D! That’s more than most of us can admit…it’s usually a shotgun approach, I’m thinking, with each of us trying to hit each channel with non-repetitive info…not sure it’s working! #FF is kinda like mail — when you get a letter it’s a wonderful gift.
Plan yes but there’s nothing that says it’s a good one. 😉
I think it is all about value.
Gold has value because it is scarce. (well, that and fear, speculation, and trust too) But things that are scarce often have value because they are scarce – because they are rare. Andy Rubin has tweeted about 5 times since last October. ( https://twitter.com/#!/Arubin ) and his tweets are extremely influential. Last October, he tweeted that 300k android phones were being activated daily. This past June, he tweeted that 500,000 were being activated daily. Those statistics, and the picture they paint are amazing – and his tweeting only enhances that. His tweets are important and rare.
Does Twitter’s Follow Friday have value proportional to scarcity. If say 25% the 200 million people on Twitter tweet 4 names, the result is that follow friday is so common that its value is gone. HOWEVER… value is defined differently by everyone. That is why a car or house is sold after an appropriate amount of haggling. The real value is what a ready, willing and able person pays in the transaction. Nobody pays anything for a #FF. It has no value. (well, maybe somebody pays for FF and such… https://techland.time.com/2011/08/03/report-92-of-newt-gingrichs-twitter-followers-arent-real/ ) And as you say, Jayme, the overload in social media doesn’t contribute positively to that, either.So – rather than ask or answer your question – “Is #FF cool?” I’ve got a different question: “Where *IS* the value in social media?” For that question, I think the answer may be the very same answer as yours. Social media value comes from being genuine, recognizing someone, bringing someone a smile, communicating and really connecting with someone.
Oh yeah, and being #RocksHot too – but that’s something that most people can only aspire too. 🙂
The very next time I’m in California, I’m going to make a point to visit you for a cuppa. That. Is. All.
Hey Jayme,
I enjoyed this post so much!
I still like twittes follow friday but I like the posts where people mention someone and discuss why its important to be following them!
I love ff because of the super cool mentions people drop in; I mean a girl loves some attention right. And when it comes on a friday… it doesn’t get better!